Abstract: BACKGROUND: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a major healthcare challenge globally. While Sub-saharan Africa (SSA) is crippled with epidemics of various communicable diseases, NCDs are emerging as a major contributor to hospital admission and poor outcome. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the contribution of NCDs to the overall admission pattern and outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study carried out at the internal medicine department of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi. The following were extracted from the patients’ case files: demographic data, admitting diagnosis, comorbid conditions, length of hospital stays and outcome. RESULTS: During the 1 year study, 501 patients were admitted, comprising 200 females and 301 males. The mean age of males was 47.28 ± 19.7 years. Infectious and/or parasitic diseases have the highest number of admissions ( n = 147, 29.3%), followed by circulatory (26.3%) and genitourinary (13.7%). However, the combined frequency of circulatory, genitourinary and gastrointestinal diseases was higher than infectious/parasitic diseases. Therefore, NCD constitute 64.6% while communicable diseases constitute 35.4% of total patients admitted. During the study, 81.6% of the patients were discharged after significant improvement, and 72 died, giving a mortality of 14.4%. NCDs were responsible for 67% of the total mortality. Primary Liver Cell Cancer, Hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar states, sepsis, Chronic Kidney Disease and malaria have the highest case fatality rates. CONCLUSION: Admission due to NCDs is increasing in SSA, likewise the mortality associated with it. Measures aimed at reducing behavioural risk factors are necessary to control it.
Abdu et al. (Tue,) studied this question.