Sites In Nigeria Research Articles

Impacts of heavy metals and soil properties at a Nigerian e-waste site on soil microbial community.

Heavy metal contamination is a serious problem worldwide threatening soil environment and human health. In the present study, concentrations of 6 heavy metals at an electronic waste (e-waste) site in Nigeria were correlated to their mobility, showing distinct distribution pattern between surface soils and subsoils. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Acidobacteria and Planctomycetes dominated the indigenous soil microbial communities, and there was significant discrimination of bacterial taxonomic composition between the heavy metal contaminated and uncontaminated areas. The abundance of most bacterial taxa changed with heavy metal contamination level to different extent. The multivariate regression tree (MRT) analyses illustrated that main environmental variables influencing bacterial taxonomic composition included soil texture (31%) and organic carbon (14%), whereas microbial diversity was affected by soil pH (32%) and soil texture (14%). Our results surprisingly indicated that soil properties were more influential in determining soil bacterial composition and diversity than heavy metals even at the e-waste site which was seriously contaminated by heavy metals. The present study contributes to a deeper insight into the key environmental variables shaping the diversity and composition of soil microbes at heavy metal contaminated e-waste sites.

Theory-Practice Gap: The Experiences of Nigerian Nursing Students

The “disconnect” between the body of knowledge acquired in classroom settings and the application of this knowledge in clinical practice is one of the main reasons for professional fear, anxiety and feelings of incompetence among freshly graduated nurses. While the phenomenon of the theory-to-practice gap has been researched quite extensively in high-income country settings much less is known about nursing students’ experiences in a developing country context. To rectify this shortcoming, the qualitative study investigated the experiences of nursing students in their attempt to apply what they learn in classrooms in clinical learning contexts in seven sites in Nigeria. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse data gained from eight focus group discussions (n = 80) with the students. The findings reveal a multifaceted theory-practice gap which plays out along four tensions: (1) procedural, i.e. the difference between practices from education institutions and the ones enacted in clinical wards – and contradictions that emerge even within one clinical setting; (2) political, i.e. conflicts that arise between students and clinical staff, especially personnel with a lower qualification profile than the degree that students pursue; (3) material, i.e. the disconnect between contemporary instruments and equipment available in schools and the lack thereof in clinical settings; and (4) temporal, i.e. restricted opportunities for supervised practice owing to time constraints in clinical settings in which education tends to be undervalued. Many of these aspects are linked to and aggravated by infrastructural limitations, which are typical for the setting of a developing country. Nursing students need to be prepared regarding how to deal with the identified procedural, political, material and temporal tensions before and while being immersed in clinical practice, and, in so doing, they need to be supported by educationally better qualified clinical staff.

The Mechanisms of Enlargement and Hydrogeological Characteristics of Nanka Gully, Southeast Nigeria

ABSTRACT The mechanisms, failure processes and the hydrogeological factors leading to the enlargement of Nanka gully, one of the biggest landslide sites in Nigeria, were investigated. The gully is situated on unconsolidated, friable, collapsible sandstones capped in some places by lateritic overburden. Cross-section analysis shows that a NE-SW profile closely corresponds to the length of the gully which is over 2km while the NW-SE profile represents the width which is approximately 500m. The depth from the section is between 60 – 100m. Field investigation found gullies were abundant only in the eastern part of the study area. Digital elevation model (DEM) indicates that the abundance is related to the numerous surface runoff drainages in that part. The large Nanka gully (7° 5’E, 6° 2’20”N) forms the major tributary of the Mamu river. Expectedly, intense rainfall generates strong surface runoffs and remove large quantities of soil and bedrock. Shear strength tests show that overburden pressure can further weaken the materials and increase their vulnerability to the erosive impacts of runoffs and groundwater during the wet season. The gully’s progressive expansion to its present size is generally by headward extension of stream channels, head-cutting and landslides.

