Pattern of eye diseases at the primary health centers in a Pakistani district

Pakistan has an extensive network of public facilities aimed to provide primary health care including eye care. Yet no data exist on the number and purpose of eye visits to these facilities. This study aimed to describe the pattern of eye diseases in public primary care hospitals in a district in Pakistan's Sindh province. This study was conducted in 14 randomly selected government primary health care centers 10 Basic Health Units and 4 Rural Health Centers in district Nawab shah, a central district of Sindh province. Doctors in these centers were trained in diagnosis and management of common eye diseases at the primary level and requested to record data prospectively on the total number of patient visits, total number of eye consultations and reasons for eye consultation. Data were entered and analyzed using EPI Info Software. Over a period of one month, 9759 visits were made to the 14 selected primary health care centers. Eye diseases accounted for 1.8% of the total visits. Adults were more likely to have an eye consultation compared with children [Odds Ratio: 2.96; P < 0.01]. Conjunctivitis [34.1%], cataract [22.0%], and corneal problems [6.9%] were the most common reasons for eye consultations. Despite solid evidence of a high burden of eye diseases at the community level in Pakistan, eye diseases accounted for only a very small proportion of the total consultations in the primary health care facilities. Efforts are needed to assess barriers to optimal utilization of existing primary health care services for eye diseases

Classification of 154 clinical cases of vitamin A deficiency in children [0-15 years] in a tertiary hospital in North West Frontier province Pakistan

To share our experience of 154 cases of clinical vitamin A deficiency in Pakistani children. Methods and The data on age, sex, date of presentation and clinical stage of vitamin A deficiency was recorded. A total of 154 children aged 0-15 years suffering from clinical vitamin A deficiency [xerophthalmia] were recorded. One hundred and twenty three [79.9%] children were 0-6 years with 99 [64.3%] male children. Blinding xerophthalmia [corneal xerosis, corneal ulcers ad keratomalacia] was present in 94 [61%] children. Thirty nine% children presented in summer, 28% in autumn, 20% in winter and 13% in spring respectively. This report indicates that clinical cases of vitamin A deficiency in children do occur in Pakistan. Children under 6 years of age are the most vulnerable age group and there is a seasonal variation in presentation. Both life and sight of these children are at risk. Community based studies may be helpful to identify the magnitude of the problem and possible risk factors at national, provincial and district levels