Determinants of COVID-19 vaccination acceptance based on the novel Omale INDEPT FORCIS Framework and recommendations for subsequent pandemics: a qualitative study among community members in Ebonyi state, Nigeria.

Background: The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has become an endemic disease of global public health importance. Mass COVID-19 vaccination has been an essential global control strategy amidst challenges of limited acceptance. Because of globalization, COVID-19/similar diseases vaccination acceptance and the determinants in any particular setting are important global public health issues.

COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination experiences and perceptions among health workers during the pandemic in Ebonyi state, Nigeria: An analytical cross-sectional study.

Background: COVID-19 continues to be a disease of global public health importance and requires long-term management and control. Health workers' (previous) experiences and perceptions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccination/vaccination process will influence not only their subsequent use of control measures but also public experiences/perceptions. We explored the COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination and the vaccination process experiences and perceptions, and their predictors, among the health workers in Ebonyi state, Nigeria.

System-wide governance challenges of the Ebonyi State Malaria Elimination Programme and recommendations for malaria health system strengthening: a qualitative study among stakeholders in Ebonyi state, Nigeria.

Objectives: The burden of malaria has persistently been high in Ebonyi state and Nigeria despite long-standing collaborations with international partners with huge and increased amounts of financial investments. We explored the system-wide governance challenges of the Ebonyi State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP) and the factors responsible in order to make recommendations for malaria health system strengthening.

Design: We did a qualitative study informed by the health system governance framework by Mikkelsen-Lopez and Savedoff's concept of governance.

COVID-19 information sources, knowledge, attitude, control practices and the predictors among health workers during the pandemic in Ebonyi state, Nigeria.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed into an endemic COVID-19 disease and health workers continue to be at high risk. The situation requires continued use of COVID-19 control measures by health workers and this will likely depend on their sources of information/knowledge/attitude about COVID-19 and previous use of COVID-19 control measures. We explored the COVID-19 information sources, knowledge, attitude, control practices, and the predictors, among health workers in Ebonyi state, Nigeria.

COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination experiences and perceptions and their predictors among community members during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ebonyi state, Nigeria: an analytical cross-sectional study.

Background: COVID-19 is still a disease of global public health importance which requires long term application of control measures as millions of new infections or re-infections and thousands of related deaths still occur worldwide and the risk of an upsurge from new strains of the virus continues to be a threat. The decrease in the use of and non-use of preventive public health measures are among the factors fuelling the disease. The (previous) experiences and perceptions of people regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 vaccination, and the vaccination process are factors that will influence subsequent use of preventive/control measures.

HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AMONGST ACUTE STROKE PATIENTS MANAGED AT A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN ABAKALIKI NIGERIA: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY.

Introduction: Changes in the haematological indices could have implications for stroke risk, management plan, and outcome. There are limited data on the pattern of haematological parameters of acute stroke patients in Nigeria despite its impact on stroke risk, management, and outcome.

Objectives: To determine the pattern and the prognostic implications of the haematological parameters in acute stroke patients managed over a nine-year period at a Tertiary Hospital in Abakaliki Nigeria.

COVID-19 vaccination acceptance (uptake, hesitancy, intention to receive and timeliness of the intention to receive) and the determinants among health workers in Ebonyi state, Nigeria: an analytical cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Health workers are at particular risk of contracting the COVID-19. However, non-acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination has been a noticeable challenge the world over and in Nigeria where supply constraints have also been an issue. We evaluated COVID-19 vaccination acceptance (the uptake, hesitancy, intention to receive and timeliness of the intention to receive) and the determinants, and the predictive power of acceptance factor compared with availability/access factor, among health workers in Ebonyi state.

Acceptability of Newborn Screening for Sickle Cell Disease among Post-Partum Mothers in Abakaliki, South East Nigeria.

Background: Newborn screening (NBS) for sickle cell disease (SCD) has been shown to reduce early childhood morbidity and mortality associated with sickle cell disease (SCD) but the programme is yet to gain universal coverage in Nigeria. The study assessed the awareness and acceptability of NBS for sickle cell disease for newly delivered mothers.

Materials And Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted to assess 780 mothers admitted into the postnatal ward 0-48 hours after delivery at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Cerebral artery conditional blood velocity in sickle cell disease: a multicentre study and evidence for active treatment.

Objective: To obtain multicentre data on the prevalence of normal, high or conditional (intermediate) blood velocity in the cerebral arteries among children with sickle cell disease (SCD) in Nigeria.

Design: A prospective observational study in five tertiary healthcare institutions. By transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography, cerebral artery peak systolic blood velocity (PSV) was determined in 193 children with SCD and time averaged mean of the maximum blood velocity (TAMMV) in a different cohort of 115 children.

Platelet Yield and Some Donor-Related Predictors in a Single Donor Apheresis: Report from a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital.

Background: Single-donor platelet transfusion is the preferred therapeutic option for patients with platelet insufficiency and its effectiveness is partly dependent on the yield.