A multi-criteria GIS based model for wind farm site selection using interval type-2 fuzzy analytic hierarchy process: The case study of Nigeria

The development of wind farm projects requires proper planning and evaluation. Most often, the suitability of locations for siting wind farms is based on the wind resource (i.e. wind speeds) of a location. However, other criteria such as environmental, economic, and social factors are also important during the planning stage at arriving at a robust wind farm siting decision. In this paper, a geographic information system-based model for wind farm site selection using interval type-2 fuzzy analytic hierarchy process is proposed and implemented to determine the suitable wind farm sites in Nigeria. The model focuses on the use of fuzzy sets to represent expert’s linguistic judgement with the aim of addressing the issues of uncertainty, vagueness and inconsistency in wind farm site selection decision making. The model uses two sets of criteria (weighted and constraint) which are either economic, social, or environmental in evaluating the suitable sites for wind farm development. The results of the study revealed that the best sites for wind farm development are basically located in the Northern part of Nigeria with Bauchi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Plateau, and Sokoto states being the most suitable locations for wind farm projects. The suitable area for locating wind farm in the country is evaluated to be approximately 125728.6 km2, out of which about 2650.1 km2 are considered to be extremely suitable for siting a wind farm. This paper could serve as a first-hand scientific information for decision makers and planners in selecting the optimal suitable site for wind farm development. Although, Nigeria is considered as the case study, the methodology can be severally applied to any region in the world.

Rotavirus diarrhoea hospitalizations among children under 5 years of age in Nigeria, 2011–2016

BackgroundThe high burden of rotavirus acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is well documented among children under 5 years of age, with the majority of mortality occurring in developing countries. Nigeria ranked second worldwide in the number of rotavirus deaths in 2013. As Nigeria plans to introduce rotavirus vaccine soon, a pre-vaccine documentation of rotavirus disease burden is necessary to determine vaccine impact. MethodsRoutine rotavirus surveillance was conducted during 2011–2016 in 3 sentinel sites in Nigeria using the standard WHO protocol. Children under 5 years of age hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis were enrolled and demographic, clinical and outcome data were collected. A stool sample was subsequently obtained and tested for human rotavirus antigen using the Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results2694 children with acute gastroenteritis were enrolled during January 2011 to December 2016; of these, 1242 (46%) tested positive for rotavirus. Among the rotavirus positive cases, 66% and 94% were younger than 12 months and 24 months respectively. Marked peaks in rotavirus positivity were seen in January of each year. Vomiting, and use of oral and intravenous fluids occurred more often in rotavirus positive cases as compared to rotavirus negative cases. ConclusionThe high prevalence of rotavirus disease highlights the need for urgent introduction of rotavirus vaccine in Nigeria. Additionally, this study provides pre-vaccine introduction disease-burden data that will serve as a baseline for rotavirus vaccine impact-assessment once vaccine has been introduced in the national immunization program.

Stroke Among Young West Africans: Evidence From the SIREN (Stroke Investigative Research and Educational Network) Large Multisite Case-Control Study.

Stroke in lower and middle-income countries affects a young and productive age group. Data on factors associated with stroke in the young are sorely lacking from lower and middle-income countries. Our objective is to characterize the nature of stroke and its risk factors among young West Africans aged <50 years old. The SIREN (Stroke Investigative Research and Educational Network) is a multicenter, case-control study involving 15 sites in Nigeria and Ghana. Cases included adults aged ≥18 years with computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed stroke. Controls were age-and gender-matched stroke-free adults recruited from the communities in catchment areas of cases. Comprehensive evaluation for vascular, lifestyle, and psychosocial factors was performed. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios and population attributable risks with 95% confidence intervals. Five hundred fifteen (24.3%) out of 2118 cases enrolled were <50 years old. Among subjects <50 years old, hemorrhagic stroke proportion was 270 (52.5%) versus 245 (47.5%) for ischemic strokes. Etiologic subtypes of ischemic strokes included large artery atherosclerosis (40.0%), small vessel disease (28.6%), cardioembolism (11.0%), and undetermined (20.4%). Hypertension (91.7%), structural lesions (3.4%), and others (4.9%) were causally associated with hemorrhagic stroke. Six topmost modifiable factors associated with stroke in descending order of population attributable risk (95% confidence interval) were hypertension: 88.7% (82.5%-94.8%), dyslipidemia: 48.2% (30.6%-65.9%), diabetes mellitus: 22.6% (18.7%-26.5%), low green vegetable consumption: 18.2% (-6.8%-43.2%), stress: 14.5% (4.9%-24.1%), and cardiac disease: 8.4% (5.8%-11.1%). The high and rising burden of stroke among young Africans should be curtailed via aggressive, population-wide vascular risk factor control.

