Impact of the COVID-19 facemask disposal on environment and perception of people of the Sultanate of Oman

Environmental concerns are increasing in and around us due to improper discharge of personal protective gear or equipment (PPEs) during the current pandemic with SARS-CoV-2.The residents of Salalah, under the Dhofar governorate of Oman,were hastening to take every possible measure to safeguard their health against the COVID-19 pandemic. In this scenario, improper discard of facemasks in the environment entails a significant problem forpublic health and aquatic environments. Objective:This study aimsto assess how the SARS-CoV-2 virus disrupted the household waste management chainin the Sultanate of Oman. In addition, descriptivesurvey has also identified people's perception about the existing household waste management system. Methods:Total 200 respondents were personally selected under the purposive sampling category. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. The mean, standard deviation, and distribution shapewere calculated based on the retrieved data. The variables and frequencies were tabulated for categorical variables. Results show negative impacts on the environment, wildlife, and public health. It was also observed that there was a significant difference when grouped according to residence location since the obtainedalso observed a significant difference when grouped according to residence location since thep-value of 0.007 was less than 0.05 alpha level. This means that the responses differ significantly. It shows from the test conducted that participantsfrom the village experienced and observed a negative impact on the discarded face masks comparedto those in the city.Conclusion and recommendation: This study illustrates the real impact of the COVID-19 facemasks on the environment, wildlife, and public health. In addition, the new management of the user's facemasks for eliminating or reducing the risks to human health and the environmenthas been suggested. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2022; 36(2):000-000]

Survey of the Reasons for Dental Extraction in Eastern Nigeria

Background: Extraction of teeth is the commonest surgical procedure carried out in the dental surgery setting. Aim: The purpose of this survey was to identify the causes of teeth extraction in Eastern Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: Record forms for entering data and a self-addressed return envelope were distributed to 100 dental surgeons in Eastern Nigeria using a simple random selection. Results: Seventy-one (71; 71/100) dentists responded to the request and the total extractions carried out were 3998. There were 1508 (37.7) extractions in males and 2490 (62.3) in females with male-to-female extraction ratio of 1:1.7. In both male and female gender; there were more teeth extractions between the ages of 11 and 30 years. Extractions were recorded more in the lower social class (47.6;1903/3998). There were more extractions in the permanent (85.0; 3398/3998) than deciduous (15.0; 600/3998). The commonest reasons for teeth extraction were caries (55.2; 2208/3998). Conclusion: The result of this study shows that dental caries is the commonest reason for tooth extraction in Eastern Nigeria. It is hoped that the study will facilitate the development of treatment and preventive procedures relevant to the problems observed in this part of Nigeria; thus minimizing the loss of teeth and its expected adverse consequences

Primary Health Eye Care Knowledge among General Practitioners Working in the Cape Town Metropole

The main purpose of this study was to determine whether general practitioners (GPs) in the Cape Town metropole have sufficient knowledge to diagnose and treat primary care ophthalmic conditions correctly; and to assess their own perceptions of their levels of knowledge. Secondary objectives included identifying the need for courses to improve the ophthalmic knowledge of GPs and assessing whether there is a need to revise the undergraduate curriculum in ophthalmology in general.Method: A cross-sectional survey was done. A questionnaire of 10 primary care level ophthalmology questions; including a self-assessment section; was sent to each of 140 randomly chosen GPs in Cape Town.Results: A response rate of 79.2). The mean test score was 52.5 (standard deviation [SD]: 22.2). The mean self-rating was 51.9 (SD: 14.5). There was no statistically significant difference between the test score and the self-rating score (p = 0.5840). Responding GPs felt that there is a need for ophthalmology up-skilling courses and 99.9 of them would attend such courses. Also; 82 of GPs felt that primary care doctors; not optometrists; should deliver primary eye care. Conclusion: GPs appear to lack sufficient knowledge to manage primary health eye care problems; presumably due to a lack of adequate training in the field. Clinical up-skilling courses are needed to improve core knowledge in ophthalmology

