Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programme in Nigeria: Overview and Emerging Issues

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Although universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) program is indispensable to improving the health level of newborns, two thirds of the people with simple to extreme hearing impairment live in developing nations including Nigeria. Thus, surveying the current UNHS practices in Nigeria is considered imperative to discern the existing UNHS model and identify the existing issues and challenges facing UNHS implementation in the country. Based on the comprehensive review of reports, published research, and other relevant materials, this paper presented a logic-based and empirically-based conceptual discussion regarding the existing UNHS model in Nigeria. The findings of this research indicate that implementation of the UNHS in Nigeria is still at low ebb. The little success recorded in the implementation of UNHS is mostly noticeable in Lagos, South-western Nigeria. There are however problems and challenges, which include deficiency of the screening equipment and inadequate facilities for training the manpower, hindering the implementation of the program in Nigeria. Although there is no problem that is unsurmountable, some of the ways-out of these problems and issues include: recruitment of more hands to handle the screening, creation of awareness using both print and electronic media to sensitize the parents on the importance of UNHS, and creation of awareness to the expectant mothers by the health providers during the pre- natal periods. Also, government should create more screening centers which should be well-equipped. There should also be periodic seminars and workshops to update the knowledge of the concerned health workers caregivers. In addition, literature review conducted in this paper revealed that there is dearth of research on UNHS in the context of Nigeria. Therefore, future researchers should direct their focus towards UNHS research field as this will expand the scope of the existing body of knowledge.

Kaedah Pencegahan untuk Mengurangkan Kesan Banjir di Hospital Kerajaan

Noor Ain Yusoff, Haryati Shafii, Roshartini Omar, Mohd Reduan Buyung — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Bencana banjir telah memberikan kesan yang ketara terhadap perkhidmatan hospital. Kejadian banjir yang berlaku di Kelantan misalnya telah menyebabkan pengoperasian harian hospital terjejas teruk akibat di masuki air dan kekurangan kemudahan yang lain. Justeru, kajian bagi memastikan kaedah pencegahan terbaik diperlukan untuk mengurangkan kesan banjir di hospital kerajaan. Dalam kajian ini, kaedah pencegahan yang terbaik dilihat melalui kaedah bukan struktur. Kaedah bukan struktur tidak melibatkan pembinaan fizikal, tetapi memfokus kepada pengetahuan, sikap dan amalan untuk mengurangkan risiko dan kesan, khususnya melalui peningkatan kesedaran awam, latihan dan pendidikan. Pengukuran tahap pengetahuan, sikap dan amalan responden dalam menghadapi risiko bencana banjir adalah menggunakan elemen pengangkutan dan komunikasi. 172 responden dalam kalangan pihak pengurusan sokongan hospital yang terlibat dalam pengurusan pesakit semasa banjir telah menjawab borang soal selidik (kuantitatif) yang diedarkan kepada tiga buah hospital di negeri Kelantan. Penemuan bagi kajian ini mendapati, pengetahuan terhadap Radio Amatur dan tanda T perlu diberi pendedahan kepada kakitangan sokongan hospital. Selain itu, latihan komunikasi dan penggunaan nama panggilan call sign perlu dipertingkatkan lagi dalam kalangan kakitangan sokongan untuk persiapan banjir pada masa akan datang. Pendedahan dan latihan yang telah dinyatakan perlu dilakukan supaya dapat mengurangkan risiko bencana banjir di hospital kerajaan.

The floods have a significant impact on hospital services. The floods in Kelantan for example, has resulted in the daily operation of the hospital were badly affected by the water entering and lack of other facilities. Thus, the study to ensure that the best prevention methods are needed to reduce the impact of flooding in government hospitals. In this study, the best method of prevention is seen through non-structural methods. Non-structural methods do not involve physical construction, but focus on knowledge, attitudes and practices to minimize risks and effects, particularly through increased public awareness, training and education. Measurement of knowledge, attitude and practice level of respondents in the face of flood disaster risk is using transportation and communication elements. 172 respondents among the hospital support management involved in managing patients during the floods have answered a questionnaire (quantitative) which was distributed to three hospitals in Kelantan state. The findings of this study found that knowledge of Amateur Radio and sign T should be given to the hospital support staff. In addition, communication training and the use of nicknames call sign should be enhanced among support staff in preparation for flooding in the future. The disclosure and training have to be done to reduce the risk of flood disaster at government hospitals.

Journal of Advanced Research in Social and Behavioural Sciences

Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programme in Nigeria: Overview and Emerging Issues

Kaedah Pencegahan untuk Mengurangkan Kesan Banjir di Hospital Kerajaan