Treating Kaposi sarcoma (KS) in children, adolescents, and young adults (AYA) remains a challenge in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where chemotherapy options and availability are limited. We describe a retrospective cohort review of pediatric patients with KS treated with paclitaxel in Mbeya, Tanzania, between 1 March 2011 and 31 December 2019. Paclitaxel was given to patients who had KS relapse, a contraindication to bleomycin, vincristine, and doxorubicin (ABV), special circumstances in which a clinician determined that paclitaxel was preferable to ABV, or experienced treatment failure, defined as persistent KS symptoms at the completion of treatment. All patients also received multidisciplinary palliative care. Seventeen patients aged 5.1–21.3 years received paclitaxel, of whom 47.1% (8/17) had treatment failure, 29.4% (5/17) received paclitaxel as initial treatment, and 23.5% (4/17) had relapsed. All HIV positive patients (16/17) were given anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and 87.5% (14/16) achieved viral load <1000 cp/mL. At censure, 82.3% (14/17) of patients were alive—71.4% (10/14) achieved complete clinical remission and 28.6% (4/14) achieved a partial response. The median follow up was 37.3 months (range 8.0–83.5, IQR 19.7–41.6), and no patients were lost to follow up. In this cohort, high rates of long-term survival and favorable outcomes were possible with paclitaxel treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Postnatal care (PNC) are critical for the health and survival of the mother and the newborn. The timing of the first postnatal checkup is crucial for the early identification and treatment of complications. Late or zero attendance of postnatal checkups negatively influence the health of the mother and the newborn. The study purpose is to determine the prevalence and factors associated with early postnatal care utilization among women of reproductive age (WRA) in Tanzania. METHODS: this is an analytical cross-sectional study, using Tanzania demographic health survey data for 2015/16. Women of reproductive age (15-49 years) who gave birth 5 years prior the survey were analyzed. Data analysis was performed using Stata software Version 15. The Poisson regression analysis was used to assess factors associated with early PNC. RESULTS: the prevalence of early PNC utilization in Tanzania was 36%. The identified determinants for early PNC were geographical zone, place of residence, access to media, place of delivery and mode of delivery. The prevalence of early PNC was higher among mothers with access to media, with caesarian delivery and to those with facility delivery. The prevalence was low among mothers who lived in rural areas, from south west and lake zones. CONCLUSION: the coverage of early PNC was found to be low in Tanzania. Interventions informed by the identified factors need to be designed and implemented to improve the coverage of early PNC.