Improving access to diagnostics for schistosomiasis case management in oyo state, Nigeria

Improving access to diagnostics for schistosomiasis case management in oyo state, Nigeria: Barriers and opportunities

Van, G.Y. (TU Delft Design for Sustainability)
Onasanya, A.A. (TU Delft Design for Sustainability)
van Engelen, J.M.L. (TU Delft Design for Sustainability; Rijksuniversiteit Groningen)
Oladepo, Oladimeji (University of Ibadan, Ibadan)
Diehl, J.C. (TU Delft Design for Sustainability)

2020

Schistosomiasis is one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases that affects over 200 million people worldwide, of which 29million people in Nigeria. The principal strategy for schistosomiasis in Nigeria is a control and elimination program which comprises a school-based Mass Drug Administration (MDA)with limitations of high re-infection rates and the exclusion of high-risk populations. TheWorld Health Organization (WHO) recommends guided case management of schistosomiasis (diagnostic tests or symptom-based detection plus treatment) at the Primary Health Care (PHC) level to ensure more comprehensive morbidity control. However, these require experienced personnel with sufficient knowledge of symptoms and functioning laboratory equipment. Little is known aboutwhere, bywhom and how diagnosis is performed at health facilities within the case management of schistosomiasis in Nigeria. Furthermore, there is a paucity of information on patients' health-seeking behaviour from the onset of disease symptoms until a cure is obtained. In this study, we describe both perspectives in Oyo state, Nigeria and address the barriers using adapted health-seeking stages and access framework. The opportunities for improving case management were identified, such as a prevalence study of high-risk groups, community education and screening, enhancing diagnostic capacity at the PHC through point-of-care diagnostics and strengthening the capability of health workers.

Access to healthcare
Barriers to diagnostics
Case management
End-user perspectives
Neglected tropical diseases
Nigeria
Schistosomiasis

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:14c1cfe2-bae3-474f-8168-ea590cb6240d

https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics10050328

Diagnostics, 10 (5)

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2020 G.Y. Van, A.A. Onasanya, J.M.L. van Engelen, Oladimeji Oladepo, J.C. Diehl