Impact of COVID-19 on tuberculosis and HIV health services delivery in Ghana: qualitative evidence from the perspectives of healthcare providers.

Introduction: The COVID-19 burden, coupled with unprecedented control measures including physical distancing, travel bans, and lockdowns in cities, has undoubtedly far-reaching consequences on healthcare services and has affected human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) health services in both low- and high-income countries. This study, therefore, explored the perspective of HIV and TB health service providers to better understand how the pandemic impacted health service delivery in Ghana.

Method: This qualitative explorative study was conducted among HIV and TB healthcare providers (n = 30) in six districts of Ghana from March to May 2021 using in-depth interviews.

Completeness of tuberculosis case notification in Ghana: record linkage and capture-recapture analysis of three TB registries.

Background: In many low and middle-income countries, Tuberculosis (TB) surveillance systems miss out on reporting on detected cases suggesting gaps in the TB case detection and documentation systems. The World Health Organisation estimates that less than half of TB cases in Ghana are notified. Capture-recapture (CR) techniques that involve data linkages have been applied in various settings to estimate the total number of tuberculosis cases, including those unreported.

Association between social media use and adolescents' sexual behaviours: a cross-sectional study among high school students in Drobo, Ghana.

Background: The advent of social media over the years significantly influences the sexual choices of adolescents. Ensuring the appropriate use of these platforms is key to developing positive attitudes towards sex-related subjects. Yet, evidence of the effect of social media on the sexual behaviours of adolescents is scarce.

Socio-demographic factors, housing characteristics, and clinical symptoms associated with falciparum malaria in two rapidly urbanizing areas in the Ashanti region of Ghana.

Background: Malaria has been described as a disease of poverty, affecting the poorest populations typically living in rural areas. As hitherto rural areas transition into semi-urban environments, this study investigated the prevalence of falciparum malaria and associated risk factors in two rapidly urbanizing districts in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Methods: A cross-sectional, hospital-based study was conducted at Agona and Mankranso Government Hospitals located within the Sekyere South and Ahafo Ano Southwest districts respectively, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Work-related stress among nurses: a comparative cross-sectional study of two government hospitals in Ghana.

Background: Occupational stress is increasing globally and affecting all workplaces and countries' health professionals. Despite its significant impact on healthcare delivery, limited studies have actually compared the prevalence, causes, effects, and coping strategies of stress among nurses working in hospitals with variation in capacity and function in Ghana. We, therefore, examined and compared the prevalence, causes, effects and coping strategies of occupational stress among nurses working in a secondary care and tertiary hospital in Ghana.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Tuberculosis and HIV services in Ghana: An interrupted time series analysis.

Introduction: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) burden, coupled with unprecedented control measures including physical distancing, travel bans, and lockdowns of cities, implemented to stop the spread of the virus, have undoubtedly far-reaching aftereffects on other diseases. In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), a particular worry is the potential impact on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Tuberculosis (TB), as a consequence of possible disruption to health services and limiting access to needed life-saving health care. In Ghana, there is a paucity of information regarding the impact of COVID-19 on disease control, particularly TB and HIV control.

Prevalence and predictors of traditional medicine use among persons with diabetes in Africa: a systematic review.

The utilization of traditional medicine (TM) is prevalent among the general population in Africa; however, its use among individuals with diabetes in the region remains underdocumented. This review aimed to synthesize the available literature to identify the prevalence and predictors of TM use among persons with diabetes in Africa. A systematic search was conducted across multiple databases, including MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and AMED, covering studies published from 2000 to April 2023.

Knowledge and attitude towards Ghana's abortion law: A cross-sectional study among female undergraduate students.

Ghana amended its abortion law to permit abortion under certain circumstances due to the impacts of unsafe abortion. Even though the abortion law in Ghana is liberal, most women do not utilize the services. Studies have shown that lack of knowledge and attitude towards abortion laws are the barriers deterring women from using safe abortion services.

Stigma and discrimination tendencies towards COVID-19 survivors: Evidence from a nationwide population-based survey in Ghana.

Historically, infectious diseases have generated fears among populations. Unhealthy handling of these fears result in the stigma and discrimination of infected patients. Globally, measures taken so far by governments to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, although helpful, have created fears in people.

Assessing health-seeking behaviour and malaria prevention practices among communities in four districts of the Volta Region of Ghana.

Background: Malaria is a preventable disease that causes huge morbidity and mortality in malaria-endemic areas, especially among children and pregnant women. The malaria control programme focuses on the prevention of mosquito bites using insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and mosquito aerosol sprays and coils, as well as prevention of severe disease among those infected through prompt and adequate treatment. The success of the malaria control programme in Ghana is dependent on the malaria prevention practices of people in the community.

Breastfeeding and weaning practices among mothers in Ghana: A population-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Children need good nutrition to develop proper immune mechanisms and psychosocial maturity, but malnutrition can affect their ability to realize this. Apart from the national demographic and health survey, which is carried out every 5 years, there have not been enough documented studies on child breastfeeding and weaning practices of caregivers in the Volta Region. We, therefore, examined child breastfeeding and weaning practices of mothers in the Volta Region of Ghana.

Breast cancer awareness, risk factors and screening practices among future health professionals in Ghana: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Like many other women in the developing world, the practice of breast cancer screening among Ghanaian women is unsatisfactory. As a result, many cases are diagnosed at advanced stages leading to poor outcomes including mortalities. An understanding of the awareness and predictors of breast examination is an important first step that may guide the design of interventions aimed at raising awareness across the general population.

