Health equity in dialysis care: Time for action

The development of chronic kidney disease and its progression to End Stage Renal Disease requiring renal replacement therapy remains a significant source of reduced quality of life and premature mortality. The global dialysis population and treatment gap is growing, especially in low- and middle- income countries. In India, 70% of those starting dialysis, die or discontinue treatment in the initial period due to the high cost of treatment and lack of access to dialysis therapy. Achieving health equity requires ensuring access to the resources that needs to be healthy, and addressing social determinants of health involves needs factors that influence the health outcomes. Universal Health Coverage requires an alternate model to address the substantial Out-Of-Pocket-Expenditure borne by these patients for traveling and medications.

Concept of primary eye care & school health in India

Primary eye care consists of promotive, preventive and curative actions by trained personnel or other interested people. Teachers are the best manpower to be trained for this purpose since they are more close to the students always. Poor visual function during early childhood may have several adverse outcomes. Through the school children, health messages can be propagated to their families, friends and peer groups. Training school teachers and empowering students and other staff of the school on simple and safe eye care practices through organized activities may come out as a cost effective way of improving general health and academic performance.

Pulse polio immunization in district Panipat: a process evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate all steps of pulse polio immunization on special sub national immunization day. METHODS: On a sub-national immunization day (SNID), 120 booths were randomly selected from 662 booths by probability proportionate to size (PPS) sampling technique. RESULTS: It was observed that attendance in the district level meeting was thin (30%). 34% workers were doing this work for the first time without any training. 40% of the vaccinators were neither working according to micro plan nor were same as mentioned in the micro plan. Supervision too was found deficient. CONCLUSION: In a sustained and long drawn programme like IPPI, sustaining the interest and motivation of health personnel is paramount. This paper emphasises the importance of continued re-orientation training to keep them motivated and updated.

Surveillance of cold chain system during intensified pulse polio programme--2006 in Chandigarh.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the maintenance of cold chain system in the Intensive Pulse Polio Immunization (IPPI) campaign in the Union Territory, Chandigarh. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted in 18 designated vaccine sub-depots, where OPV vials were stored prior to IPPI and 25 IPPI booths out of the designated 406 IPPI booths in U.T, Chandigarh. The booths were selected by stratified random sampling technique. 25 Vaccine vials, one from each booth were selected and sent for potency testing at Central Research Institute (CRI)-Kasauli. RESULTS: All the randomly selected vaccine samples were reported portent, as per the reports provided by CRI-Kasauli. Cold chain maintenance and temperature charting was found satisfactory. CONCLUSION: There are some avoidable errors which leaves room for improvement, which can be in the form of provision of adequate number of exhaust fan, voltage stabilizers, etc. Uninterrupted power supply should be ensured. Lastly, more emphasis is to be given on maintenance of cold chain system in reorientation training program of all health functionaries.