Health staff understanding, application, and interpretation of growth charts in Nigeria.

We aimed to compare plotting accuracy and interpretation of weight gain patterns in average and small infants on road-to-health (RTH) and the new World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts in Enugu, Nigeria. Child health staff plotted standard weights on both formats. Twelve plotted charts were created, permutating three different weight trajectories (fast, steady, and slow) ending at two attained weights (average and small), with each plotted on both chart formats.

Chest and occipito-frontal circumference measurements in the detection of low birth weight among Nigerian newborns of Igbo ethnicity.

Background: The World Health Organisation has recommended the use of anthropometric measurements as birth weight surrogates. However, it has been found that cut-off points for these anthropometric measurements vary across nations and ethnic groups.

Objectives: To determine the predictive values of chest circumference (CC), occipito-frontal circumference (OFC) and their combinations for low birth weight (LBW) detection in Igbo newborns.

AUDIT OF BLOOD TRANSFUSION PRACTICES IN THE PAEDIATRIC MEDICAL WARD OF A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN SOUTHEAST NIGERIA.

Objectives: To determine the indications, practices and outcomes of transfusion on children.

Design: A descriptive retrospective study.

Setting: Paediatric wards of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.

Ruptured omphalocele in thoracoomphalopagus conjoined twins.

A ruptured omphalocele is a very rare complication in conjoined twins. Some cases have prompted emergency neonatal separation of the twins with varying results. We report a case of ruptured omphalocele in a thoraco-omphalopagus twin managed by primary repair of the defect at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.

Trends in neonatal intestinal obstruction in a developing country, 1996-2005.

Background: Despite the advances in neonatal surgery, the outcome of neonatal intestinal obstruction (NIO) in many developing countries has been reported to be poor. This study describes the trends in NIO, including the contributory factors in southeast Nigeria.

Methods: We performed a comparative analysis of 128 consecutive NIO managed from January 1996 to December 2005 at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, in southeast Nigeria.

Knowledge and practice of universal precaution in a tertiary health facility.

Background: The increased risk of health workers to contract HIV, hepatitis B and C viruses in their work place led to the development of universal precaution or infection control policy. This policy where applied, has been found to reduce the risk of contracting these infections in the work place. The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge and practice of this policy in University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu.