Strategies for prevention of road traffic injuries [RTIS] in pakistan: situational analysis

Road traffic injuries [RTIs] are one of the leading causes of death among productive age group. Using systems approach framework [SAP], current preventive strategies for RTI control were reviewed in Pakistan. A review of the literature was done using four international search engines. Only ten studies on preventive strategies for RTI stemming from Pakistan were found. The first Road Traffic Injuries Research Network [RTIRN] surveillance system for road traffic injuries was established in urban city [Karachi] in Pakistan has shown promise for injury control and should be scaled up to other cities. Enforcement of traffic laws on seat-belt and helmet wearing is poor. National Highway and Motorway Police Ordinance [2000] was one of the few legislative measure so far taken in Pakistan. Using SAP, efforts are required to implement interventions targeting human, vehicle design and also making environment safer for road users

Quality of post graduate medical training in public and private tertiary care hospitals of Karachi

To assess the quality of postgraduate fellowship training and to determine the differences in the quality of postgraduate fellowship training in public and private teaching hospitals of Karachi. It was a cross sectional survey conducted in four public and private sector hospitals of Karachi from January to March 2012. A total of 246 postgraduate fellowship trainees were interviewed. A standardized questionnaire adopted from CPSP guidelines on postgraduate training standards was developed. Postgraduate fellowship trainees [PG's] were selected on the basis of convenient non-probability sampling technique. Fisher's exact test and chi-square test were used to find differences in quality of postgraduate training. The mean duty hours per week was highest in private sector hospitals i.e., 72.1 as compared to government sector hospital which was 58.3 [P-value <0.01]. Of the respondents, 66.0% of PG's in private hospitals agreed that they have a structured study program as compare to 46.5% in public hospitals [P-value <0.001]. Only 38.1% of PG's in public hospitals agreed that they spent appropriate amount of time with their family and friends as compare to 1.8% of PG's in private hospitals [P-value <0.001]. No significant difference was found in quality of supervision in both public sector and private sector hospitals. The attributes of different aspects of training were different in public and private sector hospitals. So significant room exists for improvement in the quality of postgraduate medical training as indicated by the less than desirable proportion of trainees being satisfied with different aspects of training

Frequency of infectious diseases among flood affected people at district Rajanpur, Pakistan

To identify the frequency of infectious diseases among flood victims during and after disaster at district Rajanpur, Punjab, Pakistan. A cross sectional study was conducted from 15[th] to 31[st] August 2010 at 17 flood affected places of District Rajanpur of Punjab Province, Pakistan. A total of 7814 affected people were interviewed consecutively by using semi-structured questionnaire visiting the relief camps during the study period. Information was obtained after taking informed consent regarding infectious diseases: Acute Respiratory Tract Infection, Eye Infection, Gastrointestinal Tract Infection, Ear Infection, Skin and Soft tissue Infection, and suspected Malaria. Data was entered and analyzed by using SPSS version 16.0. The results showed that the distribution of infectious disease cases presented to relief camps were Gastrointestinal cases [Acute Diarrhea]-30%, Skin and Soft Tissue Infection [33%], Eye [Conjunctivitis]-07%, Ear, Nose and Throat Infection [05%], Respiratory Tract Infection [21%], and Suspected Malaria [4%]. Their mean age was 23.15 +/- 17.53 years. Our study concluded that there was a high frequency of infectious diseases. The morbidity and mortality resulting from infectious diseases can be minimized if public health intervention efforts are implemented in a timely and coordinated fashion

Safety and efficacy of ureteroscopic pneumatic lithotripsy

To determine the safety and efficacy of ureteroscopic pneumatic lithotripsy [PL] for the clearance of ureteral calculi [UC]. Experimental study. Department of Urology, KRL Hospital, Islamabad, from March 2006 till December 2008. Ureteroscopic PL was performed on 104 patients with ureteric calculus measuring >/= 6 mm; using Swiss Lithoclast through a 9.5 French semi-rigid ureteroscope. At the end of the procedure, a DJ stent was inserted. Complications were noted. Stone clearance was assessed through X-ray KUB. DJ stent was removed within 3 - 6 weeks after the procedure. Sixty-eight patients [65.4%] were males and 36 [34.6%] females. The average hospital stay was 2.6 +/- 2.8 days; 72 [69.6%] patients were discharged on the first post-procedure day. Complete stone clearance was achieved in 98 [94.2%] patients, at 3-6 weeks. Four patients [26.7% of upper ureteral stones] had stone retropulsion. The only major complication was perforation occurring in 2 [1.9%] distal ureters. One case was successfully managed by endoscopic DJ stent placement, the other required open repair. Ureteroscopic PL is effective in clearing majority of middle and distal UC. Patients with proximal stones may have stone retropulsion. Ureteric perforation is an uncommon complication