Background Maternal and child mortality remains a major public health issue in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with the region having the highest under-five mortality rates, where approximately 1 in 11 children, dies before the age of 5 years. This is nearly 15 times the average in high-income countries (HICs). This scoping review is aimed at mapping evidence on the factors contributing to maternal and child mortality in SSA. Methods This study will be conducted using a scoping review to map existing literature on the factors contributing to maternal and child mortality in SSA. The search will comprise of peer-reviewed and grey literature, using the EBSCOhost platform. Keyword search from electronic databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Science Direct and World Health Organization library, will be conducted. Information will be obtained from the included studies, using a data charting table. We will use NVIVO version 10 software to analyse the data, and the narrative account of the study will be presented by means of a thematic content analysis. Discussion We expect to find relevant literature that can help us in mapping evidence on the factors contributing to maternal and child mortality in SSA. This study results are anticipated to identify research gaps and in turn, guide the design of future primary studies. Systematic review protocol registration Open Science Framework registration number (DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/XF5VN).

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IntroductionA transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a medical emergency, as it is a sudden neurological episode caused by ischemia in a vascular territory in the brain, which lasts less than one hour. TIA definition has shifted from time-based to tissue-based according to modern literature. It is considered a warning sign for an impending stroke. Symptoms could range from weakness on one side of the body, diaphoresis, to slurred speech. In this study, we examined the differences in health outcomes, when patients diagnosed with TIA are treated and discharged home from the ED, versus when admitted to the hospital for additional care. MethodsThis is a descriptive and retrospective study. We examined all patients' encounters from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019 at four emergency department locations. The cohort compared patients diagnosed with a TIA who takes medications (anti-lipid, antiplatelet drugs) versus patients diagnosed with a TIA who are not on any preventive medication. We compared the hospital readmission rate between these two group of patients and the need for additional medical treatments. Our study also considered hospital length of stay (LOS), admission rate, and its impact on patients with comorbidities. ResultsThere were 983 patients included in the study. The patients on TIA prophylactic medications prior to coming to the ED made up (60.7%), and (51.2%) in this group required additional medications during hospital admission. The remaining 162 (39.3%), p=0.001 patients, were not on TIA prophylactic medications prior to presenting in the ED. The patients who required additional medications while in the ED were significantly older (mean +/-SD, 68.6 +/-14.0 years versus 62.18 +/-17.4 years, p=0.001). Following a multivariate analysis, age greater than 60 (CI: 3.52-3.91, p=0.001) and results of the head CT/MRI investigations for any signs of neurological damage, were all found to be independent predictors of longer hospital stay and treatment outcomes. There were no significant differences in the treatment outcome for patients with TIA based on longer hospital stay and extra medication administration in the ED. ConclusionIn our study, we observed that approximately, 75% of the patients who were on TIA prophylactic medications prior to presenting in the ED with symptoms of TIA were admitted to the hospital for further monitoring, compared to other group of patients who were not on TIA medications. We did also noted that there were no differences in mortality outcome between patients treated and discharged from the ED, versus patients admitted to the hospital for additional treatment. Lastly, patients who are 68 years and older, made up two-thirds of patient population admitted in the hospital and required additional medications, compared to younger patients.

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common cause of recent-onset seizures in both adults and children in tropical areas, especially when there is no other suggestion of another underlying neurological disorder. In addition, there have been reports of very rare cases of bilateral cortical blindness caused by this helminth in children. It is still unclear whether healthy adolescents with no pre-existing health problems could be vulnerable to developing such sequelae due to NCC. We report a case of a 14-year-old African boy from Nigeria with bilateral cortical blindness caused by NCC due to Taenia solium. According to the boy’s mother, symptoms began with headaches, vomiting, fatigue, visual loss, and fever (40.0 °C). Clinical investigations led to a diagnosis of cortical blindness and encephalitis due to NCC. Appropriate treatment was administered, and it resulted in the resolution of most symptoms, though the patient remained permanently blind.