Antibiotic Usage in an Urban Population in Nigeria

¹Oronsaye F.E. and ²Oviasogie F.E.

¹Medical Microbiology Department, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

²Microbiology Department, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

E-mail: sayfrankon@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge and proper usage of antibiotic substances among an urban population, 1,260 respondents comprising 530 females and 730 males, were randomly surveyed to determine their knowledge and proper usage of antibiotics. This was done by means of questionnaires administered to them. 10% of the respondents were married, and 40% were gainfully employed, 80% visit hospital, 90% has knowledge of antibiotics, but 50% go to the Doctor for prescription, 10% go to the Pharmacists; while 40% practice self medication. 60% purchase their antibiotics from pharmacy shops while 40% purchase from patent medicine dealers. There is adequate knowledge of antibiotics and consultation of qualified Medical personnel is equally adequate but the practice of self medication is apparent. This study has shown that people in an urban area are aware of anibiotics but do not have adequate knowledge of the proper usage of antibiotics, since quite a number of them practice self medication and this could lead to abuse and misuse of antibiotic substances. Therefore there is the urgent need for proper education and counseling on the proper usage of antibiotics in this country.

Human Identification: Assessment of Interrelationships between Sex, Handedness and Dermatoglyphics

 Philip, O. Ogunnaike¹, Joshua, O. Owolabi¹, Abimbola, O. Ogunsola², John A. Olanrewaju³

¹Department of Anatomy, Ben Carson Sr. School of Medicine, Babcock University, Nigeria

²Department of Physiology, Ben Carson Sr. School of Medicine, Babcock University, Nigeria

³Department of Anatomy, College of Health Sciences, Babcock University, Nigeria

E-mail: Olaowolabi001@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Humans have numerous forms of diversity ranging from the very fundamental form of gender to inter- and intra-populations forms of diversity. Several methods have been established for identifications of humans; very importantly, gender and dermatoglyphic features, especially thumbprints. Handedness has also been shown to vary among humans. There is however the need to investigate further, the nature of interrelationships between the parameters. This investigation was carried out to observe the prevalence of each of the selected parameters of identification: sex, handedness and thumbprints; and to evaluate the interrelationship between them within the study group. A total of (n = 120) subjects participated, having met the criteria for participation. They completed questionnaires for demographic information and the thumbprints of both hands were obtained with the aid of ink. These were classified primarily as Whorl (W), Arch (A) or Loop (L). Handedness could be Right (R), Left (L) or Both (B). Data obtained from the subjects were subjected to descriptive statistics. Right handedness was the predominant; without left handedness, thus ambidexterity accounts for the remaining 3%. Most right-handed subjects had the Whorl right thumbprint pattern and the Loop left thumbprint pattern. Both handedness and thumbprints patterns vary between sexes, but to varying extents.  

Primary Health Care in Nigeria: From Conceptualization to Implementation

¹Aigbiremolen, A.O., ¹Alenoghena, I., ²Eboreime, E., ¹Abejegah, C.

¹Department of Community Medicine, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria.

²National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Abuja, Nigeria.

E-mail: drphonsus@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Primary Health Care (PHC) is a grass-root management approach to providing health care services to communities. Since the concept was first published in 1978, various countries have attained different levels of progress in implementing the strategy. This paper reviews the historical concepts that have driven primary health care in Nigeria. Current efforts at revitalizing primary health care in Nigeria include the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS), PHC Reviews, National Health Management Information System (NHMIS), and the Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week. In all, the role of the people, government, and health workers as critical stakeholders needs to be well defined and pursued in order to maximize the benefits of primary health care.

Cancer Screening by Computed Tomography Scanning in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Ghanaian Perspective.

Edmund K. Brakohiapa¹, Eric K. Ofori ², Jerry Coleman ³, William K. Antwi ⁴ and Klenam D. Tettey⁵

¹ University of Ghana Medical School,Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.

