Antivirals for prevention of hepatitis B virus mother-to-child transmission in human immunodeficiency virus positive pregnant women co-infected with hepatitis B virus.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection promotes an aggressive disease course of HBV infection. In the only available non-Cochrane systematic review on antiviral therapy during pregnancy for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HBV, none of the women studied had HBV-HIV co-infection but were either HBV- or HIV-seropositive. Treatment of HBV alone may develop HIV-strains that are resistant to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Pattern and predictors of internet addiction among secondary school adolescents in Enugu, Nigeria.

Background: Internet addiction has negative effects on adolescents. These range from psychological and social impediments to school absenteeism.

Aim: To ascertain the pattern of Internet addiction and the factors that predict Internet addiction among secondary school adolescents in southeast Nigeria.

A narrative review of evidence to support increased domestic resource mobilization for family planning in Nigeria.

Background: Family planning (FP) is an important public health intervention that is proven to reduce unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal mortality. Increasing investments in FP would ensure stability and better maternal health outcomes in Nigeria. However, evidence is needed to make a case for more domestic investment in family planning in Nigeria.

An appraisal of the implementation of the national school feeding programme and its effect on enrolment and attendance in public primary schools in Southeast, Nigeria: perception of heads of schools.

Introduction: The National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) was re-launched in Nigeria in 2016, eleven years after it was first introduced in the country, with Enugu as one of the beneficiary States. The objectives of the programme are to improve the health of school children and aid in the realization of Universal Basic Education (UBE) goals. This study explored the opinions of heads of public primary schools on the implementation and policy benefits of NHGSFP in Enugu, southeast Nigeria.

Causes and effects of theory-practice gap during clinical practice: the lived experiences of baccalaureate nursing students.

Purpose: This study evaluated the baccalaureate nursing students' lived experiences of the causes and effects of TPG during clinical practice in a tertiary health institution in Enugu, Nigeria.

Method: A qualitative design using existential descriptive phenomenological approach was adopted to explore 20 baccalaureate nursing students at 500 level of study. The class level of the students was purposively sampled and the exact number of students sampled using snowball technique.

Effects of corruption and unaccountability on responses of frontline health workers to COVID-19 in Nigeria: Lessons and considerations for the social work profession.

COVID-19 stretched health systems, exacerbated by concerns about those that are corrupt and lack equity. Twelve (12) health workers and 12 hospital social workers across Nigeria were purposively sampled and virtually interviewed to explore unaccountability and corruption effects on COVID-19 responses. Findings show that corruption and unaccountability negatively affected responses of frontline health workers to the pandemic.

Nurses' perceptions of quality of work life in private hospitals in Enugu, Nigeria: A qualitative study.

Despite being essential for retaining nurses, not much is known about nurses' quality of work life (QWL) in private hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. We explored nurses' perceptions of QWL, factors influencing it, how it affects motivation, and strategies for its improvement. The study was conducted in seven private hospitals in Enugu, Nigeria.

Absenteeism in primary health centres in Nigeria: leveraging power, politics and kinship.

Background: Primary health centres (PHCs) in Nigeria suffer critical shortages of health workers, aggravated by chronic absenteeism that has been attributed to insufficient resources to govern the system and adequately meet their welfare needs. However, the political drivers of this phenomenon are rarely considered. We have asked how political power and networks influence absenteeism in the Nigerian health sector, information that can inform the development of holistic solutions.

Can Strategic Health Purchasing Reduce Inefficiency and Corruption in the Health Sector? The Case of Nigeria.

Despite limited government budgets for health in many sub-Saharan African countries, some countries have improved health outcomes at low cost by being strategic in allocating and spending available resources. Strategic health purchasing is receiving increasing attention as a way to improve health system performance within financial constraints. , one of the health financing functions of health systems, is the transfer of pooled funds to health providers to deliver covered services.

Stakeholders' perspectives on internal accountability within a sub-national immunization program: A qualitative study in Enugu State, South-East Nigeria.

Background: Weak accountability hinders the effectiveness of routine immunization (RI) systems in low- and middle-income countries, yet studies on accountability of immunization programs are scarce. Aim: The study explored stakeholders' perspectives on the functioning of internal accountability within the National Program on Immunization in Enugu State, southeast Nigeria.

Subjects And Methods: We used semi-structured in-depth interviews to collect data from RI officials at state government, local government, and health facility levels (n = 35) in Enugu State between June and July 2021.

Is filial care for older adults in Nigeria threatened? Examining concerns from adult offspring providing care.

Filial care for older adults is a normative family practice in Nigeria, heralded by offspring. However, as families continuously evolve away from the extended structure to more nuclear setups, with women contesting traditional domestic roles, strong concerns about filial care are emerging. Our qualitative study investigated filial care using data elicited from 32 adult offspring in Enugu, Nigeria.

Community-based non-pharmacological interventions for pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review.

Background: Non-pharmacological interventions are the first line of Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) management. Community-based interventions are cheaper, more accessible, with higher patient satisfaction.

Objectives: To systematically review community-based non-pharmacological interventions and evaluate their effectiveness for GDM.