Dominant modifiable risk factors for stroke in Ghana and Nigeria (SIREN): a case-control study.

SummaryBackgroundSub-Saharan Africa has the highest incidence, prevalence, and fatality from stroke globally. Yet, only little information about context-specific risk factors for prioritising interventions to reduce the stroke burden in sub-Saharan Africa is available. We aimed to identify and characterise the effect of the top modifiable risk factors for stroke in sub-Saharan Africa.MethodsThe Stroke Investigative Research and Educational Network (SIREN) study is a multicentre, case-control study done at 15 sites in Nigeria and Ghana. Cases were adults (aged ≥18 years) with stroke confirmed by CT or MRI. Controls were age-matched and gender-matched stroke-free adults (aged ≥18 years) recruited from the communities in catchment areas of cases. Comprehensive assessment for vascular, lifestyle, and psychosocial factors was done using standard instruments. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and population-attributable risks (PARs) with 95% CIs.FindingsBetween Aug 28, 2014, and June 15, 2017, we enrolled 2118 case-control pairs (1192 [56%] men) with mean ages of 59.0 years (SD 13.8) for cases and 57.8 years (13.7) for controls. 1430 (68%) had ischaemic stoke, 682 (32%) had haemorrhagic stroke, and six (<1%) had discrete ischaemic and haemorrhagic lesions. 98.2% (95% CI 97.2–99.0) of adjusted PAR of stroke was associated with 11 potentially modifiable risk factors with ORs and PARs in descending order of PAR of 19.36 (95% CI 12.11–30.93) and 90.8% (95% CI 87.9–93.7) for hypertension, 1.85 (1.44–2.38) and 35.8% (25.3–46.2) for dyslipidaemia, 1.59 (1.19–2.13) and 31.1% (13.3–48.9) for regular meat consumption, 1.48 (1.13–1.94) and 26.5% (12.9–40.2) for elevated waist-to-hip ratio, 2.58 (1.98–3.37) and 22.1% (17.8–26.4) for diabetes, 2.43 (1.81–3.26) and 18.2% (14.1–22.3) for low green leafy vegetable consumption, 1.89 (1.40–2.54) and 11.6% (6.6–16.7) for stress, 2.14 (1.34–3.43) and 5.3% (3.3–7.3) for added salt at the table, 1.65 (1.09–2.49) and 4.3% (0.6–7.9) for cardiac disease, 2.13 (1.12–4.05) and 2.4% (0.7–4.1) for physical inactivity, and 4.42 (1.75–11.16) and 2.3% (1.5–3.1) for current cigarette smoking. Ten of these factors were associated with ischaemic stroke and six with haemorrhagic stroke occurrence.InterpretationImplementation of interventions targeting these leading risk factors at the population level should substantially curtail the burden of stroke among Africans.FundingNational Institutes of Health.

