BackgroundThe clinical features of COVID-19 and malaria are interrelated. Due to the similarity of symptoms between the two disease states, patients can be incorrectly diagnosed with the other ailment in areas with limited health resources. There is a dearth of knowledge of co-infection between COVID-19 and malaria from healthcare providers’ perspective. Hence, this study assessed the ability of primary healthcare workers to diagnose malaria infection correctly from COVID-19 infection.MethodsA multistage sampling technique was used to select health care workers who were directly involved in malaria case management at 261 government-owned primary health facilities in Oyo State. Socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, knowledge & practices, COVID-19 differential diagnosis and challenges that healthcare workers face regarding malaria diagnosis were obtained using a standardized electronic structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate analysis were conducted on data collected and significant results were interpreted at a 5% level of significance.ResultsA good percentage of the respondents (81.6%, 74.3%) had good knowledge about malaria and COVID-19 infection. However, the knowledge gained did not translate to practice, as majority (86.2%) of respondents had poor malaria diagnosis practices. Practices relating to COVID-19 differential diagnosis in 69.7% of respondents were also poor. Most of the respondents attributed poor practices to the unavailability of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (mRDT), inadequate training and continuous capacity improvement. Only 12.3% of the respondents had any form of training on malaria diagnosis and treatment in the last five years.ConclusionHarmonization of regular trainings and continuous on-the job capacity building is essential to improve case identification, diagnosis and management of both ailments. Also, uninterrupted supplies of essential commodities such as mRDT in laboratories will reduce missed opportunities for malaria diagnosis.

The clinical features of COVID-19 and malaria are interrelated. Due to the similarity of symptoms between the two disease states, patients can be incorrectly diagnosed with the other ailment in areas with limited health resources. There is a dearth of knowledge of co-infection between COVID-19 and malaria from healthcare providers’ perspective. Hence, this study assessed the ability of primary healthcare workers to diagnose malaria infection correctly from COVID-19 infection. A multistage sampling technique was used to select health care workers who were directly involved in malaria case management at 261 government-owned primary health facilities in Oyo State. Socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, knowledge and practices, COVID-19 differential diagnosis and challenges that healthcare workers face regarding malaria diagnosis were obtained using a standardized electronic structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate analysis were conducted on data collected and significant results were interpreted at a 5% level of significance. A good percentage of the respondents (81.6%, 74.3%) had good knowledge about malaria and COVID-19. However, the knowledge gained did not translate to practice, as majority (86.2%) of respondents had poor malaria diagnosis practices. Practices relating to COVID-19 differential diagnosis in 69.7% of respondents were also poor. Most of the respondents attributed poor practices to the unavailability of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (mRDT), inadequate training and continuous capacity improvement. Only 12.3% of the respondents have not had any form of training on malaria diagnosis and treatment in the last five years. Harmonization of regular trainings and continuous on-the job capacity building is essential to improve case identification, diagnosis and management of both ailments. Also, uninterrupted supplies of essential commodities such as mRDT in laboratories will reduce missed opportunities for malaria diagnosis.

To develop two new spectrophotometric methods for the analysis of isoniazid in bulk form and tablets. The methods involved condensation of isoniazid with salicylaldehyde and diazo coupling with diazotized p-nitroaniline. Critical factors were optimised; evidence for new product formation, selection of analytical wavelengths, temperature and time and solvent for dilution. Validation was carried out according to ICH guidelines. The new methods were used for isoniazid tablets. Isoniazid formed an imine and azo adduct readily with the two reagents at 30 ⁰C after 5 and 20 mins, and determined at 405 and 420 nm, respectively. Low LODs were obtained for the two methods and recoveries were generally above 98%. The methods were successfully adopted for the assay of isoniazid in tablets and there were no significant differences in the contents when compared with the official titrimetric method of analysis. The methods could find application as in-process method in pharmaceutical industries.