Implementation of a safer conception programme for HIV-affected men and women in rural Uganda.

We integrated safer conception care into a Ugandan HIV clinic. People with HIV (PWH), or partnered with a PWH, and desiring children were eligible for the Healthy Families Clinic Program. Clients completed quarterly safer conception counselling visits and questionnaires to provide information around method preferences and outcomes (partner pregnancy, partner seroconversion).

Newborn care knowledge and practices among care givers of newborns and young infants attending a regional referral hospital in Southwestern Uganda.

A child born in developing countries has a 10 times higher mortality risk compared to one born in developed countries. Uganda still struggles with a high neonatal mortality rate at 27/1000 live births. Majority of these death occur in the community when children are under the sole care of their parents and guardian.

Prediction models for post-discharge mortality among under-five children with suspected sepsis in Uganda: A multicohort analysis.

In many low-income countries, over five percent of hospitalized children die following hospital discharge. The lack of available tools to identify those at risk of post-discharge mortality has limited the ability to make progress towards improving outcomes. We aimed to develop algorithms designed to predict post-discharge mortality among children admitted with suspected sepsis.

Association between HIV Serostatus and premalignant cervical lesions among women attending a cervical cancer screening clinic at a tertiary care facility in southwestern Uganda: a comparative cross-sectional study.

Background: Uganda has approximately 1.2 million people aged 15-64 years living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Previous studies have shown a higher prevalence of premalignant cervical lesions among HIV-positive women than among HIV-negative women.

Virological Non-Suppression, Non-Adherence and the Associated Factors Among People Living with HIV on Dolutegravir-Based Regimens: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: HIV is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, with 39.0 million people living with HIV worldwide, 25.6 million of whom reside in the African region.

Association between smoking and lack of HIV virological suppression in a cross-sectional study of persons with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in Uganda.

Background: Smoking and alcohol use frequently co-occur and are the leading causes of preventable death in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and are common among people living with HIV (PLWH). While alcohol use has been shown to be associated with reduced adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART), which may affect HIV viral suppression, the independent effect of smoking on HIV outcomes in SSA is unknown. We aimed to 1) describe the prevalence of current smoking and correlates of smoking; 2) assess the association of smoking with viral suppression, adjusting for level of alcohol use; 3) explore the relationship between smoking and CD4 cell count <350 cells/mm3, among participants who are virally suppressed.

High Expression of WT1 and Low Expression of p53 in Archived Blocks of Children with Wilms Tumor in South Western Uganda.

Purpose: The determination of the presence or absence of anaplasia in Wilms tumor is difficult sometimes creating diagnostic errors and is worsened by the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which causes cellular alterations that may mimic anaplasia. This study described the histological features of Wilms tumor and their association with WT1 and p53 expression in archived specimens in South Western Uganda.

Patients And Methods: A series of 308 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks belonging to 85 children were retrospectively recruited in the only public Histopathology laboratory in South Western Uganda.

Development of a customized m-Health-based intervention to reduce loss to follow-up among patients undergoing treatment for cervical lesions at a rural referral Hospital, South Western Uganda.

Background: Loss to follow-up (LTFU) in individuals undergoing cervical cancer treatment is a major challenge in many low resource settings. We describe development of a customized and tailored mHealth intervention for reducing LTFU among patients undergoing cervical cancer treatment at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH).

Methods: We interviewed all health care providers (HCPs) at the cervical cancer clinic of MRRH, between April and May 2023.

The effect of prescription patterns on the performance of the pharmacy department of a Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda.

Background: Poor drug prescription patterns (PP) result in irrational medicine use, avoidable stock outs and drug expiries.

Objective: This study primarily assessed the effects of PP on the performance of the pharmacy department (PD) of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) Uganda.

Methods: This was a mixed method cross-sectional study conducted in the outpatient department (OPD) of MRRH, questionnaires were administered to 86 prescribers and 300 patient prescriptions were reviewed.

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) knowledge and perceptions among people in HIV-sero-different partnerships in rural southwestern Uganda.

Globally, over one million people acquire curable sexually transmitted infections (STI) each day. Understanding how people think about STIs is key to building culturally appropriate STI prevention and treatment programs. We explored STI knowledge and perceptions in rural, southwestern Uganda to inform future interventions.

Type 1 Gaucher's Disease. A Rare Genetic Lipid Metabolic Disorder Whose Diagnosis Was Concealed by Recurrent Malaria Infections in a 12-Year-Old Girl.

Introduction: Gaucher disease is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease with unknown prevalence in Africa and no record of the disease exists in Uganda.

