BackgroundAccording to UNICEF, 40% of all under-5 deaths occur within the first month of life and half of these within the first few days of life. Many of these deaths are related to late recognition of neonatal illness, delays in decision to seek care at household level and subsequent late intervention at healthcare facilities. Knowledge of mothers about the danger signs in newborn is imperative to reduce these delays and preventable deaths.AimThis study aimed to assess the perception of mothers and/or care givers of danger signs in newborns and their knowledge of the WHO recognized danger. A secondary aim was to explore the socio-demographic factors of mothers that influence knowledge of the WHO recognized danger signs and the health seeking behaviors of these mothers and/or care-givers.MethodsThis was a community based descriptive and analytical study which used a multistage sampling technique to select 376 mothers and/or care-givers from four communities in 4 of the 17 Local Government Areas (LGA) of Enugu State. Logistic regression and chi-square was used in testing associations between variables.ResultsKnowledge of more than three of the nine WHO recognized danger sign was poor (0.0-30.3%). Majority of the mothers had knowledge of one (i.e. fever) WHO recognized danger sign (95.2%). Knowledge of the WHO signs was not significantly associated with maternal socio-demographic variables considered in this study. Healthcare seeking behaviour was significantly determined by knowledge of at least one WHO recognized danger sign (OR 4.6 CI 1.1-18.7, P = 0.032). Cough, diarrhea and the excessive crying were the most perceived and experienced non-WHO recognized dangers signs among respondents.ConclusionThere is urgent need to strengthen the teaching and training of expectant mothers across all maternal socio-demographic variables on these danger signs and the most appropriate measures to take when they occur.

Background. Efforts to reduce child mortality especially in Africa must as a necessity aim to decrease mortality due to pneumonia. To achieve this, preventive strategies such as expanding vaccination coverage are key. However once a child develops pneumonia prompt treatment which is essential to survival is dependent on mothers and caregiver recognition of the symptoms and danger signs of pneumonia. Methods. This community based cross-sectional study enrolled four hundred and sixty-six caregivers in Enugu state. It aimed to determine knowledge of caregivers about danger signs of pneumonia and the sociodemographic factors that influence knowledge and care seeking behaviour of caregivers. Results. There is poor knowledge of the aetiology and danger signs of pneumonia among caregivers. Higher maternal educational attainment and residence in semiurban area were significantly associated with knowledge of aetiology, danger signs, and vaccination of their children against pneumonia. Fast breathing and difficulty in breathing were the commonest known and experienced WHO recognized danger signs while fever was the commonest perceived danger sign among caregivers. Conclusion. Knowledge of danger signs and health seeking behaviour among caregivers is inadequate. There is need for intensified public and hospital based interventions targeted at mothers to improve their knowledge about pneumonia.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are major public health challenges in the developing world especially sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of Hepatitis C virus infection among children infected with HIV. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Paediatric HIV Clinic, UNTH, Enugu between July and December 2009. Antibodies to HCV were analyzed by newer generation rapid chromatographic immunoassay method using the Chromatest one step HCV test kit. The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15 statistical software. The chi squared test was used to test for significant association of categorical variables. A p-value of <0.05 was accepted as significant. Results: One hundred and eighteen children HIV-infected children, aged between eighteen months to fifteen years were included in the data analysis. Eight of the HIV infected subjects were positive for HCV, giving an HIV-HCV co-infection prevalence of 6.8%. Co-infection was more prevalent among males and in those in age group 11-15 years. Blood transfusion, irrespective of frequency (p<0.015), and injections for immunization (p<0.049) were the significant risk factors noted Conclusion: There is need for strengthening of existing preventive strategies against HCV and HIV infections such as screening of donor blood and safe injection practices in our locality.

