Background: Hydroxyurea is underutilized by sickle cell health-care providers in Nigeria despite available evidence of its effectiveness in reducing the manifestations and complications of sickle cell disease (SCD). Objectives: To assess the level of utilization and provider-related barriers to the use of hydroxyurea in SCD therapy in Jos, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted among 132 medical doctors providing care for SCD patients. Data on so- cio-demographics, utilization and barriers to hydroxyurea use were obtained. The barriers were fed cumulatively into the logistic regression model as predictors of utilization. Results: Of the 132 care providers, 88 (67%) had been in medical practice for ≥6years. The level of utilization of hy- droxyurea was 24.2%. The significant barriers that predicted the non-utilization of hydroxyurea included lack of expertise (OR=5.1; 95% CI=2.65–9.05), lack of clinical guidelines (OR=3.84; 95% CI=2.37-14.33), fear of side-effects (OR=0.50; 95% CI=0.22–0.68) and doubt about its effectiveness (OR=0.30; 95% CI=0.20–0.90). Conclusion: The level of utilization of hydroxyurea in the treatment of SCD among the care providers is sub-optimal with the lack of expertise in its use identified as the most prominent barrier. There is an urgent need for the training of sickle cell care-providers and the development of clinical guidelines on hydroxyurea use. Keywords: Hydroxyurea utilization; barriers to hydroxyurea; sickle cell disease; Nigeria.

Background: Obesity and overweight are known to be associated with other non-communicable diseases (NCD). In recent times, there has been an increase in the prevalence of this healthrelated condition, not only in the developed but also in developing countries. This study set out to assess the prevalence and factors associated with this health condition among chief executives of private and public organizations in Jos metropolis. Materials and Methods: A total of 250 chief executives of public and private institutions in Jos north local government area (LGA) of Plateau State were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique and data was collected from them using interviewer-administered, structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using Epi Info statistical software (version 3.5.3). Results: The ages of the respondents ranged between 27 and 68 years with a mean of 44 + 2 years. Majority of the respondents (68%) were males. The prevalence of obesity was found to be 38% while 48.8% of subjects were overweight. BMI of subjects had a statistically significant relationship with sex and income of respondents but not with exercise. There was a fair knowledge of obesity, its contributory factors, and complications among the respondents (63.6%). Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity and overweight were found to be high among the studied executives, despite their fair knowledge of the disease and its complications. The increasing prevalence of obesity among chief executives of organizations needs to be addressed by increased health education. Managements of organizations should insist on periodic medical checkups for their executives.

Trachoma is a major problem in Jigawa State; there is a need to train trichiasis surgeons and empower them to carry out community-based surgery. District-level prevalence of trachoma needs to be determined to know which aspects of the WHO SAFE strategy (surgery, antibiotics, facial cleanliness and environmental improvements) need to be emphasized in each district.

Background: Hydroxyurea is one of the currently approved medications capable of modifying the pathogenesis of sickle cell disease (SCD), and its use has transformed the management of this disease worldwide.However, available evidences suggest that hydroxyurea is underutilized by sickle cell health-care providers in Nigeria despite the huge burden of the disease. Objectives: This study assessed the level of utilization and provider-related barriers to the use of hydroxyurea in the treatment of SCD patients in Jos, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted among 132 medical doctors providing care for SCD patients in four tertiary hospitals in Jos using a multistage sampling technique. In this setting, SCD patients are cared for by the Hematologists, Pediatricians, Family Physicians and General Practitioners. Data on socio-demographics of the respondents, knowledge, utilization and barriers to the utilization of hydroxyurea were obtained using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The data were processed and analysed using SPSS version 23. Hydroxyurea was adjudged utilized if a provider has prescribed hydroxyurea to any SCD patient within the last 12 months. Chi square test was used to test the association between the demographic, provider-related barrier variables and the level of utilization of hydroxyurea. The barriers were fed cumulatively into logistic regression model as predictors of utilization of hydroxyurea. Adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were used as point and interval estimates respectively. A P-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the 132 respondents, 88 (67%) had been in medical practice for upward of six years while 80 (60.6%) of them affirmed that they have attended to more than 10 SCD patients in the last 6 months. Sixty-seven (50.8%) of the participants had inadequate knowledge of hydroxyurea use in SCD management while the level of utilization of hydroxyurea in SCD treatment was 24.2%. The odds of non-utilization of hydroxyurea was 5.1 times higher in providers with no expertise in its use (OR =5.1; 95% CI =2.65-9.05; P<0.0001). Other barriers that predicted its non-utilization included inadequate knowledge (OR =0.17; 95% CI =0.29-0.71; P=0.017), fear of side-effects (OR =0.50; 95% CI =0.22-0.68; P=0.019) and doubt about the effectiveness of the medication (OR =0.30; 95% CI =0.20-0.90; P=0.002). Conclusion: The level of utilization of hydroxyurea in the treatment of SCD among the sickle cell care-providers is sub-optimal with the lack of expertise in its use identified as the most prominent barrier. Therefore, training of Nigeria sickle cell care-providers to attain and maintain competence in the use of hydroxyurea for the treatment of SCD is required. Keywords: Sickle cell disease, hydroxyurea, utilization, barriers, Jos, Nigeria Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.