Compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) protocols is critical in minimizing the risk of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection among healthcare workers. However, data on IPC compliance among healthcare workers in COVID-19 treatment centers are unknown in Ghana. This study aims to assess IPC compliance among healthcare workers in Ghana’s COVID-19 treatment centers. The study was a secondary analysis of data, which was initially collected to determine the level of risk of COVID-19 virus infection among healthcare workers in Ghana. Quantitative data were conveniently collected using the WHO COVID-19 risk assessment tool. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses. We observed that IPC compliance during healthcare interactions was 88.4% for hand hygiene and 90.6% for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) usage; IPC compliance while performing aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs), was 97.5% for hand hygiene and 97.5% for PPE usage. For hand hygiene during healthcare interactions, lower compliance was seen among nonclinical staff [OR (odds ratio): 0.43; 95% CI (Confidence interval): 0.21–0.89], and healthcare workers with secondary level qualification (OR: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.08–0.71). Midwives (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.09–0.93) and Pharmacists (OR: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.02–0.92) compliance with hand hygiene was significantly lower than registered nurses. For PPE usage during healthcare interactions, lower compliance was seen among healthcare workers who were separated/divorced/widowed (OR: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.01–0.43), those with secondary level qualifications (OR 0.08; 95% CI 0.01–0.43), non-clinical staff (OR 0.16 95% CI 0.07–0.35), cleaners (OR: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.05–0.52), pharmacists (OR: 0.07; 95% CI: 0.01–0.49) and among healthcare workers who reported of insufficiency of PPEs (OR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.14–0.77). Generally, healthcare workers’ infection prevention and control compliance were high, but this compliance differs across the different groups of health professionals in the treatment centers. Ensuring an adequate supply of IPC logistics coupled with behavior change interventions and paying particular attention to nonclinical staff is critical in minimizing the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the treatment centers.

Background: Hand washing is very effective in preventing communicable diseases. Hand washing is particularly important for children, as they are more vulnerable to infections gained from unwashed hands and also due to their unhealthy behaviour. The study was conducted to determine the availability of hand washing facilities, hand washing knowledge and practices among public primary schools in Kintampo Municipality.Methods: A cross sectional survey was carried out among 300 children and 10 headmasters in 10 selected schools. Data were collected using questionnaires and observation checklist regarding socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of hand washing, hand washing practices and availability of hand washing facilities in the selected schools.Results: All the children indicated that it was important to wash their hands with water and soap. About (37.67%) washed their hands in order to prevent diseases, 53.33% had never been educated on how to wash their hands. Only 23.33% of the children demonstrated correctly on how to wash hands, a little over 15% washed their hands under clean running water whiles 23.33% wipe their hands using handkerchiefs. Forty-three percent indicated after visiting toilet as necessary to wash hands whiles 42.33% cited lack of water as the barrier to hand washing. About 39.88% always washed their hands with soap after using the toilet; about 60% of the schools had hand washing points. Only 30% of the schools have clean running water.Conclusions: There is the need for effective hand washing education in the schools to help improve hand washing knowledge and practices. Hand washing facilities in the schools were found to be inadequate.

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are faced with an elevated risk of exposure to SARS-COV-2 due to the clinical procedures they perform on COVID-19 patients. However, data for frontline HCWs level of exposure and risk of COVID-19 virus infection are limited. Objective: We investigated the level of exposure and risk of COVID-19 virus infection among HCWs in COVID-19 treatment centers in Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study was utilized in this study and HCWs were invited by convenience to participate in the study, 408 HCWs in 4 COVID-19 treatment centers participated in the study. Adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures were used to categorized HCWs as low or high risk of COVID-19 virus infection. The WHO COVID-19 risk assessment tool was used to collect quantitative data from the study participants. Results: There was a high (N = 328, 80.4%) level of occupational exposure to the COVID-19 virus. However, only 14.0% of the exposed HCWs were at high risk of COVID-19 virus infection. Healthcare workers who performed or were present during any aerosol-generating procedures (AGP) were 23.8 times more likely to be exposed compared to HCWs who did not perform or were absent during any AGP (AOR 23.83; 95% CI: 18.45, 39.20). High risk of COVID-19 virus infection was less likely among registered nurses (AOR = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.60), HCWs who performed or were present during any AGP (AOR = 0.05; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.50) and HCWs with a master’s degree qualification (AOR 0.06; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.63). Conclusion: Despite the high level of exposure to the COVID-19 virus among HCWs in the treatment centers, only 14.0% were at high risk of COVID-19 virus infection. To protect this group of HCWs, treatment centers and HCWs should continue to adhere to WHO and national IPC protocols in managing of COVID-19 cases.

