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The application of geophysical method employing vertical electrical sounding (VES) method in combination with laboratory analysis of aquifer sediments has been used to access the economically accessible groundwater reserve and its protective capacity in some parts of Eastern Obolo Local Government area, the eastern region of the Nigerian Niger Delta. Schlumberger electrode configuration was used to sound twelve VES to occupy the areas that have borehole locations and accessibility for the spread of current electrodes to at least 1000 m. Based on the results, the safe and economic aquifer potential has groundwater reserve of about 168480558 ± 18532861 m³. The desired aquifer thickness and its depth of burial have average value of 52.02 m and 73.14 m, respectively. The area has a fair protective capacity. This is indicated by 58.33% weak, 16.67% moderate, and 25% good protective capacity for the area. This study was done in one of the oil cities, where contaminated Salt River water is used as the major source of water for domestic uses and it is believed that the settlers will appropriate this result and sue for safe groundwater at the indicated depths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We set out to assess the maternal outcome of emergency caesarean sections in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) in relationship to the seniority and experience of medical personnel involved in the operation. This was a review of 349 cases of emergency caesarean sections in UCTH over a 2-year period (January 2000-December 2001). The sociodemographic data, antenatal booking status and clinical condition of the patients as well as the seniority of the medical staff who participated in the operations were extracted from the case notes of the patients. A total of 280 (80.0%) booked patients and 69 (20.0%) unbooked mothers were delivered by emergency caesarean sections. The consultants performed only 16.4% of the emergency caesarean sections, while the residents performed 83.6%. Similarly consultant anaesthetists administered anaesthesia in 12.9% of the cases. A total of 12 maternal deaths occurred from emergency caesarean sections in which six (1.7%) were due to sepsis, three (0.8%) due to severe haemorrhage and three (0.8%) due to anaesthetic complications. None of the deaths occurred in operations in which consultant obstetricians and anaesthetists were involved. The intraoperative blood loss was more in operations performed by the residents than in those performed by the consultants. Similarly, morbidity was higher in patients operated upon by residents. The maternal morbidity and mortality associated with emergency caesarean sections in UCTH would be reduced significantly if consultant obstetricians and anaesthetists were more involved in these operative procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the burden of maternal near-miss and death due to rupture of the gravid uterus, the indicators of quality of care, and avoidable factors associated with care deficiencies for ruptured uterus in Nigerian tertiary hospitals.Design: Secondary analysis of a nationwide cross-sectional study.Setting: Forty-two tertiary hospitals.Population: Women admitted for pregnancy, childbirth or puerperal complications.Methods: Cases of severe maternal outcome [SMO: maternal near-miss (MNM) or maternal death (MD)] following uterine rupture were prospectively identified over 1 year.Main Outcome Measures: Incidence of SMO, indicators of quality of care, and avoidable factors associated with deficiencies in care.Results: There were 91 724 live births and 3285 women with SMO during the study period. SMO due to uterine rupture occurred in 392 women: 305 MNM and 87 MD. Uterine rupture accounted for 11.9, 13.3, and 8.7% of all SMO, MNM, and MD, respectively. SMO, MNM, and intra-hospital maternal mortality ratios due to uterine rupture were 4.3/1000 live births, 3.3/1000 live births, and 94.8/100 000 live births, respectively. Mortality index (% of MD/SMO) was 22.2%, and MNM:MD ratio was 3.5. Avoidable factors contributing to deaths were related to patient-orientated problems, especially late hospital presentation and lack of insurance to cover life-saving interventions. Medical personnel problems contributed to care deficiencies in one-third of women who died.Conclusion: Uterine rupture significantly contributes to SMO in Nigerian tertiary hospitals. Strategies to improve maternal survival should address avoidable institutional factors and include community-based interventions to encourage skilled attendance at birth and early referral of complications.Tweetable Abstract: Uterine rupture remains an important cause of maternal death in Nigerian tertiary hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses the survelliance system and it's role in the maternal deaths in countries with a low income.

The article presents obituaries for several notable people including former consultant physician Allan John MacKenzie Campbell, former consultant haematologist Marguerite Angela Ruth Kin, and former general practitioner Robert Charles Smith.