Several challenges relating to the diagnosis and treatment of malaria led to the World Health Organization's (WHO) new initiative of Test, Treat and Track (T3). This study assessed adherence to the National Policy on Malaria T3 by workers in public and private hospitals in Abuja in North central Nigeria. This descriptive comparative cross-sectional study was carried out among 380 health care workers (HCW) selected using multi-stage sampling techniques. Of the 380 HCW, 206 (54.2%) and 174 (45.8%) were from the public and private health facilities respectively. Research instrument used were semi structure, self-administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using the SPSS software version 17 .0. Sixty eight percent (140/206) of respondents from public facilities were aware of the malaria T3 policy compared to 49.4% (86/174) from the private facilities (p<0.05). In addition, 33.0% (68/206) and 29.9% (52/174) of HCW in the public and private health facilities respectively had been trained on the policy. Mean composite knowledge score of T3 policy was 23.8% for public and 27.0% for private health facilities. Using mean adherence scores, 49.4% of public and 45.0% of private facilities had good adherence to the malaria T3; a null hypothesis of no difference in their level of adherence was rejected (p 0.066). Availability of national guidelines (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.200-4.000, p 0.01) and having been trained (OR 1.5, 95% CI 0.800-2.700, p 0.220) were predictors of adherence on logistic regression. Good awareness, poor knowledge and poor practice of adherence to malaria T3 policy was concluded, with knowledge and practice being more in the public than the private health facilities. The training gap underscores the need for in-depth training of health staff holistic implementation of the malaria T3 policy in Nigeria

Objective: To investigate the safety levels of hydromethanol leaf extract of Helianthus annuus Linn. (H. annuus) in rat. Methods: Acute oral toxicity test of hydromethanol leaf extract of H. annuus was conducted through up and down method at 2.00 g/kg dose limit in rats. The chronic toxicity study was conducted by administering different concentrations (0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 g/ kg) of hydromethanol extract of H. annuus in feed, for 90 consecutive days. On days 30, 60 and 90, blood samples were collected from the retro-orbital plexus of the rats for determination of serum biochemical parameters. Histopathological examination of the pancreas, livers, kidneys and testis were also conducted. Results: The LD50 of the hydromethanol extract of H. annuus was greater than 2.00 g/kg and it significantly (P < 0.05) reduced serum cholesterol. On days 60 and 90, the serum urea and creatinine levels of hydromethanol extract of H. annuus treated groups were elevated when compared with the control group. There were fibrosis in the kidneys and livers; degeneration and necrosis in the testis and significant dose-dependent increases in number and size of pancreatic islet of langerhans. Conclusions: The findings suggest that hydromethanol extract of H. annuus is tolerated in short term administration, but long term (up to 90 days) administration at high doses, may elicit hepatic, testicular and nephrotic disorder.