Introduction Ever since World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern, Ghana is one of the most affected countries in Africa. However, the knowledge, practice, and preparedness of healthcare providers on the novel COVID-19 in the country has not been studied. This study assessed health workers’ knowledge, practice, and preparedness on the current pandemic in three Ghanaian hospitals. Methods This multi-centre cross-sectional survey recruited 261 healthcare workers in Offinso North district between April and May, 2020, through self-administered questionnaire. SPSS version 22.0 was used for the analysis and statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results We identified that 65.1% of the healthcare providers had adequate knowledge, 27.6% of them had received appropriate in-service training, 57.5% had adequately prepared themselves and willing to care for affected patients and 63.0% were duly aware of their facility’s preparedness for the situation. Again, only 57.5% of the health workers adhered strictly to the practice of precautionary measures, and 62.5% had varying forms of misconceptions about the aetiology of the novel COVID-19. Majority (77.1%) of the respondents received regular information on the COVID-19 from the Ministry of Health, Ghana. Conclusion The overall knowledge, practice and willingness of healthcare workers to handle COVID-19 were encouraging; however, this study still elucidates the knowledge gap of the professionals on the pandemic. We advocate for progressive training of staff on COVID-19, to advance the appreciation of the risks and precautionary measures and clear the misconceptions. This, we believe, would boost the confidence and increase their willingness to deliver efficiently.

Background Hypofibrinolysis resulting from the up-regulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) usually occurs in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), rendering them hypercoagulable. This study assessed the plasma antigen and activity levels of the PAI-1 enzyme in T2DM patients in a district hospital in Ghana. Methods This was a hospital-based case-control study conducted from December 2018 to May 2019 at Nkenkaasu District Hospital. Sixty subjects with T2DM (30 T2DM subjects with good glycemic control and 30 with poor glycemic control), and 30 apparently healthy blood donors were recruited into the study. Blood specimens were collected for complete blood count, lipid profile, PAI-1 Ag and PAI-1 activity levels. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to obtain demographic and clinical information. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. Results Elevated PAI-1 Ag and activity levels were observed in the T2DM subjects compared to the healthy controls, with the levels and activity significantly higher (PAI-1 Ag; p< 0.001, PAI-1 activity level; p = 0.004) in the T2DM subjects with poor glycemic control in comparison to those with good glycemic control. A significant positive correlation was observed between HbA1c and PAI-1 enzymes. PAI-1 Ag levels significantly increased along with increased total cholesterol (Β = 0.262, p = 0.033), triglyceride (Β = -0.273, p = 0.034) and HbA1c (Β = 0.419, p = 0.001). Similarly, PAI-1 activity level was associated with total cholesterol (Β = 0.325, p = 0.009), triglyceride (Β = -0.262, p = 0.042), HbA1c (Β = 0.389, p = 0.003) and VLDL-c (Β = -0.227, p = 0.029). Conclusion PAI-1 antigen/activity is enhanced in poorly controlled Ghanaian T2DM subjects. The hypercoagulable state of the affected individuals put them at higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Good glycemic control to regulate plasma PAI-1 levels is essential during T2DM lifelong management. Markers of fibrinolysis should be assessed in these individuals and appropriate anticoagulants given to prevent thrombosis and adverse cardiovascular diseases.

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BackgroundHepatitis B and C cause chronic infections which develop into liver-related sequelae, like cirrhosis and liver carcinoma. This study determined the prevalence, trends, and risk factors of HBV and HCV among family replacement blood donors. MethodsA retrospective review of primary data on blood donors screened between January 2015 and December 2021 was conducted at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital. The data were assessed for seroprevalence, trends, and odds ratios using SPSS. ResultsOf 6847 donors, the majority were males (88.1% [6033]), ≤ 24 years (27.4% [1874]), of the O blood type (69.8% [4776]), and Rh-positive (89.9% [6154]). Seroprevalences of HBV and HCV were 3.2% and 1.9%, respectively, with more males infected with both HBV and HCV (3.4% vs 2.0%). Male donors were 2.842 times (CI: 1.500-5.385, p = 0.001) and 2.399 times (CI: 1.116-5.157, p = 0.025) more susceptible than females to HBV and HCV, respectively. In the rainy season, donors were 1.489 times (CI: 1.017-2.180, p = 0.041) more susceptible to HCV. HBV and HCV showed declining trends over the period (slope: -0.5464, p ≤ 0.001 vs slope: -0.6179, p ≤ 0.001). ConclusionGender was signi cantly associated with both HBV and HCV, while season was signi cantly associated with HCV. The male gender and rainy season were signi cant determinants of both infections. The seroprevalence of HBV was higher than HCV despite the signi cant decline in both HBV and HCV seroprevalences. We, recommend health authorities intensify health education among males and during the rainy season. Also, local variations in the seroprevalence of these infections call for upgrade and standardisation in serological testing for blood donors across Ghanaian blood centres.