Edmund Ossai

• MBBS,, MSc, FWACP
• Lecturer at Ebonyi State University

Background Proper documentation is very essential to healthcare practice. It is vital for continuity of care and communication among healthcare workers. This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of the application of Social and Behavioral Change Communication strategy to improving documentation practices among healthcare workers in two...

Background Decentralization of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB) services using multilevel interventions was piloted in Akwa-Ibom and Oyo States of Nigeria, which had high rates of pre-treatment loss-to-follow-up in 2021. The varying outcomes of the intervention strategies necessitated understanding what worked well and why. This study aimed to i...

Background Children with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) usually present with right heart abnormalities, however much is not known if these children presents with left ventricular dysfunction. Objectives This article is aimed to ascertain the left ventricular function of children with TOF compared with those without any congenital heart disease. It also...

INTRODUCTION: Psychosocial distress and depression have been associated with poorer outcomes in cancer care, and routine screening is recommended. We aimed to determine the prevalence, pattern, and predictors of psychosocial distress and depression among cancer patients. METHODS: The participants were 382 cancer patients (324 outpatients, 58 inpati...

Background World Health Organization in the year 2020 recommended the use of Truenat as a replacement for smear microscopy in Tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and detection of rifampicin resistance. This study was designed to assess enablers and barriers to effective implementation of Truenat assays for TB diagnosis in Nigeria and determine the acceptab...

Background Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) significantly impact the physical and mental well-being of affected individuals, particularly in Nigeria. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of integrating mental health services with self-care practices for individuals suffering from leprosy, Buruli ulcer (BU), and lymphatic filariasis (LF)....

In January 2020, WHO released a rapid communication on use of molecular assays as initial tests for diagnosis of tuberculosis, recommending Truenat as a replacement for smear microscopy in TB diagnosis. This study was designed to assess perceived ease of use of Truenat among Laboratory staff as a new diagnostic tool for TB in Nigeria. This study us...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of Truenat assays on the diagnosis of TB at peripheral facilities in Nigeria. METHODS This was a retrospective cross-sectional study across 34 out of 38 Truenat-implementing facilities in Nigeria. These facilities offer DOTS services. Information on turnaround time (TAT) for TB diagnosis and time to commencement of...

Background/Objective Obesity and dyslipidaemia are cardiovascular/metabolic risk factors. Dyslipidaemia's intricacy with obesity is dependent on several individual factors and hyperinsulinaemia is a major drive for obesity induced dyslipidaemia. Cost remains a challenge for lipid assay in our locality as majority pay out of pocket for healthcare. H...

Background Considerable morbidity is attributable to inappropriate tracheal cuff pressure. An earlier study undertaken in our hospital revealed that a normal cuff pressure of 20–30 cm H 2 O was achieved in only 6% of intubated patients using subjective estimation methods. Objective To determine whether a training intervention could improve the acc...

Background: Although complementary and alternative medicine is popular among older people, there is limited understanding of its use within this subpopulation. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of older people in the communities of Ebonyi State regarding the use of complementary and alternative medicine. Methods:Qualitative data were coll...

Background: Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in children is increasingly being recognized as a major problem in resource poor countries like Nigeria. In our own setting where resources for renal replacement therapy are limited, it becomes expedient to identify the cases early, ascertain the common causes and challenges in management. This will inform earl...

Background Skin neglected tropical diseases including leprosy and Buruli ulcer (BU)are a group of stigmatizing and disability-inducing conditions and these aspects of the diseases could lead to poor mental health. The study was designed to assess the burden of poor mental health and wellbeing among persons affected by leprosy or BU in Nigeria Meth...

Background The recommendation of universal diagnostic testing before malaria treatment aimed to address the problem of over-treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapy and the heightened risk of selection pressure and drug resistance and the use of malaria rapid diagnostic test (MRDT) was a key strategy, particularly among primary healthca...

Background Healthcare workers globally are at an increased risk of workplace violence. Adverse effects such as physical injury, reduced quality of care to patients and lower productivity with associated costs to employers occur. Non-reporting hinders the implementation of effective prevention. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, reasons for...

