Predictors of infant-survival practices among mothers attending paediatric clinics in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria
Background: Despite concerted global efforts towards achieving infant-survival, infant mortality lingers as a problem in developing countries. Environmental and personal-level factors are assumed to account for this situation. This study was undertaken to provide better understanding of the dynamics of predictors of infant-survival practices among mothers with infants attending paediatric clinics. Methods: A cross-sectional survey […]
Serotype distribution and antimicrobial sensitivity profile of Streptococcus pneumoniae carried in healthy toddlers before PCV13 introduction in Niamey, Niger
Background To mitigate the burden of pneumococcal infections in Niger, a 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine, PCV13, was introduced for routine child vaccination in July 2014. In order to provide pre-vaccine baseline data and allow appreciation of changes on carriage due to vaccination, we analyzed retrospectively pneumococcal isolates obtained from healthy, 0 to 2 year old children […]
Results-based financing as a strategic purchasing intervention: Some progress but much further to go in Zimbabwe?
Background: Results-Based Financing (RBF) has proliferated in the health sectors of low and middle income countries, especially those which are fragile or conflict-affected, and has been presented by some as a way of reforming and strengthening strategic purchasing. However, few if any studies have empirically and systematically examined how RBF impacts on health care purchasing. […]
Factors influencing consistent use of bed nets for the control of malaria among children under 5 years in Soroti District, North Eastern Uganda
Background: The use of insecticide-treated bed nets has been proven to be effective in reducing malaria transmission in highly endemic areas. Use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) has been embraced by many malaria endemic countries. LLINs are up to 95% effective in inhibiting blood feeding, when used consistently even after 7 years. The challenge, however, is […]
Barriers and facilitators to combined ART initiation in pregnant women with HIV: Lessons learnt from a PMTCT B+ pilot program in Swaziland
Background: In January 2013, Swaziland launched a prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) B+ implementation study in rural Shiselweni. We aimed to identify patient and health service determinants of combined antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation to help guide national implementation of PMTCT B+. Methods: This prospective cohort study uses routine data from registers and patient […]
Usability, acceptability, and feasibility of the World Health Organization Labour Care Guide: A mixed-methods, multicountry evaluation
Introduction: The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Labour Care Guide (LCG) is a “next-generation” partograph based on WHO’s latest intrapartum care recommendations. It aims to optimize clinical care provided to women and their experience of care. We evaluated the LCG’s usability, feasibility, and acceptability among maternity care practitioners in clinical settings. Methods: Mixed-methods evaluation with doctors, […]
Task shifting the management of non-communicable diseases to nurses in Kibera, Kenya: Does it work?
Background: In sub-Saharan Africa there is an increasing need to leverage available health care workers to provide care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study was conducted to evaluate adherence to Médecins Sans Frontières clinical protocols when the care of five stable NCDs (hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, epilepsy, asthma, and sickle cell) was shifted from […]
Social, dietary and clinical correlates of oedema in children with severe acute malnutrition: A cross-sectional study
Background: Severe acute malnutrition is a serious public health problem, and a challenge to clinicians. Why some children with malnutrition develop oedema (kwashiorkor) is not well understood. The objective of this study was to investigate socio-demographic, dietary and clinical correlates of oedema, in children hospitalised with severe acute malnutrition. Methods: We recruited children with severe […]
Care-seeking patterns among families that experienced under-five child mortality in rural Rwanda
Background Over half of under-five deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa and appropriate, timely, quality care is critical for saving children’s lives. This study describes the context surrounding children’s deaths from the time the illness was first noticed, through the care-seeking patterns leading up to the child’s death, and identifies factors associated with care-seeking for these […]
Beyond the biomedical: Community resources for mental health care in rural Ethiopia
Background: The focus of discussion in addressing the treatment gap is often on biomedical services. However, community resources can benefit health service scale-up in resource-constrained settings. These assets can be captured systematically through resource mapping, a method used in social action research. Resource mapping can be informative in developing complex mental health interventions, particularly in […]
