Integrated Antihypertensive and Statin Treatment Protocols for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

In low- and middle-income countries where the majority of preventable cardiovascular disease deaths occur, less than 10% of eligible patients receive statins for primary cardiovascular disease prevention. Since 2017, the Global Hearts initiative has implemented simple World Health Organization (WHO) HEARTS hypertension and diabetes treatment protocols. In this editorial, we propose an approach of integrating statin treatment into existing HEARTS hypertension and diabetes protocols as a way of expanding statin coverage in low-and middle-income countries.

Prognostic Utility of Modified 5-Item Frailty Index on the Outcomes of Spine Surgeries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Frailty refers to a state of weakness that can arise due to age or illnesses, and frailty predisposes individuals to several adverse health outcomes. This has been postulated to prognosticate the outcome of various surgeries, including surgeries for various spine conditions; however, no meta-analysis has validated this finding.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the prognostic utility of frailty for the outcome of spine surgeries.

Service quality in decentralized community-based Covid-19 antigen rapid diagnostic testing programmes in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.

Introduction: Decentralized COVID-19 testing with antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDT) is recommended by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control for community-level services. These services have been provided in Primary Healthcare Centers, Community Pharmacies, and licensed "Patent Medicine Stores" that serve the least affluent communities. To support quality assurance, we applied an adapted version of SPI-RT (Stepwise Process for Improving the Quality of HIV Rapid and Recency Testing) to sites providing COVID-19-RDTs in Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria.

Updated WHO list of emerging pathogens for a potential future pandemic: Implications for public health and global preparedness.

Historically, pandemics constitute a major nuisance to public health. They have a debilitating impact on global health with previous occurrences causing major mortalities worldwide. The adverse outcomes are not limited to health outcomes but ravage the social, economic, and political landscapes.

Machine learning in predicting heart failure survival: a review of current models and future prospects.

Heart failure is a complex and prevalent condition with significant implications for patient management and survival prediction. Traditional predictive models often fall short in accuracy due to their reliance on pre-specified predictors and assumptions of variable independence. This review aims to assess the role of machine learning (ML) algorithms in predicting heart failure survival, comparing their performance with traditional statistical methods and identifying key predictive features.

Racial and regional disparities in the risk of noncommunicable disease between sub-Saharan black and European white patients.

Objectives: Greater vulnerability of Black vs. White individuals to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is well charted in the United States, but studies involving sub-Saharan blacks are scarce.

Methods: Baseline data (2021-2024) were collected in 168 sub-Saharan Blacks and 93 European Whites in an ongoing clinical trial (NCT04299529), using standardized patient selection criteria.

Safety and efficacy of mitapivat in sickle cell disease (RISE UP): results from the phase 2 portion of a global, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Sickle cell disease, a debilitating, inherited haemolytic anaemia with premature morbidity and mortality, affects millions globally. Mitapivat, a first-in-class, oral, allosteric activator of pyruvate kinase, improves red blood cell survival by increasing ATP and diminishes sickling by decreasing 2,3-diphosphoglycerate. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mitapivat in patients with sickle cell disease.

Newborn screening initiatives for sickle cell disease in Africa.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder in high prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) that leads to high morbidity and early mortality. Newborn screening (NBS) with evidence-based interventions saves lives of individuals with SCD. SSA accounts for 75% of the global prevalence of SCD, but it has not been able to implement universal NBS for SCD.

Experimental determination of the mechanical and hydrolytic properties of chitosan/rice husk ash composite membranes.

Chitosan-based membranes are promising alternatives to synthetic membranes in a number of specialized use cases, including water purification and electrochemical devices. In application, excessive swelling when hydrated can lead to poor mechanical integrity, necessitating modifications to the polymer so as to counter this effect. Embedding inorganic fillers within an organic polymer matrix is one method of combining excellent mechanical stability with good performance.

Exploring sexual and reproductive health needs, barriers, and coping strategies of internally displaced women of reproductive ages in north-central Nigeria: A qualitative analysis.

