BackgroundUrinary Schistosomiasis and malaria are endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa. There are public health concerns and implications of these parasites. This study sought to assess the prevalence of malaria, urinary schistosomiasis, and anaemia in children of school going age in two municipalities in Ghana.MethodsA cross-sectional study design was used to investigate the prevalence of S. haematobium, P. falciparum infection and the haemoglobin concentration of respondents. A total of 404 (231 males and 173 females) school children between ages 9 - 14 years (mean age 11.8 ± 1.4 years) were recruited for the survey. Urine and blood samples were collected using standard operating procedures for urinary schistosomiasis and malaria diagnosis. Haemoglobin concentration was measured using a Hemocue® Hb 201 m.ResultsThe prevalence of mono-infection was 4.7 and 12.9% for S. haematobium and P. falciparum respectively with a small proportion (0.9%) of the respondents infected with both parasites. The prevalence of anaemia in the study population was 59.9%. The risk of developing anaemia was not associated with being infected with any of the parasites. All co-infected children had anaemia.ConclusionHigh prevalence of anaemia was observed within the study population. Prevalence of malaria was higher compared to schistosomiasis. Interventions to address the high levels of anaemia is required within the community.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s40794-018-0063-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

We conclude that complementary foods incorporating Moringa oleifera leaf powder either as part of a cereal-legume complementary food blend (MCL-35 g) or when sprinkled as a food supplement (MS-5 g) on infant's usual foods were well accepted.

Background HIV infected children are at increased risk of malnutrition which worsens the depressed immune system, leading to poor disease prognosis. Aim To assess the nutritional status of children between 6-12 years on antiretroviral drugs (ARV) at two health facilities in Accra. Methods The study design was cross sectional among children between 6 and 12 years being administered with antiretroviral drugs at two hospitals in Accra. A purposive sample of 100 children was used. Height and weight measurements were taken and used to compute z-scores for stunting, underweight and wasting. Haemoglobin status was obtained from their folders. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain sociodemographic data and a 24-hour dietary intake used to assess nutrient intakes. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20.0. Nutrient analysis was done using Micro diet version 3.0. Data was summarized using means and percentages. Chi-squared test was used to test for associations and statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results The prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting was reported as 28%, 16% and 13% respectively. Girls were more stunted and wasted compared to boys. Mean haemoglobin concentration was 10.12 ± 2.77 g/dl. Mild, moderate and severe anaemia were reported in 14.2%, 41.1% and 12.5% of the children respectively. Apart from carbohydrates, less than 50% of the children were able to meet their requirements for the other nutrients”. Conclusions Our findings reveal high level of malnutrition among the children receiving ARV. There is the need for targeted nutrition interventions to improve the nutritional status of the children.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the views of first-time expectant mothers on breastfeeding. A qualitative study approach using focus group discussions was used to solicit the views of 25 expectant first-time mothers. The results indicated the intention to breastfeed, though some were willing to opt for formula feeding when the need arises. Knowledge on breastfeeding issues was minimal among this group. Common sources of information on breastfeeding issues were obtained from home (relatives), hospital, and television. The need to support and provide adequate education on breastfeeding issues is critical among this category of women.