Provision of Psychosocial Support for Young people Living with HIV: Voices from the Field

This review provides a synthesis of the experiences of organisations providing psychosocial support for young people living with HIV (YPLHIV) from throughout the world. Little research exists on psychosocial support for YPLHIV; with many providers uncertain about how to address their complex needs. Eighty-six organisations were sent a survey containing 15 semi-structured; open-ended questions. Sixty-eight organisations from the United States; Europe; Africa; Asia; Latin America and the Middle East responded. The survey asked what challenges the organisation's patient group face; what the organisational aims are; how; where and by whom psychosocial support is delivered; what types of psychosocial support have been effective and which have not; and what recommendations the organisation has for service provision and policy.Data were stratified by age of population; region of the world and whether youth were infected at birth or in adolescence. The problems and needs across groups were more consistent than disparate. Adherence to medication; disclosure of HIV status; issues relating to sex and lack of support networks are problems faced by all YPLHIV. Most organisations use a multi-disciplinary team of individuals to meet these needs; with particular emphasis on individual and group therapy; educational support; and skills-building programmes. The review stresses the importance of youth-centered and youth-led approaches that engage young people in the planning; implementation and evaluation of programmes. Organisations underlined the need for increased funding; capacity building and trained staff. They suggest that policy makers put more effort into understanding the distinctiveness of adolescence; particularly in the context of HIV; andchallenge them to make longer-term commitments to funding and programme support. In order for organisations to provide better services; they need further evidence of effective solutions; programme guidance and support tools; and increased collaboration and communication with one another; and with policy-makers and donors

Strengthening the monitoring of progress on the health-related MDGs in the African Region

There is an emerging view that progress on achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the African Region may be better than what is currently being reflected by official statistics. This is believed to be a result of the lack of recently updated data on the MDGs in the Region. In order to strengthen the monitoring of the MDGs; it is important to look for viable options for the timely collection; processing; analysis of relevant and quality data; and the dissemination of information products based on this data. It is essential to improve the institutional capacities in countries in order to overcome the weak data sources and data management. The monitoring of progress on the MDGs could be strengthened by: improving the content; frequency; quality and efficiency of national health surveys; strengthening birth and death registration and cause of death scertainment; improving the availability of demographic data by completing the 2010 census round; improving surveillance and service statistics; enhancing the monitoring of health systems strengthening; and; strengthening country analytical and evaluation capacity; and data use for decision-making. The latter requires the establishment and strengthening of national health observatories charged with health statistics analysis; synthesis; dissemination; sharing; and use of information and evidence

Pediatric day case surgery: Experience from a tertiary health institution in Nigeria

Background : The general observation that children achieve better convalescence in the home environment supports the need for adoption of day case surgery, which is gaining considerable acceptance in developing countries. Pediatric surgical service is in great demand in developing countries, and in-patient beds and surgical supplies are insufficient. Method : A prospective collection of data on all pediatric day surgeries (PDSs) by the pediatric surgical unit University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH, Ilorin, was done. Parents had pre-operative outpatient briefing and postoperative interviews on the second and ninth days for consultation regarding post-operative complications and events at home. Study period was between April 2005 and September 2007 (2½ years). Results : Of the 660 elective cases, 449 (68.02%) children were recruited as day cases. The male-to-female ratio was 14.3:1. Age ranged between 20 days and 15 years with a mean of 37.6 months and standard deviation (SD) of 34.4 months. Congenital hernias/ hydroceles were the highest indications (71.2%), followed by lump/ masses (12.9%), undescended testes (8.7%), umbilical hernias (4.8%) and thyroglossal duct cyst (2.5%). In 98.9% of cases, the parents resided within 20 km radius of the hospital, and 91.5% of them could reach the hospital within 1 hour. Fathers and mothers of 80.1% and 77.1% of children, respectively, had above-primary education. More than half of the fathers (55%) were civil servants, while 30% were self-employed. The mothers were civil servants in 37.3% of cases, and 34% were self-employed. The average number of outpatient clinic visits before surgery was 2-3 visits (41.2%) with mean interval to surgery of 4-5 weeks (60.3%). Logistics (investigations and availability of operation list) and patient's fitness for surgery were statistically significant delay factors (P= 0.001). Conclusion : Parents reported 14 children to be irritable at home due to pain, while the others reported satisfactory day case experience. No unplanned admission or mortality was recorded, and only 3 (0.8%) parents would not recommend day case surgery to other people. Conclusion: Pediatric day case surgery is feasible for well-selected and monitored cases in our environment. Term neonates with informed parents are suitable for pediatric day case surgery. There is a need for a day case center to reduce waiting list at UITH

