Articles

A Comparative Review of Spine Surgeries in Two New Neurosurgery Centres in an Urban and Rural Environment in Southeast Nigeria

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Background: The Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH) located in a rural setting commenced neurosurgical services in January 2016 with a spine procedure as the first case whereas the Imo State Specialist Hospital (IMSSH) located in an urban setting commenced neurosurgical services in April 2021 and spine procedures in August 2021. The presentation of surgically managed spine pathologies in both hospitals were compared.

Aims: The study aimed to descriptively compare the number of spine procedures performed in both hospitals including the age and gender distribution of the surgically managed spine patients, the spine pathologies and their distribution.

Methods: The surgical records of all spine patients who had surgical procedures at IMSUTH, Orlu, from January 2016 to May 2020 (42 months), and at IMSSH, Owerri, from August 2021 to July 2024 (36 months) were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: During the study periods, in IMSUTH, Orlu, there were 27 spine surgeries, giving an average of 1 spine procedure in 2 months whereas in IMSSH, Owerri, there were 157 spine surgeries giving an average of 4 spine surgeries per month. Interestingly the distribution of spine procedures revealed that the highest frequency of spine surgeries was performed in the lumbar spine (n=7, 26% in IMSUTH; n=43, 27.3% in IMSSH) followed by lumbosacral spine (n=6, 22.2% in IMSUTH; n=42, 26.8% in IMSSH) in both hospitals. And quite interesting also is that trauma (n=15, 55.6%) accounted for the highest number of spine surgeries in the rural environment of IMSUTH, Orlu, while degenerative spine diseases (n=113, 71.9%) accounted for the highest number of spine surgeries in the urban environment of IMSSH, Owerri.

Conclusion: The study revealed that spine pathologies are not uncommon in resource poor settings especially in the urban environment. There is a male preponderance for spine surgeries. Lumbar/lumbosacral spine pathologies are common in our resource poor settings but trauma related spine pathologies are more common factors for spine surgeries in rural settings.  There is need to improve access to spine care in the rural environments.

A 3 Year Review of Spine Surgeries in a New Neurosurgery Centre in an Urban Specialist Health Facility in Southeast Nigeria

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Background: The Imo State Specialist Hospital (IMSSH) commenced neurosurgical services in April 2021 and spine procedures in August 2021. This is an audit of spine pathologies surgically managed in the hospital in her first 3 years since spine surgeries were commenced.

Aims: The study aims to look at the pattern of spinal pathologies surgically managed in the hospital from the commencement of spine services, including their age and sex distribution, the pathologies and their spinal distribution.

Methods: Neurosurgery operating room records were utilized to retrieve the case files of all spine patients who had surgical operations at IMSSH from August 2021 to July 2024 (36 months), and these were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: One hundred and fifty-seven (157) spine patients had surgical operations during the study period (an average of 4 spine surgeries per month). The mean age of patients was 54±16.03 years with a male-to-female ratio of 1.7:1. The mean age for male patients was 53±17.18 years while that of female patients was 55±14.05 years. The peak age range at presentation was in the elderly age group, 60 – 79 years (n=68, 43.3%), followed by the middle age group, 40 – 59 years (n=58, 36.9%). The highest frequency of spine surgeries was performed in the lumbar (n=43, 27.3%), lumbosacral (n=42, 26.8%) and cervical spines (n=42, 26.8%) almost in equal proportion. This was followed by thoracolumbar junction (n=13, 8.3%) and thoracic spine (n=8, 5.1%), while cervicothoracic junction, sacral and lumbosacropelvic accounted for 1.9% (n=3) each. Degenerative spine diseases (71.9%) accounted for the highest number of spine surgeries, followed by spinal trauma (19.7%) and spinal tumours (3.9%).

Conclusion: The study showed a male preponderance for spinal pathologies surgically managed in the hospital, and most of the pathologies were due to degenerative spine diseases. It also highlights the fact that spine pathologies are not rare in our environment, and more doctors should be encouraged to become spine surgeons to help in tackling these pathologies in our environment.

Political Turbulence and its Impact on Foreign Direct Investment Inflows in some selected African countries

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This work examined the political turbulence and its impact on Foreign Direct Investment inflow on some selected African countries; Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. The aim is to determine how the political climate in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa affects the inflow of foreign direct investment. The modified Cobb Douglass model was the theoretical underpinning of the study since growth in FDI is likened to output and the factors that lead to growth are the investment climate variables. Using the panel ARDL model analysis, the following findings were made: Political investment climate variable (PSI) had significant positive effect on the inflow of foreign direct investment in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. The result showed that Political investment climate variables (political stability and corruption index) exerted significant negative effects on the inflow of foreign direct investment into Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. It was recommended that; Efforts should be made by the governments of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa to enhance their economic fortunes by strengthening their economy through prioritizing political stability and addressing underlying causes of political unrest, corruption, weak institution and political social inequality. As well as engaging in massive production for exports which will boost economic growth and attract more foreign direct investment.