^{2, 4} School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana.

^3, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.

⁵ Radiology Department, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.

E-mail: ebrakohiapa2000@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Early diagnosis and treatment is of utmost importance when cancer management is concerned, since a good prognosis usually correlates well with a smaller tumour stage. This study aimed to ascertain the commonest sites of tumour occurrence, and the smallest size at which tumours can be detected using computed tomography scanning, to aid in advocacy for its use in early tumour detection. A retrospective descriptive study was conducted using data extracted from request forms and corresponding radiological reports of 262 patients who presented for Computed Tomography (CT) scanning with a history indicative of a tumour at the Radiology Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in January 2011. The request forms and their corresponding reports were obtained from the departmental archives. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17 was used to analyse the data collected descriptively. Fifty-eight patients had focal tumours, 31 (53.4%) were males whiles 27 (46.6%) were females. The mean age and standard deviation of the 58 patients was 50.2 years ± 17.8. The smallest tumour size was less than 2cm and the largest was greater than 10cm.The three commonest tumour sites recorded in this study were the brain, kidney and liver in decreasing order of frequency. The study has given an indication of the smallest size and the three most common sites of tumour occurrence in the study population. In view of the high radiation burden from CT scanning, diagnosing tumours using ultrasound would be more appropriate, except in obese individuals where ultrasonographic visualisation is limited.

Antimicrobial Properties of Crude Ethanolic Extract of Ficus exasperata Root

Abraham-O, J.¹, Odiba, P.A.¹, Okpanachi, E.², Miachi, O.E.¹ and Ocheja, F.B.¹

¹Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State, Nigeria.

²Amnesty Hospital Ankpa, Kogi State, Nigeria.

E-mail: josephoyiguh@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Pathogenic microorganisms are becoming increasingly resistant to existing antibiotics at alarming rates, creating problems in health care delivery in man and animals, thus shifting attention towards the use of herbs by traditional healers. Also several important drugs have been discovered from plants which are now synthesized chemically for commercial purposes. In this study, the ethanolic extract of F. exasperata was screened against Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysenteriae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fresh roots of F. exasperata were collected from its natural habitat and extraction carried out using Soxhlet extractor. Agar well diffusion method was used to determine the inhibitory property and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extract at 300 mg/ml, 400 mg/ml and 500 mg/ml. The extract did exhibit antimicrobial property on S. typhi;antimicrobial effect was observed on S. dysenteriae at 500 mg/ml which is the MIC while P. aeruginosa was susceptible at 300 mg/ml thus having an MIC of < 300 mg/ml. The extract had activity on two of the organisms studied and could be a source of novel compound for the control of infections caused by these organisms. The active components responsible for the antimicrobial activity should be determined, separated and studied.

Hypoglycaemic, Hypolipidaemic and Possible Toxicity of the Methanolic Fruit Pulp Extract of Hyphane thebaica (L) Mart in Alloxan-induced Diabetic Rats

Shehu, B.B., Gidado, A. and Buratai L.B.

Department of Biochemistry,

University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

E-mail: abbaganabenisheikhali@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The antidiabetic effect of methanolic extract of Hyphaene thebaica (L) mart was studied at sub-acute level. Three different doses (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight) of the extract were administered to alloxan-induced diabetic rats daily for 45 days. Weekly fasting blood glucose and body weight were monitored and at the end of the experimental period the rats were killed, blood collected and effect of the extract on lipid profile, indices of liver and kidney function assessed from the serum collected after processing  the blood. All the doses significantly (P<0.05) reduce the fasting blood glucose of the alloxan diabetic rats. The maximum percent reduction of 57.36% was observed within the group administered the 400mg/kg body weight extract. The effect was however not dose dependent, the extract also ameliorated the increases observed in the indices of liver and kidney function and also corrected imbalances observed in lipid profiles of diabetic control group. Hyphaene thebaica fruit has antidiabetic effect is further supported by the result of this study.