awareness about nids program in a rural area of Al-Nahrawan district of Baghdad

A cross sectional study was conducted to explore the awareness of the local population of AL-Nahrawan district about National Immunization days [NIDs] and their major sources of information about the campaign. A total of 476 households, selected randomly during the first NIDs round of the year 2000, were screened using pretested questionnaires. The questionnaires include questions about various aspects of NIDs campaign. There were 61.8% females, 70% aged between 20-39 years and about 79% were either illiterate or can just read and write. The study reveal that 88.2% of the respondents were aware of the NIDs but only 10.5% knew the date of the next NIDs and less than half of the respondents [43.3%] were understood the purpose of the program. Tow aspects of the NIDs [whether a previously immunized child is involved in NIDs and whether involved children should be vaccinated again in the next NIDs were understood by the majority of the respondents 92.2% and 78.2% respectively]. Among the various media used to increase awareness of population about NIDs, the television was the most popular. The general awareness about NIDs program in AL-Nahrawan district is acceptable which probably reflect the successfulness of the program in Iraq. Some points about the program need to be verified and reinforced

Risk factors for febrile seizures: a matched case control study

A matched case control study was conducted over 6 months period from the 1[st] of November 1999 to 30[th] of April 2000 at the maternity and children hospital in Ramadi city with the aim of determining the risk factors that might lead to development of febrile seizures. One hundred patients with febrile seizures admitted to the causality department, aged 6-60 months were matched with another one hundred child having fever but without seizure with the same age range, attending the same hospital during the same period. The mean age and standard deviation for cases was 25.8 +/- 15.19 months and for control was 29.9 +/- 18.5 months .sixty four percent has febrile seizure for the first time and 36%had recurrent febrile seizures. The mean age and standard deviation for the first FSs was 23.54 +/- 12.8 months and for recurrent FSs was 29.83 +/- 12.5 months. This was statistically not significant. The majority of the cases were between 12 -24 months with a peak at the age of 18 -19 months. Respiratory infections were not found to be a risk factor for FSs when compared with control. Male sex, degree of temperature on admission, presence of family history or epilepsy, developmental delay, anemia and admission to neonatal care unite were found to a significant risk factor for occurrence of febrile seizures. Patients are susceptible to develop another attack of seizure at a lower temperature after their first attack

B- thalassemia major in Ramadi

The thalassemia's are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders in which the production of not-ma1 hemoglobin is partly or completely suppressed because of a defective synthesis of one or more globin chain-In Iraq, B - thalassemia major is widely distributed all over the country. An active program for the hereditary blood diseases had been adopted in cooperation with WHO in 1989. This study is done to evaluate the burden of the disease and its treatment on thalassemic patients in Ramadi. Thirty-one children with B- thalassemia major [17 males and 14females] aged 9 months- 21 years attending the thalassemic clinic in MCH in Ramadi during the period from 1[st] Dec. 2001 to 31[st] May 2002 were studied prospectively. _History, clinical examination, investigations, treatment and its complications were noted and analyzed. Statistical analysis was done by the use of SD, t-test and P value of <0.05was considered statistically significant. 90% had pretransfusion Hb <9gm/ dl. Only 27% received Desferal regularly subcutaneously by infusion pumps. Splenectomy was done in 19.3%, all of them received pneumococcal vaccine and half of them received Benzathine penicillin regularly monthly. Body weight and height below 3rd percentile were noticed in 22.5% and 32.2% respectively. About 32% had myocardial systolic or diastolic dysfunction detected by Doppler echocardiography. None had hypocalcaemia. HBs Ag positive in 6.4%. Anti HCV was positive in 12.5%. None was positive for HIV. _The majority of patients were undertreated and various complications were probably related to chronic anemia rather than iron overload