An analysis on the roles and involvements of different stakeholders in the provision of adolescent sexual and reproductive health services in Southeast Nigeria.

Introduction: Sexual and reproductive health of young people involve a lot of stakeholders, traverse different sectors, and cut across all levels of government. For a clearer understanding of the activities of these stakeholders in adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) services, this paper was designed to explore the positions, attitudes and involvements of government/public institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in ASRH policy-making processes and implementations in Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Methods: The evidence was generated from a cross-sectional qualitative study, with data collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions from 81 and 59 stakeholders in adolescent sexual and reproductive health, respectively.

Assessing the quality of immunization data from administrative data in Enugu State, South-East Nigeria: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Studies evaluating immunization data quality and its determinants in low- and middle-income countries are scarce.

Aim: Therefore, this study assessed the accuracy of routine immunization data and its associated factors in Enugu State, South-East Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional, mixed-method study.

Prevalence of venous thromboembolism risk factors in hospitalized patients at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu Nigeria.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common and lethal disease. Assessing the risk factors will help to modify exposures.

Aim: This study, assessed VTE risk factors in hospitalized patients at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.

Assessment of left ventricular diastolic function in children with HIV/AIDS attending a tertiary health Facility in Enugu, Nigeria: a Doppler echocardiographic study.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in children with HIV/AIDS.

Method: Echocardiographic studies were carried out in 90 children/adolescents aged 18 months to 14 years. with HIV/AIDS and a healthy control group of 90 age and gender matched.

The effects of cannabidiol on behavioural and oxidative stress parameters induced by prolonged haloperidol administration.

Objectives: We investigated the influence of oral cannabidiol (CBD) on vacuous chewing movements (VCM) and oxidative stress parameters induced by short- and long-term administration of haloperidol in a rat model of tardive dyskinesia (TD).

Methods: Haloperidol was administered either sub-chronically via the intraperitoneal (IP) route or chronically via the intramuscular (IM) route to six experimental groups only or in combination with CBD. VCM and oxidative stress parameters were assessed at different time points after the last dose of medication.

Determinants of primary healthcare services utilisation in an under-resourced rural community in Enugu State, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: primary health care (PHC) is essential towards achieving universal health coverage. Improving PHC services require understanding context-specific factors influencing utilisation. We assessed the factors influencing utilisation of PHC services in a rural community in Enugu, Nigeria.

Physical growth and sexual maturation of perinatally HIV-infected adolescent males in a southeast Nigerian tertiary hospital: a comparative cross-sectional study.

Background: The advent of highly-active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) has resulted in the survival of children with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) into adolescence. Their prolonged survival has translated into co-morbidities like endocrine deficiencies which may manifest as growth and pubertal delay. This study aimed to determine the physical growth and sexual maturation of perinatally HIV-infected adolescent males and compare them with those of age-matched HIV-negative controls.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in six geopolitical zones in Nigeria: a cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: the high expectations that heralded the development of COVID-19 vaccines has been plagued with vaccine hesitancy (VH). The prevalence and associated factors of COVID-19 VH in the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria are explored.

Methods: using a cross sectional survey, a pre-tested and validated questionnaire on a "Google form" was distributed via social media platforms and hard copies in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

COVID-19 information seeking pattern and perceived benefits in Nigeria: a cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: access to COVID-19 related information is fundamental to making accurate decisions and performing evidence-based actions aimed to control its spread and improve health. This study assessed pattern and perceived benefits of COVID-19 related information in Nigeria.

Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out among adult Nigerian residents aged 18-years and above in the geopolitical zones using multistage sampling strategy.

An assessment of Nigeria's health systems response to COVID-19.

Objectives: This study aims to understand and report on selected health system interventions considered nationally and sub-nationally of particular significance both in terms of COVID-19 responses and in strengthening the health system for the future.

Design: A review of published and grey literature, including journals, news/ media and official documents, was conducted from 1st December 2019 to 31st December 2020. The reviewers read and extracted relevant data using FACTIVA in a uniform data extraction template.

Characterization and stratification of the correlates of postpartum depression in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common mental health challenge in resource-constrained sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Characterizing its correlates will aid prediction, early detection, and pre-emptive interventions. This review aimed to systematically synthesize and stratify PPD correlates in sub-Saharan Africa.

Factors affecting adherence to anti-retroviral therapy among women attending HIV clinic of a tertiary health institution in SouthEastern, Nigeria.

Background: Strictly adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is needed to achieve viral suppression. Studies have focused on HIV positive pregnant women's adherence. Factors affecting non-pregnant HIV positive women's adherence has been understudied in Enugu.

How (not) to promote sub-national ownership of national initiatives in decentralised health systems: The free maternal and child health programme in Nigeria, 2008-2015.

Background: Promoting the sub-national ownership of national health initiatives is essential for efforts to achieve national health goals in federal systems where sub-national governments are semi-autonomous. Between 2008 and 2015, Nigerian government implemented a pilot free maternal and child health (MCH) programme in selected states to improve MCH by reducing physical and financial barriers of access to services. This study was conducted to better understand why the programme was neither adopted nor scaled-up by sub-national governments after pilot phase.