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Background: We assessed clinical parameters in patients confirmed to have COVID-19 in relation to arterial hypoxaemia and survival., Methodology: This was a retrospective chart review of patients who were confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus by Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing. Data extracted from patients' case files included patient demographics, presenting symptoms, provisional diagnoses, and outcomes of hospitalisation. Descriptive variables were summarized; proportions were compared using Chi-square tests, and independent predictors of mortality were assessed using multivariate regression analysis. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant., Results: There were a total of 61 patients with positive RT-PCR testing: mean age ± SD (minimum - maximum) was 53.0 ± 18.5 (5 months - 90) years. Persons aged 60 years and above were the largest group (n=24, 39.3%). More than half were male (n=35, 57.4%); about 43% had one morbidity; 41.0% had at least two co-morbidities. The mean (SD) arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) was 86.9% ± 16.7. Patients who were clinically dyspnoeic at presentation, and who had co-morbidities were significantly more hypoxaemic (p = 0.026 and 0.04, respectively). Significantly more patients who had normal oxygen saturation at presentation survived (p = 0.006). None of these variables was an independent predictor of mortality, however., Conclusion: Arterial hypoxaemia was significantly associated with dyspnoea and underlying disease, and normal oxygen saturation at presentation was significantly associated with survival. Hospital managers and clinicians may thus prioritize routine pulse oximetry, supplemental oxygen therapy and management of co-morbidities in the COVID-19 fight.

Background and Aims: The Geriatrics Unit in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Nigeria was established in March 2014 to provide specialized healthcare to older persons. We undertook a review of admissions into the unit in order to characterize disease patterns, identify gaps and make recommendations for service improvement., Methods: Admissions from April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2018, were classified into age groups. Diseases were classified using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10 CM). Challenges with documentation were identified and summarized., Results: All documentation and data extraction were manually done; some data sources were hard to reach. A total of 835 elderly patients were admitted during the period under review, of whom 51.8% were females. Almost half of patients (48.1%) were aged 60-74 years; 15% were 85 years and above. "Sepsis, unspecified organism" (ICD-10 code A41.9) was the leading single diagnosis (10.2%). Pneumonia (ICD-10 code J18) and urinary tract infection (ICD-10 code N39.0) were the most frequent infections that caused sepsis. Diabetes and hypertension contributed 16.8% and 3.9%, respectively. Delirium, vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease accounted for 4%, 0.8% and 0.3%, respectively., Conclusions: This evaluation enabled the description of disease patterns in our geriatrics unit, and revealed documentation gaps. Based on our findings, we argue for interventions to improve documentation and to reduce the burden of infections, diabetes and hypertension which were the major causes of disease in older persons in our unit.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for the Nigerian health system to harness the potentials available in the private sector to augment the capacity within the public health system. This survey was carried out to assess private facility readiness in providing screening services in Edo State., Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among private facilities in Edo state. Facilities were selected using stratified sampling technique. Data was collected using adapted questionnaires and an observational checklist. Facility readiness was assessed using the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control recommendations for screening. Parameters were scored and overall scores were converted to proportions. Facilities that scored 70% and above were adjudged to be ready while facilities that scored 69% and below were adjudged to be not ready., Results: A total of 252 health facilities were assessed, comprising 149 (59.1%) hospitals/clinics, 62 (24.6%) pharmacies and 41 (16.3%) laboratories. One hundred and forty-two (95.3%), 60 (96.8%) and 41 (100.0%) hospitals/clinics, pharmacies and laboratories, respectively had hand hygiene facilities. However, overall facility readiness assessment scores for screening services were low with only 51 (34.2%) hospitals/clinics, 2 (3.2%) pharmacies and 2 (4.9%) laboratories achieving high enough scores to be adjudged ready for screening services., Conclusion: Overall facility readiness of the private health sector to provide screening services in Edo State was assessed to be low. The government and facility owners will need to ensure that screening services are improved in all facilities to help mitigate community spread of COVID-19., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© Darlington Ewaen Obaseki et al.)