Effective, safe and proven vaccines would be the most effective strategy against the COVID-19 pandemic but have faced rollout challenges partly due to fear of potential side-effects. We assessed the prevalence, profiles, and predictors of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine side-effects in Tororo district of Eastern Uganda. We conducted telephone interviews with 2204 participants between October 2021 and January 2022. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to assess factors associated with Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine side-effects using Stata version 15.0. A total of 603/2204 (27.4%) of the participants experienced one or more side-effects (local, systemic, allergic, and other side-effects). Of these, 253/603 (42.0%) experienced local side-effects, 449/603 (74.5%) experienced systemic side-effects, 11/603 (1.8%) experienced allergic reactions, and 166/603 (27.5%) experienced other side-effects. Ten participants declined to receive the second dose because of side-effects they had experienced after the first dose. Previous infection with COVID-19 (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 4.3, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 2.7–7.0), being female (AOR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1–1.6) and being a security officer (AOR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2–0.6) were associated with side-effects to the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. We recommend campaigns to disseminate correct information about potential side-effects of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and strengthen surveillance for adverse events following vaccination.

Over 250 million infants in low and middle-income countries do not fulfill their neurodevelopment potential. In this study, we assessed the incidence and risk factors for neurodevelopmental delay (NDD) among children born following obstructed labor in Eastern Uganda. Between October 2021 and April 2022, we conducted a cohort study of 155 children (aged 25 to 44 months), born at term and assessed their neurodevelopment using the Malawi Developmental Assessment Tool. We assessed the gross motor, fine motor, language and social domains of neurodevelopment. The incidence of neurodevelopmental delay by 25 to 44 months was 67.7% (105/155) (95% CI: 59.8–75.0). Children belonging to the poorest wealth quintile had 83% higher risk of NDD compared to children belonging to the richest quintile (ARR (Adjusted Risk Ratio): 1.83; 95% CI (Confidence Interval): [1.13, 2.94]). Children fed the recommended meal diversity had 25% lower risk of neurodevelopmental delay compared to children who did not (ARR: 0.75; 95% CI: [0.60, 0.94]). Children who were exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months had 27% lower risk of neurodevelopmental delay compared to children who were not (ARR: 0.73; 95% CI: [0.56, 0.96]). We recommend that infants born following obstructed labor undergo neurodevelopmental delay screening.

Background: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is an autosomal recessive blood disorder resulting from a specific point mutation in the β-globin gene. Over half a million children are born with sickle cell anemia annually. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) velocity is an accurate predictor of the risk of stroke among children with sickle cell anemia. Unfortunately, TCD screening is not routinely done in developing countries due to limited resources. There is a need to develop a model that predicts elevated TCD velocity, utilizing routinely collected data to guide management of children with sickle cell anemia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study from 1 ^st July 2024–30 ^th August 2024 among children with SCA attending the Sickle Cell Clinic. We developed a risk-prediction model for elevated TCD (≥ 170 cm/s) using sociodemographic, hematological, and clinical factors. We used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalized regression to select the best subset of predictors of increased TCD velocity. Model performance was assessed by determining the discrimination using the area under the curve and calibration by drawing a calibration plot. Results: We enrolled 385 children; the mean age was 10.3 (SD 3.8) years. The prevalence of elevated TCD, defined as ≥170 cm/s was 8.3% (95% CI: 5.8, 11.5; n = 32/385). Using a lambda of 0.008, the final model had 12 predictors. The predictors included neuropathy, red blood cell count, heart rate, age, adherence to hydroxyurea, headache, hematocrit, serum lactate dehydrogenase, gender, malnutrition, blood transfusion, and neutrophils. The model predicted elevated TCD with an AUC of 84.7% (95%CI: 74.7, 90.8). Conclusion: We developed and validated a model to predict elevated TCD among children living with SCA in Uganda. Further exploration is needed to assess whether this model predicts stroke.