Environmental health needs and launching of an environmental health protection unit in Pakistan

Pakistan is seriously confronted by many complex and difficult environmental challenges related to air, water, soil, forests and food including issues such as climate change. The close link between environment and health is neither well understood nor appreciated. The annual cost of environmental degradation in Pakistan has been estimated to be around US $ 4.0 billion orat least 6% of the country's GDP. Up to 35% of the burden of disease is attributable to environmental hazards and risk factors and most of this burden is preventable. A systematic process for identifying environmental health needs and issues as well as the efforts made by the government of Pakistan and the World Health Organization in establishing and launching an environmental health protection unit are described. Also presented are the mission, functions, structure [operational and logistical] and technical requirements as well as sustainability aspects of the environmental health protection unit

Trichomonas vaginalis in vaginal smears of women using intrauterine contraceptive device

To detect the association between the use of an intrauterine contraceptive device [IUCD] and the presence of Trichomonas vaginalis [Tv] in the vaginal smears. Vaginal smears were collected from 800 women who attended the Gynaecology and Obstetrics unit at Federal Government Hospital [Polyclinic] Islamabad, between June 1995 ' June 1997. Among 45 IUCD users, 15 women were positive for Tv [33.33%]. Forty two of 755 non-users were also positive for Tv [5.56%]. There was a significant correlation between the use of IUCD and the presence of Tv [p<0.05]. The data also indicated that the prolonged use [>3 years] of copper-IUCD may promote the growth of Tv in the vaginal mucosa. The use of copper IUCD for a long period causes growth of Tv on the genital mucosa so special attention should be paid to women who have prolonged copper-IUCD for the possible presence of Tv