Abstract 183: Determinants of Hypertension-related Intracerebral Hemorrhage in West Africans: Findings From the SIREN Study

Background: Hemorrhagic strokes are highly prevalent among Africans and contribute to significant morbidity and mortality from stroke in Lower and Middle Income Countries. Although hypertension is the most dominant risk factor for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), other risk factors may contribute to its occurrence. Objective: To identify and quantify the contributions of concomitant risk factors for hypertension-related ICH among patients in the SIREN study. Methods: The Stroke Investigative Research and Educational Network (SIREN) is a multicenter, case-control study involving 15 sites in Nigeria and Ghana. Cases included adults aged &gt;18 years with CT/MRI confirmed stroke and hemorrhagic strokes were etiologically subtyped using the SMASH-U protocol. Controls were age-and-gender matched stroke-free adults recruited from the communities in catchment areas of cases. Comprehensive evaluation for vascular, lifestyle and psychosocial factors was performed using standard instruments. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) with 95% CIs. Results: Among a cohort of 2,118 stroke subjects, 682 (32.2%) had ICH. The mean age of ICH cases and controls were 53.7 ± 12.5 and 52.6 ± 12.5 years respectively. Using the SMASH-U etiologic classification of hemorrhagic strokes, 93.9% were hypertensive, 7.2% were related to structural lesions such as aneurysms, 2.2% cerebral amyloid angiopathy, 1.8% systemic diseases, 1.1% medication-related and 1.8% undetermined. Hypertension-related hemorrhagic strokes were associated with the following risk factors (aOR, 95% CI): diabetes mellitus 2.33 (1.33-4.09), stress 2.22 (1.20-4.11), dyslipidemia 1.69 (1.01-2.83), tobacco use 10.01 (1.06-94.41) while green leafy vegetable consumption 0.36 (0.20-0.66) was strongly protective. Interpretation: ICH affects a predominantly young and productive population in Africa. In this population, stress and green leafy vegetable consumption are novel factors with potential opposing modulating effects on occurrence of hypertensive hemorrhagic stroke. Funding: U54-HG007479

Abstract TMP53: Risk Profile of Stroke Among Young Africans: Evidence From the SIREN Study

Background: Compared with High-Income Countries, stroke in low and middle income countries affects a young and productive age group. Yet, data on risk factors and phenotypic characteristics of stroke in the young are sorely lacking from these regions severely challenging efforts at stroke prevention. Objective: To identify and quantify the unique traditional and emerging risk factors for stroke among young Africans defined as stroke occurring at age &lt;50years old. Methods: Stroke Investigative Research and Educational Network (SIREN) is a multicenter, case-control study involving 15 sites in Nigeria and Ghana. Cases included adults aged &gt;18 years with CT/MRI confirmed stroke. Controls were age-and-gender matched stroke-free adults recruited from the communities in catchment areas of cases. Comprehensive data were collected using standard instruments. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and population attributable risks (PAR) with 95% CIs. Results: 515 (24.3%) out of 2,118 cases enrolled were &lt;50 years old. The mean ages of case-control pairs &lt;50 years were 41.0±6.6 and 40.1 ± 6.5 years respectively. Hemorrhagic stroke constituted 52.5%. of the 8 topmost modifiable risk factors for stroke in descending order of PAR were higher educational attainment: (3.98, 1.09-14.46;) hypertension: (31.8, 11.3-88.98 ), dyslipidemia (2.76, 1.33-5.69; ), elevated waist-to-hip ratio:(2.16, 1.00-4.70), stress(2.39, 1.05-5.44), diabetes mellitus :(5.50, 1.93-15.48; 11.9%), cardiac disease(7.67, 1.75-33.60), while green leafy vegetable consumption:(0.32,0.14-0.73) was protective. Interpretation: Cardio-metabolic factors are the key determinants of stroke risk among young Africans. Hemorrhagic stroke frequency is particularly striking in this population. Evidence-based, culturally tailored, interventions targeting these factors are urgently required to curtail the rising burden of stroke among young Africans. Funding: U54-HG007479

Tropical Atlantic climate and ecosystem regime shifts during the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum

