Routine care of normal deliveries as applied in Syrian maternity wards

routine practices during normal childbirth have not been studied in Syria. Our study was designed to describe the routines of normal childbirth as practiced in maternity wards in Syrian hospitals and to assess whether these routines are in accordance with the best evidence-based practices. a nationally representative sample of 57 hospitals was visited: 33 were government hospitals and 24 were private hospitals. The personnel in charge were interviewed using a specially designed questionnaire that covered both management and technical points. only 2 of the 57 hospitals had a written policy concerning childbirth, although 29 had a written breast-feeding policy. All except two hospitals reported the capability of doing a cesarean section at any time. Results on hospital routines are presented in the light of the available best-evidence guidelines. the study highlights the urgent necessity to formulate a national policy for care in normal birth. This policy needs to be designed bearing in mind the best evidence available and the nature of the national setting

Visceral leishmaniasis in the Syrian Arab Republic: early detection using rK39

Leishmaniasis causes significant morbidity and mortality in areas where it is endemic. A seroprevalence survey was conducted in 2 endemic villages in Daraa, Syrian Arab Republic, where 80 out of 345 children [23.2%] tested positive for visceral leishmaniasis [VL] using rK39 dipstick test. Only 10 cases were symptomatic [12.5%], and 27.5% were positive by ELISA test. All the sera [N = 138] obtained from the control village were negative. Of the rK39 initially positive cases, 52 had seroconverted to negative 9 months later, 55 remained ELISA negative, and none developed the full-blown disease. Being faster and less expensive than other diagnostic tests, rK39 is a rapid, sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for symptomatic cases of VL in remote areas with poor accessibility to health services