Impact of COVID-19 on selected essential public health services - lessons learned from a retrospective record review in the Free State, South Africa.

Background: In an attempt to discern lessons to improve future pandemic responses, this study measured the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on essential public health services (EPHSs) related to primary health care (PHC) and outpatient department (OPD) utilisation, antiretroviral treatment (ART) commencement, drug-susceptible tuberculosis (DS-TB) confirmation and treatment commencement, and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) coverage, in the Free State province of South Africa during January 2019 to March 2021.

Methods: A pre-post study design comparing EPHS performance between 2019 and 2020/21 was employed. Routinely collected data were analysed.

Health Care Providers' Knowledge of Tuberculosis and Diabetes Mellitus Comorbidity in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Background: Tuberculosis-Diabetes mellitus (TB-DM) co-morbidity is a growing scourge in the world. The new approaches and interventions for TB control implemented by the Tuberculosis National Control Program (TNCP) in DRC require the involvement of health care providers for their success.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge of health care provider on different aspects of the management of TB-DM co-morbidity and to compare this knowledge according to the health care system, the type of providers and the number of years of experience.

The characteristics and perioperative outcomes of children with orofacial clefts managed at an academic hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Background: Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are the commonest congenital anomalies of the head and neck. Their aetiology is multifactorial, and prevalence has a geographical variation. This study sought to describe OFC cases that presented for surgery.

Ultrasound Hepatic Vein Ratios Are Associated With the Development of Acute Kidney Injury After Cardiac Surgery.

Objective: The authors investigated the use of hepatic venous and right-heart ultrasound parameters in predicting cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (AKI).

Design: This was a prospective, contextual, descriptive two-center study. Blood tests,clinical and ultrasound data were obtained preoperatively, and postoperative day one, and day four.

Factors associated with acute kidney injury and mortality during cardiac surgery.

Background: Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is known to contribute towards the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and peri-operative morbidity and mortality. There are several patient, anaesthetic and surgical factors that contribute to its occurrence. It is imperative to know the profile of a patient who is likely to develop this complication to mitigate for modifiable risks.

Prevalence and characteristics of HIV infection among female sex workers in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Introduction: female sex workers FSWs) are considered a high-risk group for acquiring HIV infection due to their HIV prevalence estimated to be 10-20 times higher than in woman in the general population. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of HIV among female sex workers (FSWs) in Lubumbashi.

Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted among FSWs presenting for the first time at the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) clinic of Katuba, Lubumbashi, between April 2016 and December 2017.

Household coverage, quality and costs of care provided by community health worker teams and the determining factors: findings from a mixed methods study in South Africa.

Objective: Community health workers (CHWs) are undertaking more complex tasks as part of the move towards universal health coverage in South Africa. CHW programmes can improve access to care for vulnerable communities, but many such programmes struggle with insufficient supervision. In this paper, we assess coverage (proportion of households visited by a CHW in the past year and month), quality of care and costs of the service provided by CHW teams with differing configurations of supervisors, some based in formal clinics and some in community health posts.

Audit of transfusion of blood products in paediatric congenital heart surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass.

Background: Cardiac surgery is associated with peri-operative bleeding, which may result in the need for blood transfusion, particularly in paediatric congenital cardiac surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). There is a necessity for regular auditing in order to improve practices.

Methods: Retrospective, contextual, descriptive data of 105 patients were collected for the period January to December 2014.