Abstract. The Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, 56 Ma) was a phase of rapid global warming associated with massive carbon input into the ocean–atmosphere system from a 13C-depleted reservoir. Many midlatitude and high-latitude sections have been studied and document changes in salinity, hydrology and sedimentation, deoxygenation, biotic overturning, and migrations, but detailed records from tropical regions are lacking. Here, we study the PETM at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 959 in the equatorial Atlantic using a range of organic and inorganic proxies and couple these with dinoflagellate cyst (dinocyst) assemblage analysis. The PETM at Site 959 was previously found to be marked by a ∼ 3.8 ‰ negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE) and a ∼ 4 °C surface ocean warming from the uppermost Paleocene to peak PETM, of which ∼ 1 °C occurs before the onset of the CIE. We record upper Paleocene dinocyst assemblages that are similar to PETM assemblages as found in extratropical regions, confirming poleward migrations of ecosystems during the PETM. The early stages of the PETM are marked by a typical acme of the tropical genus Apectodinium, which reaches abundances of up to 95 %. Subsequently, dinocyst abundances diminish greatly, as do carbonate and pyritized silicate microfossils. The combined paleoenvironmental information from Site 959 and a close-by shelf site in Nigeria implies the general absence of eukaryotic surface-dwelling microplankton during peak PETM warmth in the eastern equatorial Atlantic, most likely caused by heat stress. We hypothesize, based on a literature survey, that heat stress might have reduced calcification in more tropical regions, potentially contributing to reduced deep sea carbonate accumulation rates, and, by buffering acidification, also to biological carbonate compensation of the injected carbon during the PETM. Crucially, abundant organic benthic foraminiferal linings imply sustained export production, likely driven by prokaryotes. In sharp contrast, the recovery of the CIE yields rapid (≪ 10 kyr) fluctuations in the abundance of several dinocyst groups, suggesting extreme ecosystem and environmental variability.

Entomocidal properties of Monodora myristica (Dunal, 1831) and Conyza sumatrensis (Retzius, 1742-1821) extracts: Studies on two dipterous insect pests Anopheles gambiae (Giles, 1902) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say, 1823)

Anopheles gambiae (Giles, 1902) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say, 1832) mosquitoes are the main vectors of human malaria and lymphatic filariasis, respectively. This study aims to analyze the larvicidal, pupicidal and adulticidal properties of Monodora myristica (Dunal, 1831) and Conyza sumatrensis (Retzius, 1742-1821) extracts against An. gambiae and Cx. quinquefasciatus. The experiment was conducted in the laboratory at ambient temperature of 28 oC +/- 2 oC and 75% +/- 5% relative humidity. The results showed that M. myristica and C. sumatrensis extracts significantly affect all stages of An. gambiae and Cx. quinquefasciatus tested. The mosquitocidal toxicity of the two plant extracts is dosage dependent. Anti-larval activity of M. myristica at rate 500 mg/L and 1,000 mg/L caused 100% mortality of An. gambiae larvae while it evoked 80% and 100% mortality of Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae. The same trend of results were also obtained on the anti-pupal and adulticidal toxicity of M. myristica and C. sumatrensis extracts. As larvicides, pupicides and adulticides, the LC50s and LC90s, after 24 h varied across plant extracts and mosquito species. C. sumatrensis attained LC50 and LC90 at higher concentration than M. myristica. On An. gambiae larvae, the LC50s after 24 h, varied from 86.95 mg/L (M. myristica) to 131.73 mg/L (C. sumatrensis). Similarly, the LC90s after 24 h on An. gambiae larvae, varied from 278.39 mg/L (M. myristica) to 131.73 mg/L (C. sumatrensis). For Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae, the LC50s after 24 h, varied from 391.41 mg/L (M. myristica) to 898.20 mg/L (C. sumatrensis). The seed extract of M. myristica exerted the best pupicidal activity among the two tested extracts with LC50 and LC90 values of 140.61 mg/L and 520.35 mg/L on An. gambiae, respectively, followed by leaf of C. sumatrensis with LC50 and LC90 values of 157.59 mg/L and 781.86 mg/L on An. gambiae, respectively. More concentrations were require to achieve 50% and 90% death of Cx. quinquefasciatus pupae. On adulticidal activity, seed of M. myristica exerted LC50 and LC90 values of 122.79 mg/L and 502.99 mg/L on An. gambiae, respectively, followed by leaf of C. sumatrensis with LC50 and LC90 values of 215.05 mg/L and 981.25 mg/L on An. gambiae, respectively. More concentrations were require to achieve 50% and 90% death of Cx. quinquefasciatus adults. The two tested plants can be integrated into pest management programmes to combat human malaria and lymphatic filariasis vectors breeding site in Nigeria. I recommend formulation of M. myristica seeds which have the lowest LC50 and LC90 after 24 h of exposure for field evaluation.

