Background: Unaffordable health-care costs are a critical factor in poor cancer care in low and middle-income countries. Net costs of treating childhood cancer in Nigeria are largely undocumented. This study sought to define the direct cost of pediatric cancer treatment in Lagos, Nigeria, to address this knowledge gap. Methods: This was a longitudinal study design targeting determination of cost of cancer-related care delivered to newly diagnosed childhood cancer patients at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria, from January 2017 to January 2020. Study participants included children with histologically confirmed diagnoses. All direct costs associated with care from the time of diagnosis until either remission or death were documented based on a parental survey at each patient encounter. Results: Among 46 enrolled participants (median age of 6 years), leukemia was the most common diagnosis. The median duration from diagnosis to last assessment was 11 months, and the average cost directly related from diagnosis to remission or death was NGN 5,064,700 (USD 13,876). The highest cost of care was associated with rhabdomyosarcoma, with an average cost of ₦6,798,635 ($18,678). These costs were juxtaposed to the average monthly family earning of NGN 115,228 (USD 316). Conclusion: This study revealed the direct cost of managing childhood cancer in Lagos, Nigeria, which proved unaffordable for most caregivers. Policies are needed to improve the affordability of health-care delivery for childhood cancer, including a focus on the adequacy of health insurance coverage and public health-related policies governing financial support targeting health-care delivery in the context of childhood cancer to improve outcomes.

Background: Infertility is a public health issue in Nigeria, an environment of high daily sunlight exposure. This study objective was to assess the serum melatonin levels among infertile women and parous women in Nigeria. Methods: This was a case–control study involving 45 women of reproductive age with infertility and 45 parous women. Four milliliters of blood sample was collected from each of the participants between 1200 and 1600 h after written informed consent was obtained. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique using melatonin-specific monoclonal antibody was used for processing the samples. Obtained optical density was plotted and read off a standard curve. Data analysis was conducted with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23. A P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The median serum melatonin values for women with infertility (27.86 pg/ml) and women without infertility (28.12 pg/ml) were similar (P = 0.735). Serum melatonin levels had insignificant negative correlation with age (P = 0.564), body mass index (P = 0.232), and daytime napping (P = 0.604). Melatonin levels had a nonstatistically significant positive correlation with duration of sleep (P = 0.789). Conclusion: This study found no significant difference in the serum melatonin levels in infertile and parous women. Melatonin supplementation in infertile women in our environment for the purpose of improving their fertility may not be recommended.

Background: Hepatitis B is a major global health problem with a higher prevalence among waste workers compared to the general population. Inefficient waste segregation techniques and the unique property of hepatitis B whereby it can survive outside the body for about a week puts waste scavengers at a significant risk of this disease. The study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude toward hepatitis B and identify the risk factors of hepatitis B among waste scavengers in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: In a descriptive cross-sectional study, information was obtained from waste scavengers using interviewer administered questionnaires. Respondents were selected consecutively. Data were analyzed using Epi Info™ version 7.2.2.6 and MS-Excel. The associations between variables were considered statistically significant if the two-tailed probability is <5%. Results: Out of 417 respondents, 51 (12.0%) were aware of hepatitis B. Among those aware, 95.0% had poor knowledge of hepatitis B. Majority (87.5%) had a negative attitude toward hepatitis B. The prevalence of needle stick injuries and exposure to blood was 46.5% and 25.7%, respectively. There is also a statistically significant association between the age and level of education of respondents and their attitude toward hepatitis B. Conclusions: Overall knowledge and attitude toward hepatitis B among respondents was poor. Exposure of the respondents at work to risk factors of hepatitis B was high as majority reported presence of used syringes and bloody materials in the waste. Health education programs focused on enlightening waste scavengers about hepatitis B should be organized.

Background: In resource-limited countries, it is important that only genuine ophthalmic emergencies should be seen in the Accident and Emergency department to reduce the pressure on the limited human and material resources. The aim of the study is to determine the pattern of eye-related emergencies who presented to the Accident and Emergency department in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of all consecutive ophthalmic patients who presented at the general Accident and Emergency department of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital between July 2018 and December 2020. Patients who discharged themselves against medical advice were not included in the study. Results: A total of 363 presented with ophthalmic complaints, and their mean age was 32.6 ± 20.2 years. Most of the cases presented as emergencies (61.4%) with more than half (32.8%) requiring ocular surgery. Eyelid laceration was the leading cause of presentation (12.4%). Emergency cases were more likely to present during the weekend (71.5%). Males were 5.1% less likely to present as emergencies. Conclusion: Most of the cases were emergencies with eyelid laceration and penetrating eye injuries being the leading cause. Although the number of nonemergencies was less, the need for the inclusion of primary eye care in the existing primary healthcare centers will further reduce the number of non-emergency cases seen.

More than 1400 microbes are known to cause disease in man and are therefore classified as pathogenic microbes. Only 12% of microbes on earth are responsible for the emerging and re-emerging diseases. All infectious agents have adapted routes for exiting from their reservoirs of infection because that is the only way there can be a perpetuation of their species. Factors aiding the seeming resilience of microbes include microbial evolution and adaptation, human susceptibility, climate and weather, changing ecosystem, human demography and behaviour amongst others. Therefore, man must recognize that the war against microbes is likely going to be there permanently. If we are careless however, the microbes may make life uncomfortable for man and change how we live drastically. A strengthened health intelligence system will support an early warning system that gives clear pictures of what is on the ground and what is evolving. This will also monitor the environment including the water supply system, the sewage, the soil, and the air for evidence of microbes that may be pathogenic to man. We must also mount a robust anthropological surveillance to monitor human behavior as it may affect disease transmission and must search for and deploy effective antimicrobial agents. Overall, we must develop the human capacity that will efficiently deliver our selected strategies to detect, prevent, and mitigate the impact of microbes on human health.