Assessment of availability of essential human resource for health for EmONC services in public sector of Pakistan

Objective: To assess availability and establish the current situation of essential human resource shortage for provision of emergency obstetric and new born care in public sector health facilities

Study Design: Observational / descriptive / cross sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Public Health, Contech School of Public Health, Lahore from January 2013 to December 2013

Materials and Methods: A robust surveys were conducted by stratified sampling technique by taking 100% samples. 20% sample of basic health units was taken to assess the availability of essential human resource for health to meet the progress of Millennium Development Goal 4 and 5

Results: Situation of availability of essential human resources at district and tehsil level for provision of maternal and newborn health services was found only 33% at district head quarter hospitals and 3% at tehsil headquarter hospitals. This is an escorting cause of not reducing maternal and child mortality as per target

Conclusion: Study results suggest accelerated provision of essential human resource for health to provide emergency obstetric and new born care to reducematernal and neonatal mortality in the country

Vitamin D supplement as an adjuvant in the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain

Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in chronic musculoskeletal pain. This article reviews two cases of improvement/ resolution of chronic pain after vitamin D repletion in a pain practice setting in Lahore. Vitamin D insufficiency is common and its repletion may improve chronic musculoskeletal pain and improve quality of life. In some cases, it may result in complete resolution of symptoms. We observed 521 patients over a period of 1 year, of which 2 patients are described in detail. Written informed consent was taken from the patients to publish this report

Ketamine as an adjuvant to opioids for cancer pain management

The management of cancer patient's pain with ketamine as an adjuvant to opioids is presented in case reports of three patients with cancer-related neuropathic pain, in which pain proved untreatable with the usual conventional pain therapies. Ketamine was administered either by intrathecal or oral route, in addition to morphine and the pain was controlled successfully in these patients. No untoward side-effects were noted except drowsiness which responded to a reduction in the opioids dose

Interventional pain management techniques can be helpful in headache management

In this case series we present three different interventional procedures used to treat headache. The procedures, e.g. occipital nerve block, cervical injection and trigger point injection, are described and the supporting literature is reviewed

Management of chronic perineal pain-a case report

The management of a case of perineal pain with a combination of treatment modalities is presented. A 42-year-old female with severe chronic perineal pain was unable to sit and work. Interventional pain management technique was applied to get rid of pain. At the end of treatment, the patient recovered completely, was able to sit and returned to work as a postal employee

Anesthetic management of pheochromocytoma

An unusual case of benign recurrent pheochromocytoma, admitted to the Shoukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre [SKMCH and RC] for exploratory laparotomy and excision of tumor is presented