The impact of the exodus of big pharmaceutical companies from Nigeria on antimicrobial resistance in the West African subregion.

The departure of pharmaceutical companies from Nigeria - a major source of antimicrobial drug supply in West Africa - increases the risk of an elevated burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Nigeria and the West Africa subregion. Urgent actions must be taken by relevant actors to address the increased risk of AMR.

Factors influencing vaccination up-take among nomadic population in four regions of Ghana: a qualitative study.

Background: Vaccination has contributed to the reduction in vaccine preventable diseases. Despite, improved global coverage, vaccination among nomadic populations is still low especially in Africa. This study explored factors influencing vaccination uptake among pastoralist nomads in Ghana.

An evaluation of the surveillance system for monitoring and reporting adverse events following immunization in Kebbi State, Northern Nigeria: a mixed method approach.

Introduction: Despite the benefits of periodic evaluation of the vaccine safety surveillance system, no formal assessment, to our knowledge, has been conducted in Nigeria. Hence, this study evaluated the surveillance system for adverse events following immunization (AEFI) to ascertain the system's functionality to inform vaccine safety considerations and guide communication strategies for demand generation.

Materials And Methods: The study employed a mixed-method approach.

Immunisation services in North-Eastern Nigeria: Perspectives of critical stakeholders to improve uptake and service delivery.

We investigated the perspectives of parents, health workers (HWs) and traditional medical practitioners (TMPs) on immunisation advocacy, knowledge, attitudes and immunisation practice and ways of improving immunisation uptake in Borno State, North-eastern Nigeria. A cross-sectional study analysing quantitative data from the three stakeholders' categories. It was conducted across 18 local government areas of Borno State.

Barriers to optimal AEFI surveillance and documentation in Nigeria: Findings from a qualitative survey.

Effective spontaneous AEFI reporting is the first step to ensuring vaccine safety. Half of the global population lives in countries with weak vaccine safety monitoring systems, especially in the African, Eastern Mediterranean, and Western Pacific regions. Further, Immunisation services have been upscaled without commensurate effective AEFI surveillance systems.

First confirmed case of monkeypox in Adamawa State, Nigeria: a clinico-epidemiological case report.

Monkeypox is a rare zoonotic infection caused by monkeypox virus. It is an emerging disease which has become the most prevalent orthopoxvirus since the global eradication of smallpox in 1980. It is a mild illness which is mostly characterized by a prodromal of fever, malaise and progressive appearance of vesiculo-papular skin lesions.

Description of global innovative methods in developing the WHO Community Engagement Package.

Objectives: Development of a Community Engagement Package composed of (1) database of community engagement (CE) experiences from different contexts, (2) CE learning package of lessons and tools presented as online modules, and (3) CE workshop package for identifying CE experiences to enrich the CE database and ensure regular update of learning resources. The package aims to guide practitioners to promote local action and enhance skills for CE.

Setting And Participants: The packages were co-created with diverse teams from WHO, Social Innovation in Health Initiative, UNICEF, community practitioners, and other partners providing synergistic contributions and bridging existing silos.

Understanding and experience of adverse event following immunization (AEFI) and its consequences among healthcare providers in Kebbi State, Nigeria: a qualitative study.

Background: Vaccines used in the national immunization program are relatively safe and effective. However, no vaccine is perfectly safe. Therefore, adverse reactions may occur.

Adopting an heterologous prime-boost strategy in COVID-19 vaccination: the need for locally generated evidence in Africa.

The reduction in the severity and prevalence of COVID-19 has been largely due to the rapid development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines. Consequently, WHO, in partnership with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation, GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, set up the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Initiative. The goal of this initiative is to prevent discrimination between high and low-income/middle-income countries and ensure equitable vaccine distribution.

Tracking the uptake and trajectory of COVID-19 vaccination coverage in 15 West African countries: an interim analysis.

The African Union Bureau of Heads of State and Government endorsed the COVID-19 Vaccine Development and Access Strategy to vaccinate at least 60% of each country's population with a safe and efficacious vaccine by 2022, to achieve the population-level immunity needed to bring the pandemic under control. Using publicly available, country-level population estimates and COVID-19 vaccination data, we provide unique insights into the uptake trends of COVID-19 vaccinations in the 15 countries that comprise the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS). Based on the vaccination rates in the ECOWAS region after three months of commencing COVID-19 vaccinations, we provide a projection of the trajectory and speed of vaccination needed to achieve a COVID-19 vaccination coverage rate of at least 60% of the total ECOWAS population.

A health promotion approach to emergency management: effective community engagement strategies from five cases.

Community engagement is crucial for controlling disease outbreak and mitigating natural and industrial disasters. The COVID-19 pandemic has reconfirmed the need to elevate community engagement to build equity, trust and sustained action in future health promotion preparedness strategies. Using the health promotion strategy of strengthening community action enhances the opportunity for better outcomes.

An epidemiological investigation of the 2019 suspected pertussis outbreak in northwestern Nigeria.

