Journal of Medical and Biomedical Sciences

Batch-To-Batch consistency in the quality attributes of a Phyto-Pharmaceutical Ma001 used to treat Typhoid in Ghana

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In pharmaceutical manufacturing, products are made using standard operating procedures which are specific for each product. As a result, it is expected that, any number of batches of the same product selected at random for evaluation should either have the same results for all tested criteria or the difference between them should be within the acceptable limits. Batch-to-batch consistency study of herbal products is an important quality control parameter for assessing their reproducibility, efficacy and safety profile. This study sought to assess the batch-to-batch consistency of MA001, a herbal product using parameters such as colour, odour, taste, pH and total solid residue. Other assays conducted on the products included UV spectrometry and HPLC fingerprinting. Elemental analysis of the three batches of MA001 were selected for the study. The results from this study showed that, the products from the different batches had the same physico-chemical parameters as specified by the manufacturer. Ultimately, the sampled batches passed the batch-to-batch consistency test, hence, the reproducibility, efficacy and safety of MA001 decoction is assured.

Determinants of job satisfaction of nurses and midwives within health facilities in the Bole district of the Savannah Region of Northern Ghana

J. N-E. Datuah, E. Abasimi, G. A. Aninanya — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Job satisfaction is one of the most important determinants of quality healthcare delivery. However, low job satisfaction is a common phenomenon among nurses and midwives and affects the quality of service rendered to clients in Ghana. This study sought to identify the factors that influence job satisfaction in health facilities in the Bole district. A descriptive cross-sectional study with multistage sampling techniques was employed to select 122 nurses and 34 midwives participants for the study. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the factors that influenced participants’ job satisfaction. The majority (83%) of the respondents found achievement of set goal as a major intrinsic factor influencing their job satisfaction and more than half (60%) of the participants reported that job duties/responsibilities have the highest influence on their job satisfaction. Again, 54% identified recognition as an intrinsic factor that influenced their job satisfaction. Furthermore, the majority (57.4%) of the participants found interpersonal relationships, and (43%) found study leave policy as extrinsic factors that determined their job satisfaction. In conclusion, determinants of job satisfaction identified were achievement of set goals, job duties, recognition, interpersonal relationship, staffing and study leave policy. To boost nurses’ and midwives’ job satisfaction, emphasis should be placed on intrinsic factors and complement it with reward and fringe benefits.

Factors associated with default in TB treatment outcomes in the Bole District of Ghana: A cross-sectional study

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Tuberculosis (TB) is of great public health concern affecting one-third of the world’s population regardless of all the interventions put in place to control it. Non-adherence to TB treatment is a major barrier to effective TB control because incomplete treatment may lead to antibiotic resistance, which has the effect of keeping patients infectious for a longer period, relapsing, and dying as a result. The aim of this study was to determine the factors that affect default in TB treatment in the Bole District in the Savannah Region of Ghana. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 95 TB patients in Bole District Health TB Center, Savannah Region, Ghana from January to December 2014. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the study
participants to evaluate the patient and health-related factors associated with default in TB treatment. Default in TB treatment was defined as any interruption of treatment for at least 2 months following treatment initiation. Data analysis was done using SPSS (Version 20). For the determination of factors associated with default, binary logistic regression was used and p<0.05
was considered statistically significant. The default rate was 21%; while patient-related factors such as age (aOR [95%CI] 7.61 [1.85 – 31.40], p = 0.005), sex (aOR [95%CI], 4.39 [1.10 – 17.62], p = 0.037) and experiencing side effects from the drug (aOR [95%CI], 8.51 [2.17 – 33.36], p=0.002), and health systems related factors of not given enough information about TB on diagnosis (aOR [95%CI], 7.22 [1.40 – 37.27], p = 0.018) predicted default in treatment. Avoidance, backbiting, and isolation by family and community members were some of the negative attitudes that caused TB patients to default in treatment. In conclusion, treatment of TB among patients in the district is largely influenced by age, sex, side effect of drug, and whether patients have enough information about TB on diagnosis. To curb default in TB treatment enough education must be given on TB diagnosis and the focus must be on females and older ones.