Health and Safety Management Practices in the Building Construction Industry in Akure, Nigeria

Health and safety of construction workers on building construction sites in Nigeria have become necessary as a result of the hazardous nature of the practice. It is noteworthy to mention that accidents of any kind are bound to happen on these sites resulting into injuries that are sometimes fatal to site workers. Nevertheless, an evaluation of the health and safety management practices put in place by building contractors in the construction industry in Nigeria is the main thrust of this study. This paper discusses the different sources of accidents on construction sites. It also investigates the current state and adherence to health and safety practice in Nigeria. 110 questionnaires were used to extract information from respondents within the Akure metropolis. The safety precautions put in place by contractors for their site workers was also probed. Issues such as the post-accident treatment of site workers were also investigated. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics. The study found that construction workers are left to protect themselves in the line of duty and are largely responsible for any occurrence of accidents. As a result, a lot needs to be done to ensure the health and safety of site workers. Recommendations were made on possible solutions yearning for strict actions to be taken against defaulters by the respective site inspectors.

Analytical Study of Casualties in the Construction Industry in Nigeria with A View to Provide Remedial Measures: Case Study of Lagos State

The construction industry plays a major role in the country’s economic development through its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP), the creation of employment and production of facilities and assets required for production in other sectors. Many people have met their ultimate death in construction sites in Nigeria while others have become permanently crippled from construction-related injuries. Based on the above premise, this paper conducts the analytical study of casualties in the construction industry in Nigeria. Deaths, injuries, near misses, amputees were the factors considered for the study over a period of 15 years (2001-2015). The data collected from the Nigerian Institute of statistics from 2001 to 2015 was analyzed. Causes of deaths and injuries were also considered in the analysis. Overall results obtained show that 2015 has the highest number of wounded people, lives lost, and amputees. A fatality rate 0f 90.8% in 2015 was obtained compared to the remaining 14 years. The following causes of fatality were found to be common: Excavation collapse, trapped by moving parts of machine, electrocution and contact with overhead power lines. Safety procedures were offered.

The Blogosphere and Political News in Nigeria: A Content Study of the Contributions of Linda Ikeji's Blog to the Journaling of the 2015 Presidential Election Results

The 2015 Elections in Nigeria is one of the most significant events in Nigerian history; at least in the recent past. Nigerians were highly disposed to the electioneering process by their active participation especially through the platforms provided by the social media. Hence, various social media outlets formulated dependable avenues for the sharing of news items connected with the elections. Among the numerous blogs that excelled in journaling the election is Linda Ikeji’s blog; a popular blog site in Nigeria. This exposition focuses on the contributions of Linda Ikeji’s blog in the dissemination the news of the elections results. The study adopts a content analysis approach to analyze the readership of the blog within election period. The subsequent feedback from the content research aids the researcher to gauge the contributions of Linda Ikeji blog in political news journaling during the 2015 General Elections in Nigeria.