Context: Women and girls form a substantial proportion of the population of internally displaced people (IDP) in Nigeria, these vulnerable populations are at risk of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) rights violations and greater risk of unsafe abortion and high maternal deaths. IDP women's living conditions are often precarious, exposing them to health risks, challenges are often faced due to lack of finance and other related factors to access health care services leading to them improvising health care services which is considered dangerous to their health. There is a gap in the study regarding the SRH needs of the IDP women and the alternative they opt for in meeting their sexual needs.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Zero-Dose Children amongst Nomadic and Non-Nomadic Fulani in Yobe State, North-East Nigeria.

Background: Immunization is a very cost-effective and readily available intervention capable of preventing Vaccines Preventable Diseases (VPDs). This study aimed to identify and compare the prevalence and factors associated with zero-dose immunization status among children of nomadic and non-nomadic Fulani in Yobe State, North-East Nigeria.

Methodology: A comparative cross-sectional design was used to study 348 nomadic, and 345 non-nomadic under-five children, selected using a multi-staged sampling technique.

Implementation of the advanced HIV disease package of care using a public health approach: lessons from Nigeria.

Background: Nigeria adapted the WHO package of care for Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) in 2020. The package includes CD4 + cell count testing to identify People Living with HIV (PLHIV) with AHD, screening and treatment of opportunistic infections, rapid antiretrovirals (ART) initiation, and intensive adherence follow-up. The national program adopted a phased approach in the rollout of the AHD package of care to learn lessons from a few representative health facilities before scaling up across the country.

Treatment Outcome of Macular Hole Associated with Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment.

Background: Macular holes are an infrequent association with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, increasing the complexity of surgery and affecting outcome.

Aim: To report the visual outcome, macular hole (MH) closure, and retinal reattachment rate after vitrectomy with silicone oil plus different MH closure techniques for MH associated with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and to compare the visual outcome between the techniques.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective, comparative study.

Landscape of kidney replacement therapy provision in low- and lower-middle income countries: A multinational study from the ISN-GKHA.

In low- and lower-middle-income countries (LLMICs), delivering equitable kidney care presents substantial challenges, resulting in significant disparities in disease management and treatment outcomes for people with kidney failure. This comprehensive report leveraged data from the International Society of Nephrology-Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA), to provide a detailed update on the landscape of kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in LLMICs. Among the 65 participating LLMICs, reimbursement for KRT (publicly funded by the government and free at the point of delivery) was available in 28%, 15%, and 8% for hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD), and kidney transplantation (KT), respectively.

The burden of subclinical TB in Nigeria.

Setting: This study is a retrospective review of a large-scale systematic TB screening project conducted in six states of Nigeria.

Objective: To determine the magnitude and characteristics of subclinical TB and the relative contributions of bacteriological versus clinical diagnosis in its identification in Nigeria.

Design: Data were retrospectively analysed from six states of Nigeria, where parallel screening with any TB symptoms and chest X-ray (CXR) with artificial intelligence (AI) was used for active case finding.

Understanding the exodus: a 15-year retrospective cohort study on the pattern and determinants of migration among Nigerian doctors and dentists.

Background: Nigeria faces a critical shortage of healthcare professionals yet experiences a significant annual exodus of doctors and dentists. This alarming trend threatens the country's ability to provide equitable healthcare.

Objective: This study investigated the patterns and determinants of migration among doctors and dentists who graduated from the University of Benin, Nigeria, 15 years ago.

Diagnostic Capacity for Fungal Infections in Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria and Ghana - An Onsite Baseline Audit of 9 Sites.

Objectives: To assess diagnostic mycology capacity and available fungal diagnostic services of microbiology laboratories in eight tertiary hospitals in Nigeria and one in Ghana.

Methods: On-site audits were performed in the microbiology laboratories of nine tertiary hospitals using a structured observation checklist.

Results: A total of nine tertiary hospitals' laboratories in Nigeria and Ghana were assessed between June 2022 and December 2023.