BackgroundCritically ill children are those in need of immediate attention on arrival to an emergency room. The importance of glycemic level measurement as well as maintaining the patency of the airway, effective breathing and circulation cannot be overemphasied. It has been highlighted that the peak hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia predict poor prognosis, longer lengths of hospital stay and higher mortality. The study aims to assess the relationship between glycemic level and treatment outcomes as well as length of hospital stay.MethodsAnalytical cross sectional method was used to study critically ill children aged ≥1 month to ≤10 years admitted into the Children Emergency Room of Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu. Their admission blood glucose was done. Interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect information including sociodemographics, duration of hospitalization and outcome of treatment. Data was analysed using SPSS version 20. Chi square, logistic regressions and Kruskal Wallis tests were done as appropriate.ResultsA total of 300 patients were recruited. One hundred and seventeen (39%) had hyperglycemia, 62 (20.7%) patients had hypoglycaemia and 121 (40.3%) had euglycemia. Two hundred and fifty two (84%) were discharged while 48 (16%) died. There was significant association between glycemic levels and treatment outcome (p = < 0.001). Among the 48 who died, 12 (25.0%) had euglycemia, 21 (43.75%) had hypoglycaemia while 15 (31.25%) had hyperglycemia. On multivariate analysis, there was statistically significant association between hypoglycaemia and mortality (p = < 0.001). Unadjusted, those children with hypoglycaemia at presentation were about 4.7 times (UOR = 0.21, 95% Cl: 0.08–0.38) and adjusted, about 5 times (AOR = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.09–0.47) less likely to survive compared with those with euglycemia. Although not statistically significant, those with hyperglycemia were about 1.3 times less likely to survive compared with euglycemic children, adjusted and unadjusted (UOR = 0.75, 95% Cl: 0.33–1.68).ConclusionWhile both hypo- and hyperglycemia are associated with mortality, hypoglycaemia had a greater effect than hyperglycemia. Glycemic levels significantly affects treatment outcome.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12887-017-0879-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundNeonatal illnesses usually require long hospital stays and specialized care and/or facilities, which usually results in huge medical bills. With more than 70% of people in Nigeria living on less than US$2 per day, these bills are not affordable to many families’ livelihoods.AimThis study aims to determine the average cost of managing neonatal illnesses in Enugu in southeast Nigeria and the proportion of family income spent on these illnesses. It further seeks to ascertain the cost of various components in the management of neonatal diseases.MethodsThis is a longitudinal and descriptive study involving 106 newborns admitted to the sick baby unit of the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital and the out-of-pocket medical expenditure in the management of their illnesses.ResultsA hundred and six newborns participated in the study. All (100%) medical bills were out-of-pocket payments, and 103 (97.2%) of these were catastrophic health expenditure (more than 10% of total family monthly income). The average duration of hospital stay and cost of managing a neonatal illness was 12.86±8.81 days and ₦36,382±19,389.72 (US$223±119), respectively. This expenditure amounted to 157%, 71%, and 25% of total monthly family income for the low, middle, and upper socioeconomic class families, respectively, with a mean percentage of 85%. Families with a total monthly income of less than ₦10,000 (US$61), ₦10,000–49,999 (US$61–306), and ₦50,000–100,000 (US$306–612) and more than ₦100,000 (US$612) on average spent 683%, 108%, 54%, and 20% of their monthly income on their newborn’s illness. Hospital and utility bills compared with bills accruing from drug and laboratory investigations account for a significantly larger proportion of total cost incurred in neonatal sepsis (₦23,499±14,987 [US$144±92], P=0.001), low birth weight (₦39,863±24,003 [US$224±147], P=0.001), severe anemia (₦40,504±13,923 [US$248±85], P=0.001), transient tachypnea of the newborn (₦10,083±1,078 [US$62±7], P=0.001), birth asphyxia (₦24,398±14,096 [US$149±86], P=0.001), and meningitis (₦26,731±7,675 [US$164±47], P=0.001), whereas cost for laboratory investigations was significantly higher for neonatal jaundice (₦11,690±3,169 [US$72±19], P=0.001). There was a strong positive correlation between duration of hospital stay and total medical cost incurred (r=0.897, P=0.001).ConclusionHealth expenditure on neonatal illness is high and leads to catastrophic expenditure for the majority of households in the state. There is a need for effective health insurance schemes to help subsidize and cushion this disastrous and impoverishing health expenditure on families for improved neonatal survival in Nigeria.