Clinicopathological features observed in rats exposed to leachates from a municipal dump site in Nigeria

As a result of increasing urban settlements across cities in most developing countries, waste disposal has become a burden and a serious threat to public health. This study was carried out to deter...

Air quality impact of diesel back-up generators (BUGs) in Nigeria’s mobile telecommunication base transceiver stations (BTS)

PurposeThe introduction of mobile telecommunication services in Nigeria led to the development of base transceiver stations (BTS) across the country. Inadequate power supply from the national grid has led to massive use of diesel-fueled back-up generators (BUGs). The purpose of this paper is to attempt to quantify and inform relevant stakeholders about air quality implications of BTS BUGs.Design/methodology/approachSeven major telecommunication network operators were identified. Emission factor approach was used to estimate the quantity of important air pollutants such as NOx, CO, SO2, PM10, PM2.5, PAH and TVOC that are emitted from the use of the BUGs based on fuel consumption rate and generators’ capacity. Fuel-based emission inventory and emission factor from the United States Environmental Protection Agency AP-42 and National Pollution Inventory were used to estimate pollutants emission from diesel-powered generators used in the BTS sites and amount of diesel consumed. Land distribution and per capita dose of the estimated pollutants load were calculated.FindingsThe study showed that the deployment of BUGs will lead to increase emissions of these air pollutants. The states that are most affected are Lagos, Kano and Oyo, Katsina and Akwa Ibom states with respective total air pollutants contribution of 9,539.61, 9,445.34, 8,276.46, 7,805.14 and 7,220.70 tonnes/yr.Originality/valueThis study has estimated pollutant emissions from the use of diesel-fueled BUGs in mobile telecommunications BTS sites in Nigeria. The data obtained could assist in policy making.

Contraceptive service provider imposed restrictions to contraceptive access in Urban Nigeria

BackgroundHealth service providers can restrict access to contraceptives through their own imposed biases about method appropriateness. In this study, provider biases toward contraceptive service provision among urban Nigerian providers was assessed.MethodsHealth providers working in health facilities, as well as pharmacists and patent medical vendors (PMV), in Abuja, Benin City, Ibadan, Ilorin, Kaduna, and Zaria, were surveyed in 2011 concerning their self-reported biases in service provision based on age, parity, and marital status.ResultsMinimum age bias was the most common bias while minimum parity was the least common bias reported by providers. Condoms were consistently provided with the least amount of bias, followed by provision of emergency contraception (EC), pills, injectables, and IUDs. Experience of in-service training for health facility providers was associated with decreased prevalence of marital status bias for the pill, injectable, and IUD; however, training experience did not, or had the opposite effect on, pharmacists and PMV operator’s reports of service provision bias.ConclusionsProvider imposed eligibility barriers in urban study sites in Nigeria were pervasive - the most prevalent restriction across method and provider type was minimum age. Given the large and growing adolescent population – interventions aimed at increasing supportive provision of contraceptives to youth in this context are urgently needed. The results show that the effect of in-service training on provider biases was limited. Future efforts to address provider biases in contraceptive service provision, among all provider types, must find creative ways to address this critical barrier to increased contraceptive use.

Contraceptive service provider imposed restrictions to contraceptive access in urban Nigeria

BackgroundHealth service providers can restrict access to contraceptives through their own imposed biases about method appropriateness. In this study, provider biases toward contraceptive service provision among urban Nigerian providers was assessed.MethodsHealth providers working in health facilities, as well as pharmacists and patent medical vendors (PMV), in Abuja, Benin City, Ibadan, Ilorin, Kaduna, and Zaria, were surveyed in 2011 concerning their self-reported biases in service provision based on age, parity, and marital status.ResultsMinimum age bias was the most common bias while minimum parity was the least common bias reported by providers. Condoms were consistently provided with the least amount of bias, followed by provision of emergency contraception (EC), pills, injectables, and IUDs. Experience of in-service training for health facility providers was associated with decreased prevalence of marital status bias for the pill, injectable, and IUD; however, training experience did not, or had the opposite effect on, pharmacists and PMV operator’s reports of service provision bias.ConclusionsProvider imposed eligibility barriers in urban study sites in Nigeria were pervasive - the most prevalent restriction across method and provider type was minimum age. Given the large and growing adolescent population - interventions aimed at increasing supportive provision of contraceptives to youth in this context are urgently needed. The results show that the effect of in-service training on provider biases was limited. Future efforts to address provider biases in contraceptive service provision, among all provider types, must find creative ways to address this critical barrier to increased contraceptive use.