Survey of patient satisfaction with obstetric ultrasound service at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital; Enugu; Nigeria

A semi-structured questionnaire study of 326 randomly selected pregnant women referred for ultrasound examination at the ultrasound Laboratory of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH); Enugu was undertaken. The main objectives of this survey included assessment of women's perception and satisfaction with obstetric ultrasound service at UNTH; Enugu and to reflect on our practice. Questions were asked about gestational age; reasons for the scan; information provided before and during the scan; the women's expectations when attending for the scan; their waiting time; their opinion regarding the scan service and suggestions to improve services. Results showed that majority of the patients (66; N = 215) were not given adequate in formation required to make a knowledgeable decision about their scan. Large number of the women (67.5; N = 220) waited for a long time (1-4 hours) before their scan. About half of the respondents (53; N = 173) were satisfied with the way the result of the scan was communicated to them. Results suggest that full implementation of informed consent; reduced waiting time; better communication; explanation and counseling of scan findings to patients would improve the quality of our obstetric ultrasound service

Les resultats d'une enquete sur la gestion de la qualite de la crise drepanocytaire par les agents de la sante

La drepanocytose est une maladie genetique qui; dans sa forme grave; affecte 1 a 3p.100 des naissances au Mali. Cette forme est caracterisee chez le malade; par la survenue frequente de crises drepanocytaires. La qualite de la gestion medicale de ces crises est un gage du confort de vie du drepanocytaire. L'objectif de cette etude etait d'etudier la qualite de la gestion de la crise drepanocytaire par les agents de sante au Mali. Pour ce faire; nous avons conduit une etude de sondage; prospective et descriptive a l'aide d'un questionnaire destine aux agents de sante de tous les niveaux de qualification de decembre 2001 a octobre 2002. Les resultats de cette etude laissent apparaitre que la crise drepanocytaire est geree a tous les niveaux de reference de la pyramide sanitaire. Cette gestion est assuree par un personnel dont les niveaux de qualification sont differents ; incluant medecins specialises ou non et non medecins. La gestion de la crise n'obeit pas a un schema unique. Quelque soit le niveau de qualification du prescripteur; les medications prescrites comportent dans une proportion significative de cas; des medicaments dont l'efficacite dans la gestion de la crise drepanocytaire n'est pas documentee ou qui pourraient soumettre le malade a un risque de complication iatrogene. Parmi ces medicaments les vasodilatateurs occupent la premiere place. Le tres faible taux de prescription des antalgiques majeurs autorise a penser que la gestion de la douleur chez le drepanocytaire est insuffisante. Nous concluons que la qualite de la gestion de la crise drepanocytaire par les agents de sante est insuffisante a tous les niveaux de reference de la pyramide sanitaire au Mali

South African Health Review

The South African Health Review is the most comprehensive analysis of health and health care in South Africa. Previous reviews focused on the development of new health policies as part of the restructuring process in the health sector. This edition attempts to evaluate the impact of these policies; reflects on progress; and points to areas where changes in health policy have not translated into significant action. Further; the Review seeks to measure the attainment of equity in health care