https://journalijtdh.com/index.php/IJTDH <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE &amp; Health (IJTDH) (ISSN: 2278 – 1005)</strong> aims to publish high quality papers (<a href="https://journalijtdh.com/index.php/IJTDH/general-guideline-for-authors">Click here for Types of paper</a>) in the areas of tropical medicine and public health research, reports on the efficacy of new drugs and methods of treatment, prevention and control methodologies, new testing methods and equipment. This is a quality controlled, peer-reviewed, open access INTERNATIONAL journal. IJTDH will not only publish traditional full research reports, including short communications, but also this journal will publish reports/articles on all stages of the research process like study protocols, pilot studies and pre-protocols. IJTDH is novelty attracting, open minded, peer-reviewed medical periodical, designed to serve as a perfectly new platform for both mainstream and new ground shaking works as long as they are technically correct and scientifically motivated. This journal has no connection with any society or association, related to Tropical medicine, disease or Public health and allied fields. This is an independent journal.</p> SCIENCEDOMAIN international en-US International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE & Health 2278-1005 https://journalijtdh.com/index.php/IJTDH/article/view/1776 <p><strong>Background:</strong> The goal of healthcare governance is to improve the health status of citizens. Health professionals in Rivers State demonstrated varying levels of awareness of government health programmes, with 63.6% reporting awareness overall.</p> <p><strong>Aim:</strong> This study evaluated health professionals’ awareness of government health programmes, associated challenges, and future directions for government health action during the last quarter of 2025.</p> <p><strong>Materials and Methods:</strong> A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among consenting health professionals using a questionnaire. The information obtained was collated and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 and presented in tables and graphs.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> A total of 893 health workers participated, comprising 429 (48.0%) males and 464 (52.0%) females, with a mean age of 35.73 ± 7.54 years. The participants included medical doctors (n = 228; 25.5%), nurses (n = 236; 26.4%), pharmacists (n = 109; 12.2%), medical laboratory scientists (n = 114; 12.8%), laboratory technologists (n = 133; 14.9%), and health administrators (n = 73; 8.2%). Overall, 568 (63.6%) were aware of government health programmes. Awareness was higher among medical doctors and nurses than among other professional groups, and the association was statistically significant (p &lt; 0.001). Although information was available, many participants were uncertain about programme-related challenges, and a substantial proportion did not provide opinions on the government’s future direction in health. The main information sources were the workplace (n = 270; 30.2%), roadside banners/posters (n = 205; 23.0%), and social media (n = 182; 20.4%).</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Participants expressed opinions on awareness, challenges, and future directions of government health programmes. These findings provide a resource that may inform improvements in health services in Rivers State.</p> Adaeze Chidinma Oreh Rex Friday Ogoronte Alderton Ijah Julienne Darlington-Nwoke Henshaw Iyeringerikoa Felix Biyama Vincent Wachukwu Copyright (c) 2026 Author(s). The licensee is the journal publisher. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 2026-09-08 2026-09-08 47 9 1 12 10.9734/ijtdh/2026/v47i81776 https://journalijtdh.com/index.php/IJTDH/article/view/1777 <p><strong>Background:</strong> <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> is known to severely compromise semen quality and sperm motility. The therapeutic challenge is compounded by the emergence of beta-lactamase-producing S. aureus strains, which confer resistance to first-line beta-lactam antibiotics, making effective treatment difficult and contributing to poor reproductive outcomes.</p> <p><strong>Aims: </strong>This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of <em>Staphylococcus</em> <em>aureus</em> producing beta-lactamase among males with fertility problems at Federal Teaching Hospital Owerri.</p> <p><strong>Study Design:</strong> The study was a prospective hospital-based cross-sectional study.</p> <p><strong>Place and Duration of Study:</strong> The study was conducted at the Fertility Clinic of Federal Teaching Hospital Owerri (FTHO) from May 2025 to October 2025.</p> <p><strong>Methodology:</strong> A total of 48 confirmed <em>Staphylococcus</em> <em>aureus</em> isolates were obtained from 125 positive semen cultures from males attending the fertility clinic at FTHO. The antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the isolates were determined using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, and <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> producing beta-lactamase was detected using the penicillin disc diffusion zone-edge test.</p> <p><strong>Results</strong>: Thirty-three (68.8%) of the <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> isolates were beta-lactamase producers. All 33 (100%) Staphylococcus aureus isolates producing beta-lactamase were resistant to penicillin but susceptible to Vancomycin. Twenty (60.6%) were susceptible to Levofloxacin and Ceftriaxone, while 10 (30.3%) were susceptible to Gentamycin and Imipenem.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Beta-lactamase positivity was high among the S. aureus isolates from these study participants. This finding reflects concerns about antimicrobial resistance and indicates the need for microbiological screening and susceptibility testing in this patient population to guide appropriate antibiotic therapy and reduce the risk of empirical treatment failure.</p> Ogborogu, Veronica C. Amah, Henry C. Ogborogu, Emmanuel U. Dike-Ndudim, J. N. Copyright (c) 2026 Author(s). The licensee is the journal publisher. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 2026-09-08 2026-09-08 47 9 13 19 10.9734/ijtdh/2026/v47i91777 https://journalijtdh.com/index.php/IJTDH/article/view/1778 <p>Diabetes is an important non-communicable disease (NCD) that is rapidly attracting the attention of the international medical community and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in both developing and developed countries. The study examined factors affecting blood glucose control among patients attending the diabetic clinic at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the factors affecting blood glucose control among patients attending the diabetic clinic at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 278 patients. Data were collected using a researcher-structured questionnaire comprising three sections with 13 closed-ended items. The data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics and inferential chi-square statistics to test hypotheses at a significance level of p&lt;0.05. The results showed a significant association between the mean age of ≥ 51 years and blood glucose control at a p-value ≤ 0.014. There was a significant association between respondents’ nutritional intake and patients’ blood glucose control. There was also a significant association between medication adherence and blood glucose control. It was observed that patients with a duration of illness of 7 years and above had uncontrolled blood glucose levels. In conclusion, there were significant associations between nutrition, medication, fluid intake, and blood glucose control, whereas educational level had no significant association with blood glucose control; however, a high educational level may be important for blood glucose control. Finally, it was recommended that the government should finance the treatment of diabetic patients by subsidising their medication, provide personal blood glucose monitoring kits, formulate and implement a policy statement on routine blood glucose monitoring for all, and create recreation centres to support exercise.</p> O. Okojie Agatha Ilebalumen Ojie-Okojie Jesuite Ehizuelen Godstime Ehis Okojie J. Philip Copyright (c) 2026 Author(s). The licensee is the journal publisher. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 2026-09-12 2026-09-12 47 9 20 32 10.9734/ijtdh/2026/v47i91778