Management of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated sites in Nigeria: Current challenges and future direction

Sites affected by petroleum hydrocarbons from oil exploitation activities have been identified as a major environmental and socio-economic problem in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The current Nigerian regulatory instruments to manage these contaminated sites are fragmented and the roles and responsibilities of government agencies, such as the Department for Petroleum Resources (DPR), and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), are not well defined. This lack of coordination has led to ineffective land contamination policy and poor enforcement more generally. Appropriate, risk-based policy instruments are needed to improve regulatory capacity, and to enhance the regulator's ability to manage new and existing petroleum hydrocarbons contaminated sites. Lessons can be learned from countries like the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States America (USA) that have experience with the management and clean up of historically contaminated land. In this paper, we review the status of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated sites management in Nigeria and identify the gaps in existing policy and regulation. We review the contaminated land policies and regulation from the UK and the USA, and identify lessons that could be transferred to the Nigerian system. Finally, we provide a series of recommendations (e.g. source – pathway-receptor approach, soil screening criteria, clean-up funding, liability) that could enhance contaminated land legislation in Nigeria.

Abstract TP166: The Topmost Modifiable Risk Factors for Stroke Among People of African Ancestry

Background: Regional and geographical variations exist in stroke burden and risk factor distribution. The unique and dominant risk factors for stroke among people of African ancestry where the burden of stroke is escalating, are poorly understood. Such information is crucial in prioritizing tailor-made interventions to tackle the menace of stroke in developing countries. Purpose: We aimed to identify and quantify the contributions of the topmost modifiable risk factors for stroke occurrence in people of African ancestry within the context of the Stroke Investigative Research and Educational Network (SIREN), the largest study of stroke in Africa. Methods: The SIREN study is an ongoing, multicenter, case-control study involving several sites in Nigeria and Ghana. Cases included adults aged &gt;18 years with first clinical stroke within 8 days of current symptom onset with CT scan confirmation. Controls were stroke-free adults, mostly from the communities in the catchment areas of the SIREN hospitals where cases were recruited. A systematic evaluation of traditional vascular risk factors as well as lifestyle and behavioral factors were assessed for cases and controls. Results: 1,638 cases and 1,653 controls with mean ages of 58.52 and 57.76 years respectively were recruited. Ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke types constituted 62.4% and 36.1% of stroke respectively. Among ischemic stroke subjects, 45.7%, 36.3%, 13.6%, 1.0% and 3.4% had small-vessel, large-artery atherosclerosis, cardio-embolic, others and unknown subtypes according to the TOAST classification. Leading vascular risk factors identified among stroke subjects compared with controls were hypertension- 79.3% vs 34.6%, p&lt;0.001; Dyslipidemia 20.8% vs 6.6%, p&lt;0.001; Diabetes mellitus- 24.4% vs 12.8% and history of cardiac diseases 15.4% vs 7.9%, p&lt;0.001. Adjusted ORs (95% CI) for hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiac disease and diabetes among stroke subjects compared with controls were 6.43 (5.84-7.54), 2.08 (1.61-2.69), 1.48 (1.15-1.91) and 1.29 (1.05-1.60) respectively. Conclusion: Implementation of interventions towards mitigating the impact of vascular risk factors at the population level would be essential in curtailing the growing burden of stroke in Africans.