 

Perceptive Influence of Purchasing Motor Vehicle Insurance Policy from Non-regulated Firms on the Performance of Insurance Industry in Nigeria: A Customer-Based Sentiment Analysis

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This study examined Customers’ perception on the influence of purchasing motor vehicle insurance policy from non-regulated firms on the performance of insurance industry in Nigeria. Specifically, the influence of purchasing fake insurance policy and non-renewal of expired policy bought from the regulated insurance firms on the performance of insurance industry in Nigeria were accessed.  Primary data collected through the use of structured questionnaire from 92 vehicle owners in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, that were selected through convenience sampling technique, was used in the study. Sentiment analysis was applied as the method of data analysis in the study. The result of the analysis indicated a neutral sentiment level of the respondents to both the influence of purchasing fake motor vehicle insurance policy and impact of non-renewal of expired motor vehicle insurance policy bought from regulated insurance firms on the performance of insurance industry in Nigeria. These findings implied a neutral perception of the effect of purchasing motor vehicle insurance policy from non-regulated insurance firms on the performance of insurance industry in Nigeria by the motor vehicle owners. The neutral perception found explains the below expectation performance of the insurance industry in Nigeria due to poor patronage. To enhance public perception in the insurance industry in Nigeria, targeted product features and benefits awareness campaigns as well as payment of genuine claims to deepen public trust in the industry were recommended.

Determination of Physico-Chemical Parameters of St. Nicholas River, Bayelsa State, Niger Delta, Nigeria

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The Physicochemical parameters of St. Nicholas River were determined from October, 2020 to September, 2021. Three sampling stations were identified and used throughout the duration of the studies. They were Meinmokiri, Ebierewo-bugo and Egeinkiri sampling stations. The physicochemical parameters were measured in situ with Mercury in Glass Thermometer for Temperature, Hand held Digital Salinometer for  (Model AR8012) for Salinity, pH meter (Model PH-009(1)) for pH, Digital conductivity tester (Model AR8011) for Conductivity, TDS meter (Model AR8012) for Total Dissolved Solid, Digital Water Velocity meter (Model PF LV550) for Water Velocity, Secchi Disk for Transparency, Digital Depth Founder (Model SD-5) for Water Depth and Dissolved Oxygen Meter (Model OM-51-10) for Dissolved Oxygen. The mean values of the Physicochemical parameters of water at the three sampling stations are temperature; 29.98±0.550C, Dissolved Oxygen DO; 11.89±0.33mg/L, Biochemical Oxygen Demand BOD; 2.06±0.26 mg/L, Salinity; 16.80±2.06 PPT, Conductivity; 27.54±3.03µS/cm, Total Dissolved Solids TDS; 9.44±0.50mg/L, pH; 7.41±0.14, Water Depth; 0.58±0.06m, Transparency; 27.27±0.03cm and Water Velocity; 54.79±5.71m3/s. These physicochemical parameters values are comparable with other water bodies in the Niger Delta indicating contaminated waters. The contamination was caused by anthropogenic activities in terms of parameters assessed, therefore mitigation should be put in place for biodiversity conservation and sustainability of the ecosystem.

Measurement of Background Ionizing Radiation in Kogi State, Nigeria

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Radiation is said to be energy that is in motion and manifests itself everywhere we look in the form of waves or particles which can either useful or dangerous. Since radiation has always existed in the environment since the earth’s origin, daily exposure to varied levels of ionizing radiation is inevitable for humans. Therefore, environmental radioactivity measurements are crucial for measuring the background radiation level caused by naturally occurring radioactive sources with terrestrial and cosmic origins because of these effects on living beings. The aim of this paper is to measure and record the background radiation of various locations evenly distributed across the twenty-one (21) local government areas of Kogi State and use the measured value to produce a reliable and easily accessible background radiation contour map for Kogi State using ArcGIS 10.3. Using a portable RDS-31 Multi-survey meter, the dose rate of background ionizing radiation (BIR) was measured in μSv/hr and the result shows that Ankpa LGA has the lowest mean readings of 0.096 μSv/hr and 0.1682 mSv/yr for the annual equivalent dose rates. Yagba East had the highest mean reading of 0.2300μSv/hr and highest annual equivalent dose rates of 0.4030mSv/yr. The result shows that eventhough the AEDE are greater than the 0.07mSv/yr global average value, however they are all below the ICRP’s recommended permitted limits of 1.00mSv/yr. This demonstrates that there are no immediate radiological health effects on the general people as a result of BIR exposure in the examined locations. It is recommended that the various human activities that raise BIR levels in the regions should be reduced and that activity concentrations of natural radionuclides and BIR levels in the state be periodically assessed.