Federal Medical Centre Owo is a public health care centre located in Owo, a city in Ondo State, southwestern Nigeria.
Pulmonary endarterectomy is the only potentially curable treatment of choice for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, while balloon pulmonary angioplasty has been advocated for peripheral (distal) chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. In an environment where experts for surgical interventions are not readily available, oral medications should be considered early, especially when the distal pulmonary vessels are affected. We present a 43-year-old male diagnosed with elephantiasis of the left leg at 20 years of age. He presented at the emergency room with a 6-month history of progressive dyspnea, easy fatigability, cough with hemoptysis, and World Health Organization functional class IV. Electrocardiogram findings were consistent with pulmonary embolism. He had transthoracic echocardiography and also chest computed tomography pulmonary angiography, which confirmed peripheral chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. He was commenced on oral medications with significant improvement in prognostic variables such as 6-minute walk test, World Health Organization functional class, and oxygen saturation even a year after commencement.
BACKGROUND:The aging population in Nigeria is rapidly increasing, with significant implications for healthcare systems. This study aimed to profile the clinical characteristics of geriatric outpatients managed by physiotherapists at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Nigeria, focusing on prevalent conditions and functional status. METHOD:This retrospective descriptive study reviewed outpatient records of individuals aged 65 years and above who attended physiotherapy sessions at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, between January 2022 and March 2025. Data were obtained from both electronic and paper records and included demographic characteristics, primary diagnoses, functional status, and use of assistive devices. Data were summarised using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations where appropriate. RESULTS:Out of 160 records, 148 met the criteria. Most patients (62.2%) were aged 65-74 years, and 53.4% were female. Common diagnoses were stroke (39.9%), knee osteoarthritis (20.3%), and lumbar spondylosis (16.2%). Nearly half (49.3%) were independent, 29.1% required assistance, and 21.6% used wheelchairs. Co-morbidities, particularly stroke with osteoarthritis, were frequent. CONCLUSION:The findings revealed that cerebrovascular accidents, knee osteoarthritis, and lumbar spondylosis are key contributors to disability in geriatric outpatients. Addressing these conditions can help tailor physiotherapy to improve older adults' functional independence and quality of life.
Suicidal behaviors are a major public health concern, yet their burden remains poorly defined in Nigeria, a country with a predominantly young population. This study aimed to comprehensively assess the prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation, planning, and attempt in Nigeria. We systematically searched medical literature databases for studies published up to November 2025 that reported the prevalence of suicidal behaviors in the Nigerian general population or specific subgroups, using diagnoses or validated screening tools. Random-effects meta-analysis were conducted, with heterogeneity explored using meta-regression and subgroup analysis. Overall, 53 studies comprising 132,514 individuals were included. The prevalence of suicidal ideation in the general population was 7.9% (95%CI: 4.6, 13.4), while suicidal planning and attempts were estimated at 1.9% (95%CI: 0.9, 4.0) and 1.3% (95%CI: 0.4, 4.3), respectively. Suicidal ideation was associated with sociodemographic factors, including marital status, educational attainment, and employment status, and was more common in conflict-prone regions. Compared with the general population, suicidal behaviors were more prevalent among adolescents and young people, people living with HIV, and pregnant women. Notably, the prevalence also increased over time. These findings indicate that suicidal behaviors are common in Nigeria and highlight the need for targeted intervention strategies for high-risk populations.
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination is a proven way to prevent cervical cancer. However, ignorance and hesitancy are limitations to its acceptance. To compare the knowledge, attitudes and parental acceptance of Nigerian parents (healthcare workers versus non healthcare workers) towards HPV, cervical cancer, and acceptance of the HPV vaccine for children under their care and themselves. An online quantitative cross-sectional study conducted from January–March 2024 used a cluster sampling technique with Nigeria’s 6 geopolitical zones serving as natural borders. The estimated minimum sample size for this study was 396 parents of girls. Participants were identified and categorized as health care workers (HCWs) or non-HCWs. Responses were obtained through social media disseminated questionnaire adapted from another study. Responses were summarized using descriptive statistics while significance testing was done using Chi Square. Significance level was set at P < 0.05. The study revealed significant differences between healthcare workers (HCWs) and non-HCWs in their awareness and knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccines, with HCWs demonstrating higher levels of awareness (93.3
The burden of acute kidney injury (AKI) in low- and middle-income countries is frequently underestimated, often due to limited diagnostic resources and underreporting. Information about the burden of AKI would help inform the implementation of health policies and improve the allocation of health resources aimed at enhancing patient outcomes. This study determined the pooled incidence of AKI and associated mortality in Nigeria. A systematic search of PubMed, African Journals Online (AJOL), and Google Scholar was conducted to identify relevant studies on AKI in both adult and paediatric populations in Nigeria between 1980 and 2024. Case reports, case series, and abstracts without full text on AKI were excluded. The pooled incidence of AKI and the associated all-cause mortality rate were estimated using meta-analytic methods. The Joanna-Briggs scoring was used for risk bias assessment. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024620822). The initial systematic literature search identified 384 articles from which 44 eligible hospital-based studies involving 123,324 participants were included. The median age of the study participants was 31.1 years, and the median proportion of females was 42.9
