Children and adolescents on antiretroviral therapy (ART) are safe, but viral-load non-suppression is still a huge risk to health and survival. The general objective of this study was to estimate the rate of viral load non-suppression and to determine factors associated with it among children and adolescents (0-19 years) on ART in 6 LGAs in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The study design was an analytical cross- sectional study with structured interviews with participants/caregivers and abstraction of clinical records. Data from 564 participants were obtained and analysed using descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, crude and risk ratios, with the absolute prevalence difference at P< 0.05, and a multivariable logistic regression was also performed. Overall, 497 participants (88.1%; 95% CI: 85.2–90.5) were virally suppressed, whereas 67 (11.9%; 95% CI: 9.5–14.8) were unsuppressed. Participants with good adherence had significantly higher suppression than those with poor adherence (93.7% versus 69.4%), a 24.3-percentage-point difference. Other than the differences above, HIV suppression did not differ between current people living with HIV and 'recent' initiators of ART (those with at least six months' HIV treatment). Adjustment for household income revealed that after it, ART duration ≥ six months (aOR = 6.68; 95% CI: 1.69–26.70), was an independent predictor of high odds of suppression, while poor adherence was an independent predictor of low odds of suppression (aOR = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.05–0.43). Hence, there is a need for increased compliance counselling and early follow-up, together with the sustainable delivery of uninterrupted treatment.
Josephine Philip Malum, A. Akyala, Y. Ngwai et al.· Journal of Clinical Practice...· 0 citations
Urgent, context-specific interventions are required, including stricter regulation of irrigation water and soil quality, targeted remediation in high-risk zones, safer agricultural practices, and enhanced public awareness to reduce dietary heavy metal exposure, protect public health, and support sustainable food safety in Nigeria.
M. R. Madugu, H. Suleiman, A. I. Akyala et al.· International Journal of Med...· 0 citations
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. In Nigeria, adult vaccination coverage and completion rates are not well characterized within hospital-based populations. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,200 adults attending Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Data on socio-demographics, HBV-related knowledge, attitudes, perceived barriers, vaccination uptake, and completion were collected using a structured questionnaire. Knowledge and attitude scores were categorized into poor, fair, and good levels. Associations between socio-demographic characteristics and vaccination uptake were examined using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. The mean age of respondents was predominantly 36–40 years (32.5%), with males constituting 72.3%. Most respondents had tertiary education (91.8%) and were civil servants (83.4%). Overall awareness of HBV was high (95.5%), with a mean knowledge score of 12.37 ± 1.42. Good knowledge was observed in 74.2% of respondents, while 57.2% demonstrated good attitudes toward HBV prevention. Vaccination uptake was high, with 93.5% reporting receipt of at least one vaccine dose. However, only 22.3% had completed the recommended three-dose schedule, while 48.2% and 23.1% had received one and two doses, respectively. Willingness to complete vaccination was reported by 81.6% of respondents. Perceived barriers included high vaccine cost (72.4%), inadequate access to health facilities (96.9%), fear of side effects (71.9%), and insufficient information (73.5%). No significant associations were found between socio-demographic variables and vaccination uptake (p > 0.05 for all). Despite high HBV vaccination initiation and knowledge levels, substantial gaps in vaccine completion persist. Addressing financial, informational, and access-related barriers is essential to improve full vaccination coverage among Nigerian adults.
S. Aremu, A. Akyala, Y. B. Ngwai et al.· Tropical Diseases, Travel Me...· 0 citations
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