Aim: To determine the platelet yield and predictors of platelet yield in single-donor apheresis.

Materials And Methods: This was a five-year review of the data on single-donor apheresis using the Haemonetics Apheresis machine MCS+ at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki Ebonyi state.

COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among community members and health workers in Ebonyi state, Nigeria: study protocol for a concurrent-independent mixed method analyses of intention to receive, timeliness of the intention to receive, uptake and hesitancy to COVID-19 vaccination and the determinants.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has gravely affected the lives and economies of the global population including Nigeria. The attainment of herd immunity through mass COVID-19 vaccination is the foremost control strategy, however, the deployments of COVID-19 vaccinations are facing challenges of non-acceptance. Despite the efforts of the Nigerian government and COVAX facility in making COVID-19 vaccination more available/accessible, the vaccination rate remains unexpectedly very low in Nigeria/Ebonyi state.

Micronutrient levels and haemato-biochemical status of patients with sickle cell anaemia at a tertiary hospital in Abakaliki, south-eastern Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: nutritional status is an under-studied environmental factor that can impact the phenotypic manifestations of patients with Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA). This study aimed to define hemato-biochemical parameters and micronutrient status in patients with SCA.

Methods: this was a cross-sectional study of patients with SCA and hemoglobin genotype HBAA controls at a tertiary health facility in Abakaliki, from 2 December 2020 to 31 March 2021.

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood donations and transfusions in Nigeria - A multi-facility study of 34 tertiary hospitals.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected blood supplies globally. Mobile blood drive campaigns halted, and voluntary blood donations reduced, challenging available blood supplies. Furthermore, fears of virus transmission led to deferrals of elective surgeries and non-urgent clinical procedures with noticeable declines in blood donations and transfusions.

Prevalence of venous thromboembolism and its associations in a large racially homogenous population of sickle cell disease patients.

Unlabelled: To determine the prevalence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) among adult sickle cell disease (SCD) patients in Nigeria.

Methods: This was a multicentre retrospective study in which the medical records of adult SCD patients were reviewed. Information on demographics, steady-state haemogram, clinical phenotypes, duration of follow-up, history of VTE including risk factors and management was collected.

Donor Blood Procurement, Safety, and Clinical Utilization: A Study of Blood Transfusion Services in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Nigeria.

Background: Donated blood is an essential component of the management of many diseases, and hospital-based blood banks in Nigeria are saddled with the responsibility of provision of safe blood and coordination of its appropriate utilization for patient care.

Objective: This study reviewed the extent to which the hospital blood transfusion service ensures adequate safe blood supply and utilization. .

Correlation of platelet parameters with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in severe preeclampsia: A case-control study.

Background: Pre-eclampsia (PET) is a potentially devastating multi-systemic disorder resulting in the generation of oxidative stress. Platelet activation causes vasoconstriction and release of inflammatory cytokines, resulting in an intensified inflammatory response, endothelial damage, and coagulopathy which culminate in adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Aim: To compare the platelet parameters between preeclamptic and normotensive pregnant women and their relationship to adverse outcomes in women with pre-eclampsia.

Low awareness of venous thromboembolism among the general population: a call for increased public enlightenment programs.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a notable but often ignored cause of disability and death. Improved public awareness of the symptoms and risks associated with VTE reduces the burden of disease.

Aim: We aimed to determine the awareness of VTE among the general population.

Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia with Sudden Bilateral Deafness and Leg Ulcer Associated with Hydroxyurea Therapy.

Deafness occurs rarely in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia. Hydroxyurea-induced leg ulcer has been found in patients on long-term hydroxyurea therapy. We present a 53 year old man who developed spontaneous bilateral deafness shortly after he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia and subsequently developed hydroxyurea induced leg ulcer in the course of treatment.

Diagnostic Challenges of Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma in a Resource-Limited Setting: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a rare variety of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with diverse morphologic variants. Due to the similarity of the different variants with other lymphoma entities, misdiagnosis may be inevitable when immunohistochemical and cytogenetic techniques are not available and histology alone is employed. We report a case of a 43-year-old woman with a seven-month history of neck swelling which was complicated by ulceration of the mass and pathological fracture of the right clavicle after two months delay in arriving at a correct diagnosis.

Effect of digital storytelling intervention on burnout thoughts of adolescent: Athletes with disabilities.

Background/objective: Both athletes with and without disabilities can develop burnout symptoms. However, athletes with disabilities may face different or more challenges compared to their counterparts without disabilities. The present study aimed at ascertaining the effect of digital storytelling intervention on burnout thoughts of adolescent-athletes with disabilities.

Presenting features and treatment outcomes of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in a resource poor Southern Nigeria.

Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is a relatively common haematological malignancy affecting older adults, accounting for about 20% of haematological malignancies in Nigeria. Diagnosis of this disease depends on the demonstration of clonal lymphocytosis > 5 × 109/L with a characteristic immunophenotypic pattern amidst other clinical and laboratory features.

Objectives: To determine the predominant clinical and laboratory features of CLL at presentation and their relationship with patient survival.