Dr Aminu Aliyu Umar

PhD Student

Aminu obtained his medical degree (MBBS) from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria in 2011 and Master’s degree in public health (Distinction) from University of Dundee, Scotland in 2016. He has always had a special interest in maternal and child health right from medical student days during which he organized several community outreaches to the most rural areas of northern Nigeria, where burden of disease is highest, educating expectant mothers on the danger signs in pregnancy and when to seek help. After graduation, Aminu worked in a busy teaching hospital in the northeastern part of Nigeria, providing care to HIV infected pregnant women with the aim of preventing mother to child transmission of the disease. He was also involved in management of a secondary healthcare facility for 3 years providing care primarily to women before, during and after childbirth.

Aminu has conducted a feasibility study assessing feasibility of use of obstetric early warning chart in three purposefully selected hospitals in northern Nigeria. He conducted a cross-sectional survey reviewing secondary records, non-participant observations and performed key informant interviews among nurses, midwives and doctor.

Research

Aminu’s main interest is in early detection of features of clinical deterioration among sick pregnant women, women in labour, and those with complications in the puerperium (up to 42 days). A triage tool, the modified obstetric early warning chart (MEOWS chart), is a valuable screening tool for severe obstetric morbidity and has been shown to aid early recognition of clinical deterioration. Studies have shown that use of MEOWS chart lowers the prevalence of adverse obstetric outcomes. Following recommendation from the report of the triennial confidential enquiry into maternal and child health in the UK (CEMACH 2005), MEOWS was adopted by all UK hospitals and maternities. Aminu’s project aims to introduce and evaluate the use of MEOWS chart in hospitals providing comprehensive emergency obstetric care (CEmOC) in Nigeria.

Teaching

Aminu is involved in teaching and supervision of students in Diploma of Sexual and Reproductive Health at LSTM.

 

 

 

Selected publications

  • 1) Aminu Umar, Francis Muriithi, Charles Ameh and Matthews Mathai, Systematic review of literature on early warning systems for use in Obstetric population: review protocol, PROSPERO 2017.

    Aminu Umar, Kayleigh Stanbury, Peter Willats, Fiona Williams, Jennifer Watson, Relationship between Parent Report of Children’s Ability (PARCA-R) and the Bayley-III assessment of cognitive and Language Skills-Submitted