Background There are giant steps taken in the introduction of the novel malaria vaccine poised towards reducing mortality and morbidity associated with malaria. Objectives This study aimed to determine the knowledge of malaria vaccine and factors militating against willingness to accept the vaccine among mothers presenting in nine hospitals in Enu...

Children with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) present with several degrees of hemodynamic states. It is not known if there is any link between ductal size and hemodynamic states. This study elicited the prevalence of hemodynamically significant PDA (hsPDA) and attempted to document the impact of ductal size on left output and aortic Doppler velocime...

Aim: To estimate the sample size for the prevalence of pre-clinical left ventricular diastolic dysfunction using two American college of echocardiography guidelines in a semi-urban Nigerian population. Study Design: Cross sectional, population based. Place and Duration of Study: Neni, Anambra State, Nigeria on the 18th and 19th December 2023....

Background: A major challenge to TB control globally is low case detection, largely due to routine health facility-based passive case-finding employed by national TB control programs. Active case-finding is a risk-population-based screening approach that has been established to be effective in TB control. This intervention aimed to increase TB cas...

Background: Free radical-mediated systemic response with fluid and protein leakage from increased capillary permeability is a common feature of oxidative stress in major burn. This work sought to use quantitative urinary protein estimation and serum malondialdehyde to assess the antioxidant efficacy of varied doses of ascorbic acid in burn patients...

Introduction: Traditional healers play a crucial role in healthcare provision, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Thus, there is a global interest in understanding the possibilities for collaboration between traditional healers and biomedical professionals. We believe there is the need for a comprehensive review on collaboration betw...

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recognises nutrition as the basis for good health and the leading edge of disease prevention. Nutrition education is also key in facilitating healthy habits in all spheres of life. Health professionals are central to informing good dietary habits through nutrition education since they are seen as reliable s...

Background Adolescent problem gambling is a common behavioural issue and could be associated with internet addiction. Objectives To determine the pattern of problem gambling and factors that predict gambling among adolescents that attended secondary schools in southeast Nigeria. Methodology This is a cross-sectional study design. A three-stage sa...

Introduction: Assessing mothers’ satisfaction with maternal health service is very important. This is because it is critical and should be considered when making maternal health services more responsive to people’s needs. Objective: To assess and compare the maternal health service satisfaction of mothers in urban and rural areas of Enugu State, So...

Background Identifying cost-effective interventions for retention in care is important, especially with the growing need for country ownership of the HIV/AIDS response and for efficient allocation of health resources. The goal of this study was to assess the cost and cost-effectiveness ratio of four patient retention strategies in Ebonyi State ART...

INTRODUCTION: Globally, more than 70 million people have been infected with the HIV virus and about 35 million people have died of HIV related causes since 1981. OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of life of HIV positive patients attending Anti-retroviral clinic in Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: This cross sect...

Background Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as Female Genital Cutting or Female Circumcision is the harmful excision of the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. According to WHO, approximately 200 million girls and women have been genitally mutilated globally. Its recognition internationally as human rights violation has led to...

Background Willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 is a topical issue that may change the course and distribution of the pandemic in the country. Objectives This study was aimed to determine the willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among college adolescents and associated factors. Methodology This was a cross-sectional study carried...

Background Onchocerciasis is a disease of public health concern due to the devastating consequences of the disease which impacts negatively on the lives of the people. The negative impact of the disease may affect its perception and lead to the adoption of some coping strategies. Therefore, understanding the disease perception, impacts and coping s...

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic caused massive disruption to medical education in Nigeria, necessitating the call for online medical education in the country. This study assessed the readiness, barriers, and attitude of medical students of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria, to online medical education. Methods A cross-sectional study d...

Introduction High maternal death is attributable to developing countries’ health systems and sociocultural factors This study assessed the effect of participatory-action research on males’ perception and practice towards maternity care and safe motherhood in rural southeast Nigeria. Methods A pre-post-intervention study design was employed to stud...

