The relationships among nutritional status, infectious diseases and immune system suggest nutrition as a cofactor in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) progression. Poor nutritional status and HIV infection interact with each other leading to the development of opportunistic infections, malignancies, debilitation and death. Infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is characterized by progressive destruction of immune system. Malnutrition that is multifactorial is, therefore, one of the major complications of HIV infection that is poorly addressed in HIV intervention. Early nutritional intervention when individuals living with HIV show active weight loss is important in maximizing gain of lean body mass. Since malnutrition is the major complication of HIV infection, which results in wasting syndrome, it should be termed as a prognostic factor in advanced HIV infection though malnutrition is a result of not only HIV infection but also numerous HIV-associated complications. Studies have recommended clinical trials to evaluate prevalence of malnutrition among those living with HIV so as to examine the efficacy of supplementing with specific nutrients at various stages of HIV infection as well as combining therapeutic foods for treating malnutrition with antiretroviral treatment in children of HIV-positive mothers. Therefore, good nutrition guarantees excellent health in HIV infection.

Background: Waste management is the generation, prevention, characterization, monitoring, treatment, handling, reuse and residual disposition of social waste. The various methods of waste disposal include: recycling, composting, barging, burying, landfills method, incineration, and the use of mechanical destructors. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of house hold waste management among the respondents and the factors affecting their choice of method. Methodology: This was a cross sectional descriptive study. There were 270 respondents. The study was carried out among households in Anaocha LGA of Anambra state. The study made use of a semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Result: Majority had good knowledge of waste management and portrayed good attitude towards waste management practices. The commonest method of waste disposal practiced by the community was burning and majority practiced the various methods because the methods were convenient for them. Conclusion: The study showed that people, despite having good knowledge and attitude towards waste management still practiced wrong methods.

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Introduction: Family planning allows people to attain their desired number of children and determine the spacing of pregnancies. It is achieved through use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of infertility. The aim of this study was to determine various factors that influenced the uptake of modern family planning among women of reproductive age in Northern Nigeria. Methodology: The study used data obtained from Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2013. Factors considered were drawn from the dataset. Analysis was carried out using Stata version 12.1. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine relationship between various factors and use of modern family planning methods. Level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: The total number of participants in the study was 21, 037. The mean age of respondents was 29.0 ± 7.1 years. Only 5.3% of the participants were currently using modern family planning methods. The highest proportion of use was 14.3% in the Northcentral zone of Northern Nigeria, while the lowest was 2.38% in Northwest. Identified predictors of modern family planning use were: Having at least secondary education (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 3.3-4.4), being from the Northcentral (OR = 3.9, 95% CI: 3.4-4.5

Background: Diarrhea is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in low resource nations. To achieve the Sustainable Developmental Goal 3.2, effective steps should be taken to stem the tide of childhood diarrhea and its associated mortality. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of diarrhea and its associated risk factors in children aged 1-60 months presenting to our health facility. Materials and Methods: In the present retrospective study, we reviewed medical records of children aged 1-60 months with diarrhea admitted to the Children Emergency Room and Pediatric Medical Wards of the

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Background: Childhood malaria has remained a major public health burden. It severely affects children aged under-5 years, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Curbing the prevalence of malaria begins with determining the prevalence and related factors of the disease in the community. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and related factors of malaria in children at Aba, Southeast Nigeria. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, 275 case files of children admitted with malaria in the Department of Paediatrics of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2016, were analyzed. Results: During the study period, among the 440 overall admission, 275 children were diagnosed with malaria. The prevalence of malaria in our study was 62.5%. The male:female ratio was 1:1.2. We found, 234 (85.1%) children were <5 years of age, 23 (8.2%) belonged to the age group of 5-11 years, and 18 (6.7%) were aged between >11 and 16 years. The highest prevalence of malaria 40 (14.4%) occurred in September while the least 10 (3.6%) occurred in April. Around 247 (89.8%) patients were discharged home, 18 (6.5%) patients succumbed to death, and 6 (2.1%) patients were discharged against medical advice. Conclusion: The prevalence and mortality rates of malaria are high. To curb the trend of this disease, good environmental sanitation, prevention of the anophelene mosquito blood meal on humans, and early diagnosis and treatment of malaria should all be enhanced.

Blood is an essential component of paediatric care worldwide. Blood and blood products are scarce and expensive and may be associated with health hazards post-transfusion. This study aims at determining the prevalence, indications and associated factors of blood transfusion in children in an academic hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospectively review of all records of blood transfusions conducted at the Children's Emergency and Paediatrics wards of the State University Teaching Hospital, Southeast Nigeria; from 1 st January 2016 to 31 st December 2017. Results: The prevalence of blood transfusion was 7%. Total number of transfusions was 56. Male: female ratio was 0.8: 1. Median age of transfused children was 5 years (range 2 months to 12 years). Forty one (73.3%) of the transfused children were aged <3 years with 17 (30.4%) being less than 1 year. The most frequent indications for transfusion were severe malaria 36 (64.3%) and sepsis 12 (21.4%). Sedimented red blood cells, 50 (89.3%), was the most frequently transfused blood product while whole blood constituted 11.7%. Case fatality among the transfused children was 16%. Discussion: Blood transfusion rate of 7% is higher than most previous studies, with the most frequent indication being severe malaria. Sedimented red blood cells was the most frequently transfused blood product. Application of malaria control measures is still needed.