Implementation of point-of-care diagnostics leads to variable uptake of syphilis, anemia and CD4+ T-Cell count testing in rural maternal and child health clinics
Introduction Anemia, syphilis and HIV are high burden diseases among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in four health facilities in Southern Mozambique to evaluate the effect of point-of-care technologies for hemoglobin quantification, syphilis testing and CD4+ T-cell enumeration performed within maternal and child health services on testing and treatment coverage, […]
Collecting maternal health information from HIV-positive pregnant women using mobile phone-assisted face-to-face interviews in Southern Africa
Background: Most of the world’s women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reside in sub-Saharan Africa. Although efforts to reduce mother-to-child transmission are underway, obtaining complete and accurate data from rural clinical sites to track progress presents a major challenge. Objective: To describe the acceptability and feasibility of mobile phones as a tool for clinic-based […]
Maternity waiting homes utilization and associated factors among childbearing women in rural settings of Finfinnee special zone, central Ethiopia: A community based cross-sectional study
Background Maternity waiting home (MWH) is one of the strategies designed for improved access to comprehensive obstetric care for pregnant women living far from health facilities. Hence, it is vital to promote MWHs for pregnant women in Ethiopia, where most people reside in rural settings and have a high mortality rate. Therefore, this study aimed […]
Hygienic disposal of stools and risk of diarrheal episodes among children aged under two years: Evidence from the Ghana Demographic Health Survey, 2003–2014
Background Most childhood diarrheal illnesses are a result of the faeco-oral transmission of infected food, water, and unclean fingers. The present paper was conducted to estimate the prevalence of hygienic disposal of stools (HDS) and its associated factors, and further quantify the impact of HDS on diarrheal diseases among children under two years. Methods A […]
Zinc deficiency and associated factors among pregnant women’s attending antenatal clinics in public health facilities of Konso Zone, Southern Ethiopia
Background Zinc is an essential mineral known to be important for the normal physiological functions of the immune system. It is one of the basic nutrients required during pregnancy for the normal development and growth of the fetus. However, Zinc deficiency during pregnancy causes irreversible effects on the newborn such as growth impairment, spontaneous abortion, […]
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine given shortly after birth stimulates effective antibody concentrations and primes immunological memory for sustained infant protection
Background.In developing countries, newborn immunization with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) could protect young infants who are at high risk of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) but might lead to immune tolerance.Methods.In a randomized trial, young infants received 7-valent PCV at 6, 10, and 14 weeks (Expanded Programme on Immunization [EPI] group) or 0, 10, and 14 […]
Post-deployment effectiveness of malaria control interventions on Plasmodium infections in Madagascar: A comprehensive phase IV assessment
Background: Because international funding for malaria control is plateauing, affected countries that receive foreign funding are expected to maintain a constant budget while continuing to reduce Plasmodium transmission. To investigate the appropriateness of a malaria control policy in Madagascar, the effectiveness of all currently deployed malaria control interventions (MCIs) was measured. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional […]
A ten-year review of neonatal tetanus cases managed at a tertiary health facility in a resource poor setting: The trend, management challenges and outcome
Background Neonatal Tetanus (NNT) is a vaccine preventable disease of public health importance. It is still being encountered in clinical practice largely in developing countries including Nigeria. NNT results from unhygienic delivery practices and some harmful traditional cord care practices. The easiest, quickest and most cost-effective preventive measure against NNT is vaccination of the pregnant […]
Determinants of Anemia in Pregnancy: Findings from the Ethiopian Health and Demographic Survey
In Ethiopia, anemia during pregnancy is a major public health problem and affects both the mother’s and their child’s health. There is a scarcity of community-based evidence on determinants of anemia among pregnant women in the country. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the determinants of anemia among pregnant women in Ethiopia. Method. This study […]
Frequency of viremic episodes in HIV-infected women initiating antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy: A cohort study
Background. The numbers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) in pregnancy are increasing rapidly with global policy changes. There are widespread concerns about ART adherence during pregnancy and postpartum but few data on viral suppression (VS) over time in these populations. Methods. We followed a cohort of 523 women in Cape […]
