Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Perceptions Of The Impact Of An Advanced Training Programme On The Management Skills Of Health Professionals In Gauteng, South Africa, Judith Mutyabule, F. Senkubuge, D. Cameron, V. Pillay, P. Petrucka

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: South Africa’s health sector spans the private and the public sectors. Within the sectors, health managers take on strategic leadership roles without formal training in management or leadership – a trend more common in the public sector than the private sector. Health managers are selected based on their clinical skills rather than their leadership or management skills.

Objective: To compare self-rated competencies in management and leadership before and after training of the participants; to assess participants’ experience of the training programme; and to evaluate the management and leadership skills of the participants after training.

Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive analytical …

Opportunities And Challenges In Realizing Universal Access To Obstetric Ultrasound In Sub-Saharan Africa, Sikolia Wanyonyi, Charles Muriuki Mariara, Sudhir Vinayak, William Stones

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

The potential benefits of obstetric ultrasound have yet to be fully realized in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), despite the region bearing the greatest burden of poor perinatal outcomes. We reviewed the literature for challenges and opportunities of universal access to obstetric ultrasound and explored what is needed to make such access an integral component of maternity care in order to address the massive burden of perinatal morbidity and mortality in SSA. Original peer-reviewed literature was searched in various electronic databases using a ‘realist’ approach. While the available data were inconclusive, they identify many opportunities for potential future research on the subject …

Prostate-Specific Antigen As A Risk Factor For Skeletal Metastasis In Native Ethnic African Men With Prostate Cancer: A Case-Control Study, Mahmood Qureshi, Khalid Makhdomi, William Stones

Imaging & Diagnostic Radiology, East Africa

Prostate cancer is the most common noncutaneous cancer in males. Men of African origin are at a significantly higher risk as reflected in the higher incidence and mortality rates in this racial group. Metastases incidence increases parallel to serum levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. Staging of the disease involves bone scans, which are sensitive in detecting skeletal metastases. Suggestions that these scans may be omitted in some situations in patients with low prostate specific antigen levels have drawn attention to the matter. In this case-control study, using radiology and pathology records, a registry of …

Scar Endometriosis: An Entity Not To Be Forgotten, Kulsoom Fatima, Samina Khanani

Department of Radiology

Scar endometriosis is an uncommon but well-described condition. It is caused by the dissemination of endometrial tissue in the wound at the time of surgery. The deposits can involve uterine scar, abdominal musculature or subcutaneous tissue, with the latter being the most common. It usually presents as a palpable mass at the scar site with or without cyclical pain. We report three cases of scar endometriosis which presented with cyclical pain and swelling at the abdominal wall scar following uterine surgery. The patients underwent imaging which revealed abnormal findings at the scar site suggesting scar endometriosis. In the presence of …

A Mixed Methods Study To Assess The Effectiveness Of Food-Based Interventions To Prevent Stunting Among Children Under-Five Years In Districts Thatta And Sujawal, Sindh Province, Pakistan: Study Protocol, Sumra Kureishy, Gul Nawaz Khan, Shabina Arrif,, Khizar Ashraf, Angela Cespedes, Atif Habib, Imtiaz Hussain, Asmat Ullah, Ali Turab, Imran Ahmed, Shehla Zaidi, Sajid Bashir Soofi

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Maternal and child malnutrition is widely prevalent in low and middle income countries. In Pakistan, widespread food insecurity and malnutrition are the main contributors to poor health, low survival rates and the loss of human capital development. The nutritional status trends among children exhibit a continuous deteriorating with rates of malnutrition exceeding the WHO critical threshold. With the high prevalence of maternal and child malnutrition, it is important to identify effective preventative approaches, especially for reducing stunting in children under-five years of age. The primary aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of food-based interventions to …

Community Engagement And Integrated Health And Polio Immunisation Campaigns In Conflict-Affected Areas Of Pakistan: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial, Atif Habib, Sajid Soofi, Simon Cousens, Saeed Anwar, Najib Ulhaque, Imran Ahmed, Noshad Ali, Rehman Tahir, Zulfiqar A Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Pakistan faces huge challenges in eradicating polio due to widespread poliovirus transmission and security challenges. Innovative interventions are urgently needed to strengthen community buy-in, to increase the coverage of oral polio vaccine (OPV) and other routine immunisations, and to enhance immunity through the introduction of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) in combination with OPV. We aimed to evaluate the acceptability and effect on immunisation coverage of an integrated strategy for community engagement and maternal and child health immunisation campaigns in insecure and conflict-affected polio-endemic districts of Pakistan.
Methods: We did a community-based three-arm cluster randomised trial in healthy children …

