Typhoid fever continues to be significant causes of illness and death particularly among children and adolescents in developing countries as a result of poor sanitation and unsafe food and water supply especially where the water is contaminated by human feces. This study analysed the spatial and temporal trends of typhoid fever in Kano metropolis between 2010-2014. Hospital records for youths attending Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital (MAWSH) were used. Coordinate of wards in the metropolis was also generated and imported into Arc GIS environment. G-Statistics was used to determine the distribution and cluster of typhoid prevalence. The results showed an upward trend with increase in age. It also showed a downward trend from 2010 to 2014, indicating that people are becoming aware of the disease and the predisposing factors. The findings also revealed higher prevalence among the males. The results of the G-Statistics showed higher prevalence in the northern part of the metropolis, with hot spots in Dakata and Tarauni wards. The study recommends frequent vaccination and good eating and drinking habits as well as good hygienic practices at home and outside home as remedies for addressing the problem.

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BackgroundIncrease in occurrence of road traffic accidents in Kano metropolis have resulted into continuous loss of lives, injuries and increased people’s exposure to risk. This study examined road traffic accidents emergency response within Kano metropolis with a view to enhancing its efficiency through establishing communication and synergy between Emergency Healthcare Facilities (EHCF), ambulances and accident hotspots. MethodsGPS surveying was conducted to obtain the location and attributes of the major EHCF, accident hotspots along the junctions of the highways and the 2 existing ambulances at Kano State Fire Service and Federal Road Safety Corp head offices (KSFS and FRSC). Road traffic data (vector format) was digitized from Worldview 3 satellite image (2018, 30cm spatial resolution) from which two major road classes were identified (highways and minor roads) along with their speed limits of 50km/hr and 30km/hr respectively. Time distances were determined based on length and speed limits. Nearest Neighbor and Network analysis (closest facility, shortest route and location-allocation) analyses were conducted. ResultsThe result revealed a variation in the distribution patterns of EHCH, ambulances and accident spots. Closest ambulance facility analysis shows that it takes the FRSC ambulance about 9.41 minutes to reach to accident spot 18 (Maiduguri Road, after NNPC), and 7.52 minutes to travel to AKTH as the closest EHCF. On the other hand, it takes the same ambulance about 3 times the time taken to spot 18 and 4 times the time taken to AKTH to reach to Court road incident spot (spot 16) and IRPH as the closest EHCF. This signifies greater chances of death of almost all victims across the metropolis due to inability to provide CPS within the first 4 minutes before reaching to the hospital. However, in case of Pediatric emergencies, the analysis of closest EHCF from accident spots revealed that it takes less than one minute to travel from accident spots 13, 14 and 15 to IRPH as the closest Pediatric EHCF. Equally, similar time is taken to travel from incident spots 20 and 23 to Sir Sunusi and MMS hospitals respectively. Location-allocation analysis identified eight new locations based on maximum of 4 minutes impedance cutoff from all directions towards the incidents spots. ConclusionIt is concluded that the prevailing road traffic accident emergency response system within the metropolis is inefficient. Therefore, more ambulances should be strategically positioned to fasten emergency response.

This study analyzed Knowledge, Attitude/Perception and Practice of the people toward hepatitis B infection in four local governments of Ringim Emirate, Jigawa State. The data were obtained using questionnaire instrument and organized and processed in SPSS version 20 and analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The result shows that very few (4.9%) people showed good level of knowledge of the infection, and only very few (3.4%) show knowledge of good practice. The result also shows correlation coefficient of 0.917 indicated a positive correlation between knowledge scores. The findings also revealed that there is no statistically significant different between educational level and knowledge of Hepatitis B (p=.336). However, there is statistically significant difference, (p=.000) among other items of socio- demographic characteristics. The study suggested that public health education is needed to improve knowledge, attitude and practice on hepatitis B. Implementation of community mass media health education programme to raise the awareness and the knowledge about hepatitis B using all forms of media especially radios. Health care providers who are involved in the hepatitis control programme need to set schedule to provide education, increase awareness of contact case screening, early identifying and treating hepatitis infection especially hepatitis B. This will help to in prevention and controlling of the infection.

Malaria is one of the leading causes of illness and death in developing countries. Despite growing international concern and efforts to provide effective treatment through the development and improvement of vector control mechanisms, malaria infection continues to remain a leading health problem in Africa, particularly south of the Sahara. At present, however, very few studies have been undertaken that investigate the spatial distribution of malaria cases. This study, therefore, aims to employ geospatial tools to map out areas of high and low malaria prevalence among children under the age of five years. Annual malaria prevalence was computed using confirmed cases from 2014 to 2019 in Jigawa state. Spatial autocorrelation techniques using global Moran’s I and Getis-Ord Gi* statistics were applied. Overall malaria prevalence ranged between 2,743 and 12,916 per 100,000 populations. Results of the overall global Moran’s I indicate a statistically significant degree of positive autocorrelation (I = 0.358122, Z = 3.721018, P = 0.000198) and all the years under study showed clustered patterns. Hotspot analysis was further explored to show the location of clusters. The results of the analysis detected high prevalence clusters in central and north-western parts of the state. The study recommends targeting hotspot areas in the design and implementation of malaria control activities.