Background: High preoperative anxiety in surgical patients impacts anesthetic management, postoperative pain scores, patient satisfaction, and postoperative morbidity. The Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) offers an attractive option for the assessment of preoperative anxiety on account of its brevity and validity. Aim:...

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)...

Objective: To determine occupational burnout among anaesthetists practicing in Nigeria and evaluate their general and mental health status. Design: Cross-sectional study. Subjects: The participants were 129 anaesthetists practicing in different regions of Nigeria. Setting: The 27th annual general meeting of the National Society of Anaesthetists whi...

Background The differences in maternal mortality between developed and developing countries is due to differences in use of antenatal and delivery services. The study was designed to determine the views of women on utilization of antenatal and delivery services in urban and rural communities of Ebonyi state, Nigeria. Methods Community based descri...

Background The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has created much psychological burden on the adolescent child. Resilience is an intertwine of risk and protective factors that may help the adolescent child in growth and development. Objectives This study aimed to determine the factors that influence resilience among adolescents attending second...

Knowledge and preventive practices against malaria among pregnant women in urban and rural public healthcare facilities in nigeria's federal capital territory. Int J Med Health Dev 2022;27:81-91. Background: Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease, and pregnant women are at risk of its adverse consequences. Objectives: The study aimed to de...

Introduction Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a common congenital heart disease in children that uncommonly presents with pulmonary hypertension. Much is not known about the exact predictor of PAH in children with ASD. Objectives This study aimed to determine the predictors of pulmonary hypertension in children with ASD. Patients and Methods This wa...

Background Credible evidence has established a link between the level of patient safety culture in healthcare environments and patient outcomes. Patient safety culture in the operating room has received scant attention despite the burden of adverse events among surgical patients. We aimed to evaluate the safety culture in our operating rooms and co...

Introduction Adequate intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp) uptake (≥3 doses) routinely delivered at antenatal clinics is effective in preventing malaria during pregnancy. Whereas, low IPTp uptake (24.0%) had been reported among pregnant women in Ebonyi State, there is paucity of studies comparing the uptake and its predictors in the urban and r...

Introduction: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by difficulties in social communication and interaction, repetitive patterns of behaviour and focused interests and activities. Medical social workers and Clinical psychologists play vital roles in identifying and supporting autistic children with their families. They may help with...

Little is known about the healing time of ulcers in Buruli Ulcer (BU) and its determinants among BU patients in endemic settings. The study aimed to evaluate the healing time and determinants of prolonged wound healing among BU patients in Nigeria.

Little is known about the healing time of ulcers in Buruli Ulcer (BU) and its determinants among BU patients in endemic settings. The prospective cohort study of BU patients (2017-2019) aimed to evaluate the healing time and determinants of prolonged wound healing among BU patients in Nigeria.

Introduction: although onchocerciasis is rarely a life-threatening disease, it causes chronic morbidity which ultimately leads to disability due to late detection and treatment of the infected people. Disability in Onchocerciasis results in activity limitation and social exclusion of the affected individuals through stigma. This study aimed at ass...

Background: Burnout and presenteeism are two emerging occupational health challenges which share same locus among healthcare workers, and the trend is rising. We aim to define the magnitude of burnout and presenteeism among frontline members of the health workforce and explore any correlation between the two in order to provide empirical data from...

Background Occupational diseases can result in sickness absence, economic loss, disability, or death of workers. Several studies have revealed that occupational health and safety practice is still low in some occupational groups despite their knowledge and the occupational health legislation. This study assessed the level of knowledge, Background:...

Background To determine knowledge and perception of key danger signs of pregnancy among mothers in urban and rural communities of Ebonyi state, Nigeria. Methodology A comparative cross-sectional study design was used. The two-stage sampling technique was used to select 660 women in four of thirteen local government areas in the state. The women ha...

This protocol describes a study in which we would assess the effect of using community lay counselors, self-help groups (SHGs), and trained frontline health workers to reduce mental disorders and improve quality of life (QOL) of persons affected by leprosy or Buruli ulcer (BU). A cluster randomized controlled study design will be employed. The stud...

