Personal protective programme for the Pakistan Armed Forces

The prevention of bites and the reduction in the rate of attack by insect and other arthropod disease vectors are basic considerations in the control of vector-borne disease. The combined use of permethrin as a toxicant in clothing plus an effective repellent on the skin offers a breakthrough in personal protection methods and in the reduction of arthropod-borne disease transmission among military forces. We have described impregnation methods herein that do not require sophisticated equipment, need only minimal training to master and are relatively inexpensive, simple and practical. This personal protection programme designed for the Pakistan Armed Forces, may become a model for a similar programme throughout the world

Coronary heart disease risk factor survey in a sample population of army workshops [a preliminary study]

A preliminary survey of risk factors of coronary heart disease [CHD] was carried out during 1988 in 200 subjects of two army workshops. All of the subjects were above the age of 30 years and most of them [89.5%] had income between Rs. 1000-2000. The family history of heart disease was present in 12.5% subjects, of hypertension in 6.5% subjects and of diabetes mellitus in 4% individuals. About 12.5% of subjects were overweight and 17% were underweight. Only 7.5% workers had raised blood pressure. There was a high frequency [39.5%] of smoking in this group although only 1.5% of them were heavy smokers. The biochemical analysis of the sera revealed raised fasting blood glucose levels in 7% workers, and triglycerides in 21.5%. The low density lipoproteins [LDL] were high in 3% subjects and low [<150 mg/dl] in 67.5% individuals. This preliminary work revealed a low frequency of various risk factors of CHD in the population of two army workshops studied. But with the improvement of standard of living and increased industrialization, this situation is bound to change for worse. It is imperative that general population should be made aware of hazards of smoking and other risk factors of CHD. The regular physical activity and promotion of games would also help to reduce this upward trend in the frequency of CHD

survey of public health importance - Part I Chemical quality of drinking water of some industrial areas of Pakistan [Wah' havelian' sanjwal' taxila and kamra]

Sixty one samples of drinking water from 36 water supplies of 5 Industrial Areas located in Rawalpindi, Attock and in Hazara Districts have been collected and analysed in the Water Quality Control Laboratory of the AFM College Rawalpindi. 33% of the samples were unfit for human consumption due to the presence of nitrites which indicate recent oganic pollution. The water was otherwise chemically satisfactory