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Background: Task shifting, the balanced reallocation of tasks usually from a higher cadre to a lower cadre among the health workforce team, has been proposed as a possible solution to the serious shortage of human resource in the health sector is being experienced in many developing countries. This study aimed to assess the views and experiences of nurses on task shifting in family planning services in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria., Methodos: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 400 nurses with at least a year experience in providing family planning services at purposively selected tetiary, secondary and primary facilities in Ibadan was carried out using an intervieweradministered questionnaire. Chi-square test was used to determine association between categorical variables at 5% level of significance., Results: Mean age of the respondents was 41.1±8.7 years and 62% of the respondents were registered nurses/registered midwives. Although majority (91.5%) of the respondents were aware of the concept of task shifting, only 52.2% were willing to task shift family planning services to lower cadre staff and only 38.5% have actually task shifted family planning services to lower cadre staff. Age, educational status and awareness about task shifting were predictors of willingness to task shift family planning services., Conclusion: Older registered nurses or registered midwives who were aware of the concept of task shifting were more willing to task shift family planning services. Also, a combination of both awareness and willingness to task shift among married women enhances the practice of task shifting of family planning services., (© Association of Resident Doctors, UCH, Ibadan.)

Background: Schistosomiasis is a disease of public health importance with long term complications mostly common among children, rural dwellers, poor and migrant workers. Studies have not documented the burden among migrant workers and their families. The study aimed to describe the burden of schistosomiasis and demographic characteristics among children of migrant workers residing in a rehabilitation home in Ibadan, Nigeria., Methods: A cross-sectional study using sixty six children, who were tested following complaints of haematuria by six of them. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on demographic and environmental characteristics of the children and urine microscopy, was conducted. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and correlation. Statistical significance was set at 5%., Results: Mean age of respondents was 11.8 ± 4.0 years and 57.6% were males. The prevalence of schistosomiasis was 19.7% with preponderance among males (64.3%) and children aged 12 years and above (71.4%); 85.7% of infected children were from Kwara State; 78.6% waded in water body and 92.9% had red blood cells and pus cells on urine microscopy., Conclusions: The burden of schistosomiasis is high among children of migrant workers and they serve as reservoirs for transmission of the disease. Government needs to work synergistically with NGOs, FBOs and other partners to achieve schistosomiasis prevention and control among this particular group.