The International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) initiated the Community Oriented Program for the Control of Rheumatic diseases (COPCORD) to promote the growth of rheumatology in developing countries. This is the first COPCORD-type survey carried out in a West African community. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases in a semi-urban Nigerian community, using the COPCORD methodology. This is a cross-sectional total population survey, carried out in Katon Rikkos, Jos, Nigeria, from June 2015 to November 2016. All inhabitants of the community who are 15 years and older were included in the study, except those who were not available or refused to participate. Trained health workers from the community carried out a house-to-house survey, to administer the COPCORD questionnaire. People reporting musculoskeletal symptoms were examined and investigated at the teaching hospital, to determine the specific type of musculoskeletal diseases. Data was analyzed using Epi-info version 7.1.5 and P values of <0.05 were considered statistically significant. The median age of the study population was 33 (IQR 24-46) years, with a male to female ratio of 1:1.1. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disease was 33%. Females (57.0%) were more affected than males (43.0%); the most common form of musculoskeletal diseases diagnosed was osteoarthritis (22.0%). Male sex and a family history of musculoskeletal diseases were independent predictors of musculoskeletal diseases. A Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) ≥1 was recorded in 14% of subjects with musculoskeletal diseases. The prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases in this community is high with significant disability; therefore, there is urgent need for increased access to rheumatology care in the community.

Background: Anemia is prevalent in our setting for myriads of reasons hence iron supplementation has become a routine in the antenatal clinics; other regimens are practiced in other climes. Aims: This study aimed at comparing the efficiency of the twice-weekly as against the daily iron supplementation on hematologic indices in healthy pregnant women. Study design: This was a longitudinal prospective study Place and duration of study: this study was carried out at antenatal clinic at the Jos university teaching hospital Jos plateau state of Nigeria over a period of 14 weeks. Methodology: A total of 120 pregnant women were assigned by simple random sampling to receive either daily or twice weekly iron supplementation. Their blood samples were assessed by determining hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume and serum ferritin as baseline at booking visit from 16-24 weeks of gestation and follow up at 4, 8 and 14 weeks. All data generated was analyzed using EPI info computer software version 3.5.2. The level of statistical significance was set at P<0.05. Results: The twice weekly supplementation showed similar effects with the daily regimen with regards to the trends in Hb and serum ferritin. More women (77.1%) on twice weekly regimen had Hb>10g/dl at the 14 week visit compared with daily regime and this was statistically significant P=0.031. Conclusion: These findings suggest that both regimens have about the same effect on hematological parameters during pregnancy. Therefore, in non-anemic pregnant women twice weekly iron supplementation may be used.