BackgroundAcute respiratory infections (ARI) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in under-five children worldwide. About 6.6 million children less than 5 years of age die every year in the world; 95% of them in low-income countries and one third of the total deaths is due to ARI. This study aimed at determining the proportion of acute respiratory infections and the associated risk factors in children under 5 years visiting the Bamenda Regional Hospital in Cameroon.MethodsA cross-sectional analytic study involving 512 children under 5 years was carried out from December 2014 to February 2015. Participants were enrolled by a consecutive convenient sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used to collect clinical, socio-demographic and environmental data. Diagnosis of ARI was based on the revised WHO guidelines for diagnosing and management of childhood pneumonia. The data was analyzed using the statistical software EpiInfo™ version 7.ResultsThe proportion of ARIs was 54.7% (280/512), while that of pneumonia was 22.3% (112/512). Risk factors associated with ARI were: HIV infection ORadj 2.76[1.05–7.25], poor maternal education (None or primary only) ORadj 2.80 [1.85–4.35], exposure to wood smoke ORadj 1.85 [1.22–2.78], passive smoking ORadj 3.58 [1.45–8.84] and contact with someone who has cough ORadj 3.37 [2.21–5.14].Age, gender, immunization status, breastfeeding, nutritional status, fathers’ education, parents’ age, school attendance and overcrowding were not significantly associated with ARI.ConclusionThe proportion of ARI is high and is associated with HIV infection, poor maternal education, exposure to wood smoke, passive cigarette smoking, and contact with persons having a cough. Control programs should focus on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ARIs.

BackgroundAbdominal pregnancy is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy that is frequently left undiagnosed by inexperienced obstetricians and radiologists. It is associated with higher risk of maternal hemorrhage at any gestation and more at advanced gestation.Case presentationWe present the case of a 22-year-old sub-Saharan African woman, gravida 3 para 0, who was diagnosed with advanced abdominal pregnancy of 25 weeks’ gestation by a transvaginal ultrasound after the failure of two medical terminations of pregnancy in the first and second trimesters and a series of repeated obstetric ultrasounds showing intrauterine pregnancy. Laparotomy was done and her recovery was uneventful.ConclusionsThe management of advanced abdominal pregnancy is more challenging as compared to earlier gestation so patients with failed medical termination of pregnancy should be critically analyzed for ectopic pregnancy as early as possible.

BackgroundMore than 80% of premature deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) occur in low-and middle-income countries. However, access to, and affordability of medications remain a challenge in these countries.

PH, dominated by PHLHD, was common among adults attending this rural centre and was associated with a high mortality rate. Related co-morbidities and late clinical presentation reflect the poor socio-economic context. Improved awareness of PH among physicians could promote early diagnosis and management.

Background: Global efforts to address NCDs focus primarily on 4-by-4 interventions-interventions to prevent and treat four groups of conditions affecting mainly older adults (some cardiovascular disease and cancers, type 2 diabetes, chronic respiratory disease) and four associated risk factors (alcohol, tobacco, poor diets, and physical inactivity). However, the NCD burden in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is composed of a more diverse set of conditions, driven by a more complex group of risks, and impacting all segments of the population. Objective: To document the NCD priorities identified by NCD strategic plans, to characterize the proposed policy response, and to assess the alignment between the two. Methods: Using a two-part conceptual framework, we undertook a descriptive study to characterize the framing and overall policy response of strategic plans from 24 low-and lower-middle-income countries across SSA. Results: The national situation assessments that ground strategic plans emphasize a diversity of conditions that range in terms of severity and frequency. These assessments also highlight a wide diversity of factors that shape this burden. Most include discussions of a broad range of behavioral, structural, genetic, and infectious risk factors. Plans endorse a more narrow response to this diverse burden, with a focus on primary and secondary prevention that is generally convergent with the objectives established in global policy documents. Conclusions: Broadly, we observe that plans developed by countries in SSA recognize the heterogeneity of the NCD burden in this region. However, they emphasize interventions that are consistent with global strategies focused on preventing a narrower set of cardiometabolic risk factors and their associated diseases. In comparison, relatively few countries detail plans to prevent, treat, and palliate the full scope of the needs they identify. There is a need for increased support for bottom-up planning efforts to address local priorities.