Mass Deworming To Improve Developmental Health And Wellbeing Of Children In Low-Income And Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review And Network Meta-Analysis, Vivian A. Welch, Elizabeth Ghogomu, Alomgir Hossain,, Shally Awasthi, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Chisa Cumberbatch, Robert Fletcher, Jessie Mcgowan, Shari Krishnaratne, Elizabeth Kristjansson

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis, considered among the neglected tropical diseases by WHO, affect more than a third of the world’s population, with varying intensity of infection. We aimed to evaluate the eff ects of mass deworming for soil-transmitted helminths (with or without deworming for schistosomiasis or cointerventions) on growth, educational achievement, cognition, school attendance, quality of life, and adverse effects in children in endemic helminth areas.

Methods: We searched 11 databases up to Jan 14, 2016, websites and trial registers, contacted authors, and reviewed reference lists. We included studies published in any language of children aged 6 months to …

Use Of Antibiotics In Children Younger Than Two Years In Eight Countries: A Prospective Cohort Study, Elizabeth T. Rogawski, James A. Platts-Mills, Jessica C. Seidman, Sushil John, Mustafa Mahfuz, Manjeswori Ulak, Sanjaya K. Shrestha, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Anita K. M. Zaidi

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Objective: To describe the frequency and factors associated with antibiotic use in early childhood, and estimate the proportion of diarrhoea and respiratory illnesses episodes treated with antibiotics.
Methods: Between 2009 and 2014, we followed 2134 children from eight sites in Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa and the United Republic of Tanzania, enrolled in the MAL-ED birth cohort study. We documented all antibiotic use from mothers’ reports at twice-weekly visits over the children’s first two years of life. We estimated the incidence of antibiotic use and the associations of antibiotic use with child and household characteristics. We described …

Ethical Issues In Managing Lysosomal Storage Disorders In Children In Low And Middle Income Countries, Bushra Afroze, Nick Brown

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

The lysosomal storage diseases are a group of rare, inherited metabolic diseases affecting about 1 in 7000 to 8000 people. In recent years, the introduction of enzyme replacement therapy, substrate reduction therapy and small molecule therapy, has changed the natural course of this otherwise progressive group of disorders leading to severe morbidity and early mortality. These treatment options, however, are extremely expensive and are needed for life thus presenting an economical as well as ethical challenge to the affected families and the health care system of a country. This paper presents a case for the prevention of the lysosomal storage …

Utility Of Peripheral Film Findings And Its Correlation With Automated Analyzer - An Audit From Tertiary Care Hospital, Sidra Asad, Imran Ahmed, Natasha Ali

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background and Objective: With the advent of automated hematology analyzer, the use of traditional microscopy of blood film has become limited. The objective of our study was to determine the percentage of peripheral blood smear review in our institution in the era of automation and to identify reasons of manual review.
Materials and Methods: This was a prospective audit from January 1, 2015, to January 15, 2015. Consecutive complete blood count (CBC) samples and peripheral smear requests made up the sample size. All age groups and genders were included. CBCs were performed on Sysmex XE-5000. The variables to be analyzed …

Papillary Craniopharyngioma: A Clinicopathologic Study Of A Rare Entity From A Major Tertiary Care Center In Pakistan, Muhammad Usman Tariq, Nasir Ud Din, Zubair Ahmad, Wasim Memon

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: Papillary craniopharyngioma (PCP) are uncommon variants of craniopharyngiomas (CP), which are benign epithelial neoplasms of the sellar and suprasellar region. Histologically, PCPs are typically composed of well-differentiated stratified squamous epithelium; however, focal variations are not uncommon. A distinction from other lesions of the region, despite being difficult to achieve due to the overlapping radiological and clinical features, is important for adequate treatment to be administered.
Objective: Our aim was to study the clinical and histological features of PCP with emphasis on features that are helpful in its distinction from other lesions that are similar in appearance.
Materials and Methods: …

Successful Resection Of Lymphangioma Of The Neck And Mediastinum Presenting As Stridor In A 12 Year Old Child, Babar Irfan, Maha Tahir, Omar Irfan, Hamza Abdur Rahim Khan, Saulat H. Fatimi

Department of Surgery Docs

Lymphangiomas are congenital malformations of lymphatic tissue. This benign condition is generally found in the neck region and is discovered by 2 years of age. Here we report the case of a 12 year old child who presented with a cervical and mediastinal cystic hygroma that had progressed to such a space occupying nature as to cause the shifting of the trachea. The entire mass was successfully resected with a lower neck incision. Our case suggests the necessity of considering cystic lymphangioma in the differential diagnosis of lateral neck masses and use of adequate imaging to substantiate the preoperative diagnosis.

