The vast majority of Kenyans lack any form of health insurance. Thus, they find it difficult to raise money for health expenditure. As a result, studies elsewhere have shown an obvious disadvantage to uninsured individuals in terms of health care accorded to them when compared to patients with insurance. However, there is a scarcity of research in Kenya to evaluate whether lack of insurance affects the kind of health care they receive. The main objective of this study was to examine the prese...
ABSTRACT It is a recognized fact that most well defined population groups have their own typical pattern of inherited disorders. The genetic conditions most commonly found in Greek persons are the thalassaemias, glucose-6-dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency and, to a lesser extent, certain of the haemoglobinopathies. The clinical and socio-economic consequences of these disorders are significant. In the homozygous state, alpha-thalassaemia is incompatible with life, while thalassaemia major (ho...
ABSTRACT A comprehensive review of the origin of cowpea, (Vigna unquiculata) its place in the diet of the people of West Merion and in particular Nigeria, its nutritive value and the inherent anti-nutritional factors, together with the biological mechanisms affecting protein digestion is given. The search revealed that there are about 39 varieties of cowpea in circulation within West Africa, of which 4 with average protein content of 26.7 per cent) are major in the diet of the people. These a...
ABSTRACT Quality medical care at emergency departments(EDs) is an international mandate. In Kenya the services are mainly offered in the outpatient departments whose quality of care has not been evaluated. This study investigated quality of care at EDs of public hospital in Bungoma County by evaluating availability of infrastructure, equipment, supplies and personnel. The study assessed processes, protocols and outcomes of care at the EDs. A cross-sectional study design was employed, with a s...
ABSTRACT Background: Anaemia is a state in which the amount of red blood cells (RBCs) is insufficient to meet the body’s physiologic needs depending on age, gender and residential elevation. Blood transfusion may be indicated when there is anaemia. Blood for transfusion is obtained from a healthy person who gives consent for his/her blood to be drawn for the intention of transfusion. To ensure safe blood transfusion, adoption of stringent donor selection criteria is applied and potential b...
ABSTRACT Background: Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) are a heterogeneous group of clonal lymphoid tumours originating from lymphocytes. They constitute about 90% of an estimated 3-4% worldwide distribution of malignant lymphomas among various cancers. It is the commonest haematological malignancy and fifth most common cancer worldwide. Despite the continuous rise and associated deaths, research on non-Hodgkin lymphomas, and in particular the area of immunophenotypic spectrum is limited in Ghana....
ABSTRACT Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the stool antigen (SAT) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) serology tests for helicobacter pylori in dyspeptic patients in Nigeria, and determine their usefulness.
ABSTRACT Background: Maternal mortality is an enormous public health burden in developing countries of the world. Birth preparedness and emergency readiness is the process of planning for safe delivery and anticipating the actions needed in case of emergencies. When a woman is adequately prepared for normal childbirth and possible complications, she is more likely to access the skilled and prompt care she needs to protect her overall health and possibly save her life and that of her baby. Thi...
Abstract: Atherogenic cardiovascular risk assessment is important in the management of dyslipidaemia associated with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Generally, Castelli‟s Risk Index (CRI), Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP) and Atherogenic coefficient (AC) are becoming useful indices as risk predictors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We studied the importance of these indices in identifying at-risk HIV individuals receiving treatment. Eighty (80) HIV-patients comprising treatment (n=40) and ...