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. 2024 Nov 14:69:1607731.
doi: 10.3389/ijph.2024.1607731. eCollection 2024.

Diagnostic Capacity for Fungal Infections in Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria and Ghana - An Onsite Baseline Audit of 9 Sites

Damilola Akinlawon  1 , Iriagbonse Osaigbovo  2 , Mohammed Yahaya  3 , Olufunmilola Makanjuola  4 , Ubong A Udoh  5 , Philip Nwajiobi-Princewill  6 , Ifeyinwa Nwafia  7 , Jonah Peter  8 , Isabella Asamoah  9 , Folake Peters  10 , Obiora Okafor  11 , Tochi Okwor  11 , Akin Osibogun  12 , Folashade Ogunsola  13 , Alexander Jordan  14 , Tom Chiller  14 , Rita Oladele  13
Affiliations

Diagnostic Capacity for Fungal Infections in Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria and Ghana - An Onsite Baseline Audit of 9 Sites

Damilola Akinlawon et al. Int J Public Health. .

Abstract

Objectives: To assess diagnostic mycology capacity and available fungal diagnostic services of microbiology laboratories in eight tertiary hospitals in Nigeria and one in Ghana.

Methods: On-site audits were performed in the microbiology laboratories of nine tertiary hospitals using a structured observation checklist.

Results: A total of nine tertiary hospitals' laboratories in Nigeria and Ghana were assessed between June 2022 and December 2023. The majority of audited laboratories lacked basic infrastructure and materials needed for fungal diagnostic testing, with less than half of the labs having a dedicated mycology bench, space or room, 3/9 (33.3%), appropriate bench workflow 1/9 (11.1%), functional biosafety cabinet type two 2/9 (22.2%), dedicated incubators 3/9 (33.3%), standard operating procedures 1/9 (11.1%), mycology atlases 2/9 (22.2%). Trained laboratory personnel for mycology were also lacking with only one of the laboratories 1/9 (11.1%) observed to have a designated trained personnel for the mycology bench.

Conclusion: The audit revealed deficits in basic infrastructure, material resources, dedicated human resources, and laboratory capacity to detect serious fungal infections.

Keywords: diagnosis; fungal infections; laboratory audit; resource limited setting; tertiary hospital.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was sponsored by a grant from the Mycotic Diseases Branch (MDB) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the Grant Award NU51CK000312 awarded under CK21-2106 Global Fungal Disease Surveillance and Capacity.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Distribution of sites in Nigeria and Ghana (Nigeria, Ghana, 2024).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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