Management Of Penetrating Injury To Thoracic Inlet And Lower Neck With Retained Foreign Body Using Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery, Muhammad Adeel Samad, Hamza Abdur Rahim Khan, Faiza Urooj, Usman Ali Hyder, Fazal Wahab Khan, Saulat H. Fatimi, Jamal Kabeer Khan

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Penetrating neck and chest injuries are a common form of occupational injuries. We hereby report a unique case in which a metallic rod had penetrated the left chest and neck of a plastic factory worker. The patient was vitally stable when he presented to Emergency Room. Chest X-ray was performed and the patient was rushed to the operating room. VATS (video assisted thoracoscopic surgery) and neck dissection was done for retrieval of the metallic rod. On table, endoscopy was also done to rule out injury to oesophagus. No injury to vital structures was found and the subsequent recovery was uneventful.

Immunohistochemical P21 Expression In Breast Cancer: Association With Patient And Tumour Characteristics, Benjamin N. Njihia

Master of Medicine in General Surgery

Introduction: Molecular characterisation of the breast cancer has allowed for targeted therapies that are improving outcomes. The gains achieved by these treatments have fuelled the search for other targets, including cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors such as p21. p21 expression in breast cancer has been shown to be variably associated with clinical and pathological parameters in different populations. It is possible that either methodological or biological differences underlie these variations. Objective: The current study sought to determine the association of p21 expression and clinico-pathological parameters in breast cancer patients at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. Methods: Clinically annotated tissue …

The Impact Of A Referral Card-Based Intervention On Intimate Partner Violence, Psychosocial Health, Help-Seeking And Safety Behaviour During Pregnancy And Postpartum: A Randomized Controlled Trial, An-Sofie Van Parys, Ellen Deschepper, Kristien Roelens, Marleen Temmerman, Hans Verstraelen

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: We aimed to investigate the impact of a referral-based intervention in a prospective cohort of women disclosing intimate partner violence (IPV) on the prevalence of violence, and associated outcomes psychosocial health, help-seeking and safety behaviour during and after pregnancy.

Methods: Women seeking antenatal care in eleven Belgian hospitals were consecutively invited from June 2010 to October 2012, to participate in a single-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) and handed a questionnaire. Participants willing to be interviewed and reporting IPV victimisation were randomised. In the Intervention Group (IG) participants received a referral card with contact details of services providing assistance and …

“The Co-Authors Of Pregnancy”: Leveraging Men’S Sense Of Responsibility And Other Factors For Male Involvement In Antenatal Services In Kinshasa, Drc, Michelle M. Gill, John Ditekemena, Aimé Loando, Vicky Ilunga, Marleen Temmerman, Franck Fwamba

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Despite efforts to improve male involvement (MI), few male partners typically attend antenatal care (ANC). MI in ANC and interventions to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission have been demonstrated to be beneficial for the HIV-positive mother and her child. This study aimed to explore factors influencing partner attendance and highlight interventions with potential to improve MI within a Congolese context.

Methods: This was an exploratory, qualitative study conducted in two urban and two semi-urban catchment areas of Kinshasa, DRC in June–September 2016. Two women-only and two men-only focus group discussions (FGDs) were held; participants were recruited from ANC clinics and …

Autoimmune Disease Presenting As Acute Abdomen, Wasim A Memon, Saad Siddiqui, Ameer Hamza

Department of Radiology

Mesenteric vasculitis and resultant bowel ischemia is rare but serious complication of autoimmune disorders. Early detection and treatment is the key to avoid potentially fatal outcomes of bowel perforation and peritonitis. In this series, we present patients presenting with acute abdominal pain and having CT imaging features of bowel ischemia who responded well to immunosuppressive therapy. The aim of this work is to familiarize health professionals with possibility and imaging features of mesenteric vasculitis.