Introduction: In 2019, we investigated the profile of the cases and controls and the determinants of pertussis transmission in Kebbi State, Northwestern Nigeria, to inform better immunization and surveillance strategies.

Methods: Community-based unmatched case-control study and review of the 2019 pertussis routine surveillance data in the affected settlements in the state were conducted. A total of 52 suspected cases of pertussis and 107 control from two local government areas in Kebbi State were recruited.

Health and Demographic Surveillance System: A Potential Tool for Solving Challenges Associated with Epidemic Surveillance and Social Protection Scheme for COVID-19 Pandemic Response in Nigeria.

Nigeria recorded her first case of COVID 19 in Lagos State on 27th February 2019, and the number of confirmed cases of COVID 19 has risen to 59 287, with 1113 deaths as of 4th October 2020. The commentary highlighted the importance of a health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) and its potential in addressing surveillance gap, and the inadequacy of existing sociodemographic database used for palliative administration. The authors examined the HDSS in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic response and learning from the Nahuche model.

Medical waste management at the primary healthcare centres in a north western Nigerian State: Findings from a low-resource setting.

Objectives: This study aims to examine medical waste management (MWM) practices and identify the challenges of optimal MWM at the primary healthcare (PHC) level in Kebbi State, Nigeria.

Study Design: This study was a cross-sectional survey of 265 primary healthcare workers (PHCWs) and health facilities (HFs) in Kebbi State.

Methods: The study tool used was a questionnaire adapted from the WHO rapid assessment tool on MWM and water sanitation.

Beyond SARS-CoV-2: Lessons That African Governments Can Apply in Preparation for Possible Future Epidemics.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has placed unprecedented pressure on healthcare systems, even in advanced economies. While the number of cases of SARS-CoV-2 in Africa compared to other continents has so far been low, there are concerns about under-reporting, inadequate diagnostic tools, and insufficient treatment facilities. Moreover, proactiveness on the part of African governments has been under scrutiny.

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards tuberculosis in Gambia: a nation-wide cross-sectional survey.

Background: Early diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) are the mainstay of global and national TB control efforts. However, the gap between expected and reported cases persists for various reasons attributable to the TB services and care-seeking sides of the TB care cascade. Understanding individual and collective perspectives of knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and other social circumstances around TB can inform an evidence-based approach in engaging communities and enhance their participation in TB case detection and treatment.

Translation of genomic epidemiology of infectious pathogens: Enhancing African genomics hubs for outbreaks.

Background: Deadly emerging infectious pathogens pose an unprecedented challenge to health systems and economies, especially across Africa, where health care infrastructure is weak, and poverty rates remain high. Genomic technologies are vital for enhancing the understanding and development of intervention approaches against these pathogens, including Ebola and the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Discussion: Africa has contributed few genomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to the global pool in growing open access repositories.

Utilization rate and factors influencing the use of HIV counseling and testing services among young females: a community-based study from Nigeria.

Objectives: This study aims to explore the utilization rate and factors influencing the use of HCT services among young females in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria.

Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey of 404 females, aged 15-24 years, residing in Ikorodu, Nigeria. Study tool was a questionnaire.

The Potential Contribution of Supplementary Immunization Activities to Routine Immunization in Kebbi State, Nigeria.

Among the strategies of the Polio Eradication Initiative, the landmark interventions are routine immunization (RI) and supplementary immunization activities (SIAs). RI is the provision of vaccination service at the health facility and conducted year-round. SIAs are a community-based intervention targeting large numbers of an eligible population within a short period.

Maternal mortality ratio in selected rural communities in Kebbi State, Northwest Nigeria.

Background: Maternal mortality remains a topical issue in Nigeria. Dearth of data on vital events posed a huge challenge to policy formulation and design of interventions to address the scourge. This study estimated the lifetime risk (LTR) of maternal death and maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in rural areas of Kebbi State, northwest Nigeria, using the sisterhood method.

Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance intensification for polio certification in Kaduna state, Nigeria: lessons learnt, 2015-2016.

Background: Nigeria has made remarkable progress in its current efforts to interrupt wild poliovirus transmission despite the re-emergence of wild poliovirus in 2016. The gains made in Nigeria have been achieved through concerted efforts by governments at all levels, traditional leaders, health workers, caregivers, and development partners. The efforts have involved an elaborate plan, coordination, and effective implementation of routine immunization services, supplemental immunization activities, and acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance.

Micro-planning for immunization in Kaduna State, Nigeria: Lessons learnt, 2017.

Background: The OPV 3 coverage for Kaduna State, 12-23 months old children was 34.4%. The low OPV 3 coverage, due mainly to weak demand for routine antigens and the need to rapidly boost population immunity against the disabling Wild Polio Virus (WPV), led the Global Polio Eradication Initiatives (GPEI) to increase supplemental OPV campaigns in Kaduna State, despite the huge cost and great burden on personnel.