Background: The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a high burden of psychological distress amongst adolescents. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate associations of personal strengths including resilience and social support with internalising symptoms amongst college students during the lockdown in the wake of the...

Introduction Onchocerciasis, a neglected tropical disease of public health importance, causes chronic morbidity and severe disability that may impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the infected people. This study assessed the HRQoL and associated factors among onchocerciasis patients in southeast Nigeria. Methods This was a community...

Background Tracheal tubes are routinely used during anaesthesia and in the intensive care unit. Subjective monitoring of cuff pressures have been reported to produce consistently inappropriate cuffs pressures, with attendant morbidity. But this practice of unsafe care remains widespread. With the proliferation of intensive care units in Nigeria and...

Background Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease, and pregnant women are at risk of its adverse consequences. Objectives The study aimed to determine knowledge and preventive practices against malaria among pregnant women at urban and rural public health facilities in Abuja, Nigeria. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study design...

Background A major constraint to tuberculosis control is low case finding with under-reporting to national authorities. Evidence shows that Patent Medicine Dealers are first port of call for most people with symptoms of tuberculosis, yet there is poor referral of such clients to tuberculosis treatment facilities for further evaluation. This study i...

Original ArticleIntroduction: Rapid notification of infectious diseases is essential for prompt public health actions and monitoring disease trends at local, state and national levels. Disease surveillance is the backbone of Health Management Information system (HMIS). The study assessed the effect of training and provision of IDSR forms on disea...

Background: Several controversies surround mothers' willingness to vaccinate against the COVID-19 pandemic especially when mortality is not frequently reported in children.Objectives: This study aimed to ascertain the willingness of mothers of children attending two institutions in Southeast Nigeria to accept the COVID-19 vaccine and factors that...

Introduction: mental health of students deteriorate when they begin studies in a medical school. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression and associated factors among medical students in a university in Nigeria. Methods: a cross-sectional study design was used. All matriculated medical students of Ebonyi State University Abakali...

Introduction Rapid notification of infectious diseases is essential for prompt public health actions and monitoring disease trends at local, state and national levels. Disease surveillance is the backbone of Health Management Information system (HMIS). The study assessed the effect of training and provision of IDSR forms on disease surveillance and...

Background: Body mass index is a major determinant of cardiac annular valvar dimension and left ventricular mass index in children with sickle cell anemia. Objectives: The study is aimed at ascertaining the impact of Body Mass Index on Left ventricular mass index, right ventricular function and cardiac dimension of children with sickle cell anem...

Background Enumerating the relationship between cardiac structures, function and chamber sizes in children with sickle cell anemia would help in delineating some cardiovascular abnormalities which will aid the Pediatric cardiologist and the cardiac surgeons in a number of decision-making situations.Objectives The objectives of this study are to ass...

Introduction: the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the prolonged use of facemasks by healthcare workers. Facemask non-compliance has been largely blamed on discomfort associated with the mask, and apprehension regarding potential health hazards such as asphyxia from mask usage. We sought to evaluate the impact of different respiratory mask types...

Background Globally, millions of children are involved in child labour. However, low- and middle-income countries are mostly hit. This study examined the predictors of child labour among public secondary school students in the Enugu metropolis. Methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 332 junior secondary students attending public s...

Background: A major constraint to tuberculosis control is low case finding with under-reporting to national authorities. Evidence shows that Patent Medicine Dealers are first port of call for most people with symptoms of tuberculosis, yet there is poor referral of such clients to tuberculosis treatment facilities for further evaluation. This study...

Objective To determine providers’ perceived barriers to utilization of antenatal and delivery services in urban and rural communities of Ebonyi state, Nigeria. Methods A descriptive exploratory study design was used. Qualitative data was collected through the use of a pre-tested interview guide. Twelve providers participated in the study in urban...

BACKGROUND: Several colleges were closed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is not clear if school closure has curbed the incidence of the infection. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the perception of adolescent college students on school reopening and associated factors. METHODOLOGY: This was a school-based cross-sectional...

Background: Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease caused by the plasmodium parasite and women and under-five children are more prone to its adverse consequences. The use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) is recommended to reduce malaria burden in endemic communities. The study aimed to determine knowledge of malaria and utilization of in...