Background In Ghana, anaemia is a severe public health problem among adolescent girls. In an attempt to deal with this phenomenon, Ghana Ministry of Health in collaboration with other development partners developed and launched weekly iron and folic acid supplementation program for adolescent girls in Ghanaian junior high schools. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to determine the level of compliance with iron and folic acid supplementation (IFAS) and its associated factors among adolescent girls in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 424 randomly sampled adolescent girls in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana from April to July 2019 using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Twenty school health coordinators were purposively selected to answer questions on the challenges they face in implementing the IFAS program at the school level. Bivariate logistic regression and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine associations and strength of associations, respectively, at a significant threshold of p < 0.05. Results Compliance with the IFAS was low (26.2%). Adolescent girls who were aware of anaemia (AOR = 3.57 (95% CI: 1.96, 6.51) p < 0.01), had good knowledge of anaemia (AOR = 1.82 (95% CI: 1.17, 2.81) p=0.01), and had good knowledge of the IFAS program (AOR = 2.29 (95% CI: 1.47, 3.57) p < 0.01) were significantly associated with compliance with the IFAS. The majority (60%) of the adolescent girls have ever missed taking the iron and folic acid (IFA) tablet because it was not issued to them by the teacher's concern while about 48.3% (169) of the adolescent girls are taking the tablet because it prevents anaemia. Adolescent girls perceiving the tablet as family planning medicine (88.8%) and unavailability of water in classrooms (18.8%) were cited as the major challenges by school health coordinators. Conclusion Compliance with the IFAS among adolescent girls was low. Level of education and occupation of mothers of adolescent girls, awareness on anaemia, and good knowledge of anaemia and of the IFAS program were significant predictors of compliance with the IFAS. Educating the adolescent girls on anaemia and benefits of the IFAS, constant supply of the IFA tablet, and engaging parents of the adolescent girls on the program will help improve the compliance level of the adolescent girls with the IFAS.

Introduction: Food handlers’ hands serve as a vehicle for potential foodborne pathogenic contamination which constitutes a public health risk. In Ghana, there are always constant reports of outbreaks of foodborne diseases in schools. However, determinants of hand hygiene practice among educational institutions food handlers are little known. The study, therefore, aimed to assess the determinants of hand hygiene practice at critical times among educational institutions’ food handlers in the Sagnarigu Municipality of Ghana. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey among educational institutions food handlers in the Sagnarigu Municipality. Two hundred and six food handlers were selected through convenience sampling in the educational institutions. At the same time, structured questions that were developed from previous studies were used to assess food handlers’ hand hygiene practice at critical times. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models. All variables with their respective confidence intervals (95%) and adjusted odds ratios were declared significant at P-values less than .05. Results: Hand hygiene practice at critical times among the food handlers were relatively good at a rating of 66.0% (95% CI: 59.1, 72.5%). Good hand hygiene practice at critical times was less likely among food handlers with no food safety training (AOR 0.04; 95% CI: 0.00, 0.41) and food handlers who had insufficient knowledge of hand hygiene (AOR 0.06; 95% CI 0.01, 0.25). Good hygiene practice at critical times was 99% lower in food handlers with a negative attitude as compared to food handlers with positive attitudes towards hand hygiene at critical times (AOR 0.01; 95% CI 0.00, 0.07). Only 17.0% of the food handlers demonstrated proper handwashing techniques, whereas a good number (85.4%) of the food handlers did not wash their hands after touching money. Conclusion: Good hand hygiene practice at critical times was relatively good. Food safety training, knowledge of hand hygiene and attitudes towards hand hygiene were independent predictors of hand hygiene practice at critical times. Concerned stakeholders and organizations should focus on WASH interventions that seek to improve educational institutions food handlers’ knowledge and attitudes towards hand hygiene, coupled with training on food safety.