Case Presentation: We report a case of a 12-year-old female, the last born of 6 from a family with no known familial disease who presented with non-neuronopathic Gaucher disease and superimposed malaria. The disease was initially misdiagnosed as hyperreactive malarial splenomegaly but was subsequently confirmed by examination of the bone marrow smear and core.

Factors associated with HIV testing among pregnant women in Rwanda: A nationwide cross-sectional survey.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing during pregnancy is crucial for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, through aiding prompt treatment, care, and support. However, few studies have explored HIV testing among pregnant women in Rwanda. This study, therefore, aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of HIV testing among pregnant women in Rwanda.

Pediatric Emergency Surgery Course in Uganda: Long-Term Follow-Up and Insights From Further Dissemination.

Introduction: Approximately 170 pediatric surgeons are needed for the 24 million children in Uganda. There are only seven. Consequently, general surgeons manage many pediatric surgical conditions.

Prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus and associated factors among women receiving antenatal care at a tertiary hospital in South-Western Uganda.

Introduction: gestational diabetes mellitus is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among pregnant women worldwide. We aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with gestational diabetes mellitus among women attending the antenatal care clinic at a tertiary care hospital in South-Western Uganda.

Methods: this was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted among women at ≥24 weeks of amenorrhea attending the antenatal care clinic at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital between December 2020 and March 2021.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: assessing the prevalence, predictors, and effectiveness of a community pharmacy based counseling intervention.

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy is a global challenge. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the problem has persisted despite vaccine availability and decreasing infections. In Uganda, there is still limited information on the extent and predictors of vaccine hesitancy.

The Relationship between Age at Initiation of Regular Drinking of Alcohol and Viral Suppression Status, and Depression Symptoms Among People Living with HIV in South-Western Uganda.

Alcohol use is an important factor in achieving and maintaining viral suppression and optimal mental health among persons with HIV (PWH), however, the effect of age at first regular drinking on viral suppression and depression remains poorly understood. Here, using secondary data from the Alcohol Drinkers' Exposure to Preventive Therapy for Tuberculosis (ADEPT-T) study, we used logistic regression analyses to explore whether there is an association between age at first regular drinking and viral suppression (< 40 copies/ml), or presence of depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression, CES-D ≥ 16) among 262 PWH. The median age at first regular drinking was 20.

Experiences and perceptions of urine sampling for tuberculosis testing among HIV patients: a multisite qualitative descriptive study.

Objectives: Evidence on the acceptability of urine-based assays for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis among patients remains limited. We sought to describe patients' experiences and perceptions of urine sampling for TB testing at point of care.

Setting: Study sites in Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique and South Africa.

A Mixed-Methods Assessment of the Feasibility of Conducting Neurosurgical Clinical Research in Uganda.

Background: Clinical research is necessary to evaluate neurosurgical interventions, yet clinical trials are conducted less frequently in low- and middle-income countries. Because specific barriers, facilitating factors, and strategies for neurosurgical clinical research in Uganda have not been previously identified, this study evaluated neurosurgical providers' perspectives on clinical research and documentation patterns of neurosurgical variables at Mulago National Referral Hospital.

Methods: Retrospective review of 166 neurosurgical patient charts assessed the frequency of documentation of key variables.

Financial incentives for reduced alcohol use and increased isoniazid adherence during tuberculosis preventive therapy among people with HIV in Uganda: an open-label, factorial randomised controlled trial.

Background: Alcohol use is common among people with HIV and is a risk factor for tuberculosis disease and non-adherence to isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT). Few interventions exist to reduce alcohol use and increase IPT adherence in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that financial incentives conditional on point-of-care negative urine alcohol biomarker testing and positive urine isoniazid testing would reduce alcohol use and increase isoniazid adherence, respectively, in people with HIV who have latent tuberculosis infection and hazardous alcohol use.

Pilot bowel management program at Mbarara Hospital, Uganda.

Purpose: Children with Hirschsprung's disease (HD) and anorectal malformations (ARM) may benefit from a bowel management program (BMP) to treat constipation and fecal incontinence. This study describes a pilot BMP in Uganda.

Methods: Patients treated for HD or ARM were recruited for the BMP.

Prevalence of risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus among sexually active women in Rwanda: a nationwide survey.

Background: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remains a global health burden, and despite the advancements in antiretroviral therapy and various strategies employed to curb HIV infections, the incidence of HIV remains disproportionately high among women. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of the risk factors for the acquisition of HIV among sexually active women in Rwanda.

Methods: Secondary data from the 2020 Rwanda Demographic Health Survey, comprising 10,684 sexually active women, was used.