Background: Burns trauma is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Resuscitation of burns patients with high-dose of Ascorbic acid has shown potential for mitigating the injury, but the optimal dose for this indication is unknown. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of adjuvant therapy with intravenous Ascorbic acid (6g over...

Background: Corona virus pandemic (COVID 19) has emerged as the single most important topical issue and poses a challenge to medicine. Adolescent school children are exposed to a varying degree. Objectives: The study is aimed to determine the knowledge of the mode of spread and preventive practices among college adolescents attending six seconda...

Background Multiply transfused patients (MTPs) are often at risk of alloimmunization and other transfusion-associated complications. These complications could be ameliorated through extended blood typing prior to transfusion of blood and blood products. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of safe blood transfus...

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of ill-health and death globally but a serious challenge to its control is low case notification. In low- and middle-income countries, most patients with symptoms of the disease first seek care from patent medicine vendors (PMVs) who are not formerly trained to manage TB. The practices of PMVs toward...

Background Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a public health menace and it study among adolescents is not exhaustive. Objectives The aim is to study the prevalence, pattern, cultural values, health implications and consequences of FGM among adolescent females attending secondary schools in Enugu metropolis. Methods A descriptive study involving...

Introduction: Whether children should go back to school amidst the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) menace, is currently a burning issue. The perception of parents on their children returning to school varies. This may be due to discrepancies in the learning methods available to the children at home, as well as the child’s exposure to the vices...

Nigeria has one of the largest concentration of human resources for health in Africa. There are 46 accredited medical schools and the majority are owned by the various State Governments. The COVID-19 outbreak was declared a global pandemic on the 11th of March 2020 by the World Health Organization. The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Fede...

Background The use of face masks by children for the prevention of COVID 19 is still controversial, especially with regards to who should wear the face mask and at what age. Objectives The study aimed to ascertain the perception of mothers on masking in children as a preventive strategy for COVID-19. Methodology This was a cross-sectional study c...

Background: Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is accompanied by considerable blood loss and red cell transfusion. With increasing concern regarding the adverse outcomes associated with allogeneic blood transfusion we set out to evaluate our current practice by determining the incidence, type and pattern of red cell transfusion in our arthroplasty pati...

Background COVID-19 pandemic is a very common menace in the world. Knowledge on mode of spread and prevention of COVID-19 remains blurred among mothers who visit children clinics. Objectives This work is aimed to determine the knowledge of mode of spread and preventive practices among mothers presenting in a health institution. Materials and Meth...

Background: Mental health of students deteriorate when they begin studies in a medical school and remains poor throughout the period of training. Notwithstanding that medical students of today are the physicians of tomorrow who need to have stable mental health for effective performance, mental status of this group have not been adequately explored...

Introduction: the coronavirus disease COVID-19 pandemic has affected the way we live. The use of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) has been reported to be effective in controlling similar respiratory diseases outbreak in the past and is being used as one of the mainstays of control of the pandemic. We therefore assessed the knowledge and prac...

Background: Healthcare workers are a burnout-prone occupational group and the prevalence is particularly high among physicians. With the prevailing low physician-patient ratio in Nigeria which has worsened with the recent wave of physician emigration, among other socio-economic constraints; a setting for high physician burnout may have been nurtur...

Background: Compliance with handwashing in busy healthcare facilities, such as intensive care units (ICUs), is suboptimal and alcohol hand-rub preparations have been suggested to improve compliance. There is no evidence on the comparative effectiveness between handwash and hand-rub strategies. This systematic review was to assess the effectiveness...

Background Millions of children have been identified globally to be involved in child labour with low-income countries being mostly hit. This study was aimed at assessing child labour and its predictors among public secondary school students in Enugu metropolis. Methods The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 332 junior secondary scho...

Background: Millions of children have been identified globally to be involved in child labour with low-income countries being mostly hit. This study was aimed at assessing child labour and its predictors among public secondary school students in Enugu metropolis. Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 332 junior secondary sch...