Maternal And Fetal Outcome In Renal Transplant Recipients, Wajeeha Syed, Lumaan Sheikh

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: To determine maternal and fetal outcome in renal transplant recipients.
Methodology: Retrospective analysis of the antenatal patients with renal transplant
was done between January 1st 2005 till December 31st 2015 and maternal
and fetal outcomes were determined. Data was entered and analyzed in SPSS
version 20.
Results: 08 pregnancies in 07 women who had undergone renal transplant
were included in this study. The mean age at the time of transplantation was
25.29 ±5.5 years (16-32 years). 25% cases had gestational diabetes mellitus,
75% had anemia and 50% had urinary tract infection. The mean birth weight
of babies was 2210 …

Case Of Xanthogranulomatous Oophoritis, Bushra Khan, Aliya Aziz, Rashida Ahmed

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Xanthogranulomatous inflammation is characterized by destruction of the tissues of the organ involved and replacement by chronic inflammatory cells such as lymphocytes, plasma cells, occasional neutrophils with or without multinucleated or Touton giant cells. Exact aetiology is not known but the theory of infection with organisms like Proteus, E coli, and Bacteroides fragilis is most popular. Xanthogranulomatous inflammation of the female genital tract is not common and usually involves the endometrium; however, xanthogranulomatous inflammation of the ovaries is a rare entity.

Implementation Of Warning Tool To Improve Maternal Newborn Health Outcomes In A Developing Country, Sana Sheikh, Rahat Qureshi, Sidrah Nausheen, Rozina Sikandar Sultanali

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: To improve health outcomes through the implementation of national early warning sign tool for babies delivered through emergency caesarean section in off-work hours.

Methods: This comparative clinical study was conducted at the Aga Khan Hospital for Women and Children, Karachi, from April to August 2014, and comprised women who had an emergency caesarean section. Maternal and perinatal outcomes were compared of patients in Group A and Group B which represented individuals before and after the implementation of the national early warning score respectively.

Results: Of the 200 participants, there were 100(50%) in each group. The overall mean age was …

"The Co-Authors Of Pregnancy": Leveraging Men's Sense Of Responsibility And Other Factors For Male Involvement In Antenatal Services In Kinshasa, Drc, Michelle M. Gill, John Ditekemena, Aimé Loando, Vicky Ilunga, Marleen Temmerman, Franck Fwamba

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Background: Despite efforts to improve male involvement (MI), few male partners typically attend antenatal care (ANC). MI in ANC and interventions to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission have been demonstrated to be beneficial for the HIV-positive mother and her child. This study aimed to explore factors influencing partner attendance and highlight interventions with potential to improve MI within a Congolese context.
Methods: This was an exploratory, qualitative study conducted in two urban and two semi-urban catchment areas of Kinshasa, DRC in June–September 2016. Two women-only and two men-only focus group discussions (FGDs) were held; participants were recruited from ANC clinics and …

Barriers And Facilitators Of Linkage To Hiv Care Among Hiv-Infected Young Chinese Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Qualitative Study, Haochu Li, Chongyi Wei, Joseph Tucker, Dianmin Kang, Meizhen Liao, Eleanor Holroyd, Jietao Zheng, Qian Qi, Wei Ma

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: The Four Free and One Care Policy (HIV/AIDS-related free services) has been in place in China since 2004. However, linkage to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care is not yet achieved very well among people living with HIV. We conducted a qualitative study to explore individual and contextual factors that may influence a linkage to HIV care from the perspective of young HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) in a highly centralized HIV care context of China.

Methods: Purposive sampling was used to recruit 21 HIV-infected MSM in Shandong Province, with in-depth interviews conducted between March and July …

The Role And Value Of Nurses In Care Provision: Views And Expectations Of Emirati Nationals In The Western Region Of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sharon Brownie, Rachel C. Rossiter, Abeer Omar Hamad, Salah Aqtash

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Reliable health user information is needed to effectively organize nursing services and deliver quality patientcentered care. Nurse leaders of Al Gharbia Health Services (AGHS) noted that although budget data and general workforce information were readily available, detailed information about patient experiences, views, and expectations was lacking.

Objective: This study aimed to obtain preliminary data regarding health and nursing service expectations of Emirati nationals in the remote western region of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Methods: This study used qualitative descriptive methodology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of Emirati families who had recently accessed AGHS. Interviews focused …

Therapeutic Uses Of Pineapple-Extracted Bromelain In Surgical Care - A Review., Zehra Abdul Muhammad, Tashfeen Ahmad

Department of Surgery Docs

Abstract

Bromelain is an extract obtained from the pineapple plant and is used as a traditional folk remedy for several ailments. In this review, a comprehensive electronic database search was carried out to compile available literature on therapeutic implications of bromelain. Pharmaceutical value of bromelain has been demonstrated in different surgical sub-specialties. Diverse biological processes like anti-inflammatory, anti-oedematous, analgesic, anti-thrombotic, exfoliation etc. are involved in bromelain's therapeutic actions, mediated through the kallikrein-kinin and arachidonic acid pathways as well as through effects on cell mediated immunity. Bromelain equals non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as an anti-inflammatory agent, but has been shown to have …