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy to Characterize Different Fractions of Extracellular Vesicles from Control and Prostate Cancer Patients.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed structures ranging in size from about 60 to 800 nm that are released by the cells into the extracellular space; they have attracted interest as easily available biomarkers for cancer diagnostics. In this study, EVs from plasma of control and prostate cancer patients were fractionated by differential centrifugation at 5000× , 12,000× and 120,000× . The remaining supernatants were purified by ultrafiltration to produce EV-depleted free-circulating (fc) fractions.

Perceived Breast Cancer Risk among Female Undergraduate Students in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: While breast cancer accounts for the highest mortality among women across the globe, little is known about its perceived risks among them. We examined the perceived risk of breast cancer among undergraduate female university students in Ghana.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of 358 undergraduate female students at the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ghana.

Process Evaluation of Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Improvement Project (MCHNP) in the Eastern Region of Ghana: A Case Study of Selected Districts.

Background: Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition improvement Project is a World Bank-funded project implemented in all then ten regions of Ghana, which aims at improving access and utilization of community-based maternal, child health, and nutrition services in order to accelerate progress. This study is aimed at determining the implementation status of the project in the Eastern region by evaluating the processes involved and identifying implementation barriers from the perspective of implementors.

Methods: The study was a cross-sectional in design and employed a quantitative data collection approach in ten Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) centres in five districts in the region.

Trends of tuberculosis case detection, mortality and co-infection with HIV in Ghana: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: In an era of renewed commitment to accelerate the declines in Tuberculosis (TB) incidence and mortality, there is the need for National Tuberculosis Programmes (NTPs) to monitor trends in key indicators across a geographical location and to provide reliable data for direct measurement of TB incidence and mortality. In this context, we explored the trends of TB case detection, mortality and HIV co-infection, and examined the predictors of TB deaths in Ten districts of the Volta region of Ghana.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all TB cases registered from 2013 to 2017 in 10 districts of the Volta Region of Ghana.

Evaluation of TB/HIV Collaborative Activities: The Case of South Tongu District, Ghana.

Background: There is a complex interaction between infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) infection that results in a synergistic increase in their prevalence, morbidity, and mortality. In Ghana, 32% of TB cases were estimated to be coinfected with the human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) epidemic HIV, with the highest number of coinfections in the Volta Region. This study assessed the extent of linkage between the TB and HIV collaborative activities in the South Tongu District of Ghana.

Reflecting on tuberculosis case notification and treatment outcomes in the Volta region of Ghana: a retrospective pool analysis of a multicentre cohort from 2013 to 2017.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a petrified condition with a huge economic and health impact on families and health systems in Ghana. Monitoring of TB programme performance indicators can provide reliable data for direct measurement of TB incidence and mortality. This study reflects on the trends of TB case notification and treatment outcomes and makes comparison among 10 districts of the Volta region of Ghana.

Effective Vaccine Management: The Case of a Rural District in Ghana.

Background: The Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) initiative provides the platform needed to monitor and assess the vaccine supply chain system to identify strengths and weaknesses of the system at all levels to enhance the development of improvement plan to strengthen the system. This valuation was carried out in the Tolon District of the Northern Region, Ghana.

Methods: A descriptive valuation of vaccine management was carried out in six vaccine stores in the Tolon District of Northern Ghana.

Hepatitis B Knowledge, Testing, and Vaccination History among Undergraduate Public Health Students in Ghana.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a serious public health problem in many parts of the world. The risk of acquiring the infection through exposure to blood, semen, and other bodily fluids is highest among health care workers (HCW) including trainees. Ghana is considered a high risk country for HBV; however little is known about the knowledge and prevention practices of the infection in the country.

Community Contribution to Tuberculosis Care in the Krachi West District of Ghana: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Eradicating tuberculosis (TB) is one of the targets of the recently constituted Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Three. In the light of limitations inherent in prevailing tuberculosis care and the global urgency to improve TB care, decentralising TB care beyond health facilities by harnessing the contribution of communities is essential in ensuring effective tuberculosis care. In this paper, we explored community contribution to TB care in the Krachi West District of Ghana.

Involvement of Male Partners in Skilled Birth Care in the North Dayi District, Ghana.

Background: With more than half of the global maternal deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa, skilled attendance during childbirth is essential in achieving safer births and lower maternal mortalities. Given that societal ascriptions of gender roles strongly influence the utilisation of skilled care by women, male partner involvement in skilled birth is essential. We explored male partner involvement in skilled birth at the North Dayi District of Ghana.

Sero-prevalence of hepatitis B infection among blood donors in a secondary care hospital, Ghana (2014): a retrospective analysis.

Background: The prevalence of transfusion associated hepatitis B virus infection varies across different geographical populations. Establishing the sero-prevalence of the disease is important to informing the direction of preventive and control strategies. We sought to estimate the sero-prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among blood donors in Ho Municipal Hospital, Ghana.

The burden of HIV on Tuberculosis patients in the Volta region of Ghana from 2012 to 2015: implication for Tuberculosis control.

Background: The impact of HIV on TB, and the implications for TB control, has been acknowledged as a public health challenge. It is imperative therefore to assess the burden of HIV on TB patients as an indicator for monitoring the control efforts of the two diseases in this part of the world. This study aimed at determining the burden of HIV infection in TB patients.