Ocular fireworks injuries in Eastern Nigeria: a 3-year review

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the incidence and types of ocular injuries caused by fireworks in patients seen at Guinness Eye Centre Onitsha and their effects on vision. Methods: This was a 3-year retrospective study evaluating case files of patients with ocular fireworks injuries seen at Guinness Eye Centre Onitsha during the Christmas and New Year festivities (2010­2012). Information was extracted into a pro forma and analyzed using Excel, AutoSum, and calculators. Results: Subconjunctival hemorrhage, corneal lacerations, and hyphema were the most common injuries seen. Patients had multiple ocular pathologies, and the left eye was affected in 62.5% of cases. Bystanders accounted for 75% of those with ocular fireworks injuries. All were males. Half of the affected eyes went blind. Conclusion: Fireworks injuries constituted only 5.1%, 0%, and 10% of ocular injuries in 2010, 2011, and 2012, respectively, with devastating consequence of blindness in 50% of affected eyes

The Policy Basis for Community Health Financing in Cameroon : Establishment of the North West Provincial Special Fund for Health

National health systems in Africa and around the world have and are still undergoing reforms in response to the Alma Ata Declaration. In Africa; people centred; community based and locally managed strategies are widely accepted. And in many countries like Cameroon; revolving funds for essential drugs have been adopted as an entry point to the implementation of primary health care elements in community health centres. The current reforms are leading to a sharing of financing responsibilities between people and government; with catalytic support from external agencies. Economic; social and political crises in Africa in the past decade have earned the countries stiff structural adjustment policies with severe consequences on health budgets; health manpower; and health status. This paper describes the policy basis for community financing in Cameroon. It suggests that revolving essential drugs funds (as proposed in the Bamako Initiative) cannot be viewed in isolation; but as part of the community and national response to the crises situation; it also demonstrated the capacity of the health sector to fight back to overcome the ill effects of structural adjustment. And last but not the least; these funds have provided an opportunity for the exercise of democracy and the participatory management by these officials of public goods and services