Predictors Of Modern Contraceptive Usage Among Women In Rural Pakistan: Physical Access To Services Stills A Major Barrier, Sumera Aziz Ali, Zafar Fatmi

Community Health Sciences

Background: The predictors of contraceptive use may vary in urban and rural areas. Studies have largely focused on the factors predicting contraceptive usage in urban areas. We studied the predictors of contraceptives in one of the rural districts of Pakistan.
Methods: A nested case-control design was used on The Global Network’s Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR) in district Thatta Pakistan between June 2011 to July 2012. Pregnant women before their index pregnancy, who did not use (n = 200 cases) and those used any modern contraceptive method (n = 600 controls), were compared. Logistic regression was used to as certain …

Barriers Or Gaps In Implementation Of Misoprostol Use For Post-Abortion Care And Post-Partum Hemorrhage Prevention In Developing Countries: A Systematic Review, Amirali Samnani, Narjis Rizvi, Tazeen Ali, Farina Abrejo

Community Health Sciences

Background: Around 303,000 maternal deaths occur every year; most of these are preventable (World Health Organization), ICD-10: International classification of diseases and related health problems, 10th revision. Volume 2: Instruction manual, 2010). Ninety-nine percent of these maternal deaths occur in developing countries. PPH contributed 35 % (35%) of total maternal. Several interventions being done to reduce the number of maternal deaths. It has been noted that a simple low cost intervention of providing misoprostol timely could prevent these deaths.
Objectives: The objectives of this systematic review was to identify barriers/gaps in the implementation of misoprostol use for prevention of …

New Leadership Model For Family Physicians In The Eastern Mediterranean Region: A Pilot Study Across Selected Countries, Salman Rawaf, Waris Qidwai, Tam Khoja, Kashmira Nanji, Ny Kurashi, F Alnasir, Ma Al Shafaee, M Al Shetti, M Bashir, Nes Saad, S Alkaisi, W Halasa, H Al-Duwaisan, A Al-Ali, Tm Farahat, M Tarawneh, A Khathami, A Abutiheen, Iqbal Azam Syed, A Swaka

Department of Family Medicine

Background: Family Medicine is growing rapidly across the Eastern Mediterranean Region. However, it needs support in terms of overall health system development. This will require strong leadership in family medicine to implement the change required to improve current conditions.

Objective: To collect data that will support the development of a leadership program for the future family physicians in the region.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2016 to September 2016 in eight countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region, (Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia). These countries were selected to obtain perceptions …

Role Of Assessment For Retreatment With Transarterial Chemoembolization Score In Decision Of Retreatment With Trans-Arterial Chemo-Embolization Sessions In Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Anwar Hussain Abbasi, Shahab Abid, Tanveer Ul Haq, Safia Awan

Department of Family Medicine

Background: The objective behind this study was to determine that Assessment for Retreatment with Transarterial chemoembolization (ART) score is really applicable in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
Methods: A cross sectional observational study was conducted on all patients with hepatocellular carcinoma of intermediate stage and undergone ≥2 Transarterial chemoembolization. ART score was assessed before and after each session of Transarterial chemoembolization. Multi-logistic regression analysis was performed to compare the final outcome of patients with ART score of ≥2.5 into groups with two and more than two Trans-arterial chemo-embolization sessions.
Results: A total of 100 HCC patients were recruited for final analysis. …

Practical Guide And Atlas For The Diagnosis Of Fungal Infections, Afia Zafar, Kauser Jabeen, Joveria Farooqi

Books

Laboratory diagnosis of fungal infections remains challenging in South East Asia as it is a neglected field in most diagnostic centres in the developing world. Initial microscopic examination of clinical specimens for the presence of fungal elements followed by growth and eventual identification of isolates up to genus and species levels are very basic and important services that must be provided by any clinical microbiology laboratory. These services have considerable impact on selection of appropriate antifungal therapy and ultimate reduction in morbidity and mortality. With the realisation of scarcity of this service and expertise in Pakistan, our group decided to …

Improving Response Rates To An Alumni Survey In East Africa, Joseph Mwizerwa, Walter Robb, Carolyne Namukwaya, Mary Namuguzi, Sharon Brownie

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Feedback from students and graduates is essential to inform ongoing quality improvement in higher education. However, African universities often face implementation issues in alumni surveys, including technological barriers and difficulties in tracking graduates, particularly those from earlier cohorts and rural alumni. Innovative strategies are needed to locate alumni and obtain a good response rate across widely dispersed, rural and remote areas. This paper reports on strategies used to increase response rates in an East African online alumni survey in a context of limited computer/Internet access. The survey aimed to assess the impact of nursing graduates over a 15 year period …