Vaginal discharge; syndromic management among internally displaced women living in camps at Larkana

To observe the results of syndromic management in women living in IDPs camps complaining of chronic vaginal discharge. Descriptive study. Medical Camps at Larkana set by Chandka Medical College Hospital for Internally Displaced Persons [IDPs] due to floods. 1st September 2010 to 31st December 2010. Total 200 symptomatic patients aged from 20 to 50 years suffering from chronic vaginal discharge having history of more than 6 months duration were included in the study. Asymptomatic as well as pregnant women and patients with abnormal cervix and having abnormal growth on cervix were excluded from the study. A detailed history and examination [including speculum and vaginal] was done and a proforma was filled. All these patients were given empirical treatment recommended by WHO as syndromic management consisting of stat doses of antifungal along with antibiotics, where no laboratory tests are required before treatment. Next to vaginal discharge which was main symptom in all patients, the other symptoms like dusparunia, dysuria, itching ,lower abdomen pain and low backache was reported 9%, 16%, 20%, 24% and 31% respectively. Also 8% patients reported post coital bleeding. All patients were married and the mean age of the patients was 28+0.2 years and 15% of them were over 40 years. Mean parity was 4 +/- 1.Vaginal infection improved in 65% of the patients excellently with a first line single course of antibiotic and percentage raised up to 88% with second course. 19[9.5%] patients couldn't be followed as they left that camp and 5[2.5%] patients who did not improve with two courses of antibiotics had big cervical erosions, referred to nearby tertiary care hospital for further management. IDPs live in poor conditions in camps without basic facilities and where it is difficult to perform bedside tests like microscopy, Potassium Hydroxide, wet mount films and tests for Sexually transmitted diseases like Chlamydia and gonorrhea are not available, syndromic management there is a rational way of treating cases of chronic vaginal discharge to get quicker response in such desperate women