scholarly journals Medical waste: the dark side of healthcare

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 231-251
Author(s):  
Iris Borowy
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Medical Waste ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Quality Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Waste ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract Hospitals and other health facilities generate an ever-increasing amount of waste, approximately 15% of which may be infectious, toxic, or radioactive. The World Health Organization has been addressing the issue since the 1980s. After initially focusing on high-income countries, it then focused on low-income countries, with unsafe disposal methods in landfills and inadequate incinerators as major concerns. Gradually, the understanding of the issue has undergone several shifts, including from a focus on the component of medical waste considered “hazardous” to all forms of waste, and from accepting medical waste as a necessary downside of high-quality healthcare to seeing the avoidance of healthcare waste as a component of high quality healthcare.

scholarly journals Mitotic Poisons in Research and Medicine

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (20) ◽  
pp. 4632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Škubník ◽  
Michal Jurášek ◽  
Tomáš Ruml ◽  
Silvie Rimpelová
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Cancer Therapeutics ◽  
Modern Medicine ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Cancer Therapies ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Treatment Services ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

Cancer is one of the greatest challenges of the modern medicine. Although much effort has been made in the development of novel cancer therapeutics, it still remains one of the most common causes of human death in the world, mainly in low and middle-income countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer treatment services are not available in more then 70% of low-income countries (90% of high-income countries have them available), and also approximately 70% of cancer deaths are reported in low-income countries. Various approaches on how to combat cancer diseases have since been described, targeting cell division being among them. The so-called mitotic poisons are one of the cornerstones in cancer therapies. The idea that cancer cells usually divide almost uncontrolled and far more rapidly than normal cells have led us to think about such compounds that would take advantage of this difference and target the division of such cells. Many groups of such compounds with different modes of action have been reported so far. In this review article, the main approaches on how to target cancer cell mitosis are described, involving microtubule inhibition, targeting aurora and polo-like kinases and kinesins inhibition. The main representatives of all groups of compounds are discussed and attention has also been paid to the presence and future of the clinical use of these compounds as well as their novel derivatives, reviewing the finished and ongoing clinical trials.

scholarly journals The Inequities of Motherhood: The Challenges of Obstetric Anesthesia in Low-Income Countries

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Ricci
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Obstetric Anesthesia ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Anesthetic Care ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

The maternal mortality rate (MMR) is unconscionably high around the world, with women in low to middle income countries (LMICs) disproportionately passing away from potentially preventable causes. While this is a complicated and multifaceted problem, anesthesia has been identified as a contributing cause of death. From the moment the parturient enters the operating room, the anesthetist is responsible for their well-being. This integrative review was designed to further explore relationship between anesthesia and the MMR in LMICs. Twelve articles published within the last 15 years were selected through an extensive literature search using Medline and CINAHL. Each article was examined using the Polit and Beck (2017) assessment criteria followed by a cross table analysis. The results identified common themes across the studies including lack of infrastructure such as access to reliable power, water and oxygen, resources such as medications and basic anesthesia equipment, training focusing on maternal care and anesthesia and continuing education for providers. Knowing these deficiencies in anesthetic care, nurse anesthetists can assist in implementing changes to help reduce the MMR. Recommendations include encouraging hospitals and governments to make updating hospital infrastructure a priority, reaching out to groups such as the World Health Organization who help fund basic equipment such as pulse oximeters, establishing relationships with medical institutions in other regions to provide training and guidance, and focusing on the development of non-physician anesthetist programs to increase the number of proficient providers.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Vaccine and Psychosocial Challenges

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-191
Author(s):  
Dae Jung Kim ◽  
Jung Yeon Heo ◽  
Hyun Soo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Vaccination Rate ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
The Past ◽  
The World ◽  
Psychosocial Challenges ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Fourth Wave

It has been a year and half since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As of July 23, 2021, more than 193 million people worldwide have been confirmed to contract the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), with more than 4.15 million deaths. In Korea, about 185,000 people have been confirmed and 2,066 have died of COVID-19. Korea is in the middle of the fourth wave of trends, and the metropolitan area is in the top stage of social distancing. Since the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination began in the UK in December 2020, the number of people who complete vaccination is only 13.3% around the world, and many low-income countries have less than 5%. In Korea, the first vaccination rate was 32.27%, but only 13% completed the vaccination until July 23. As expected, there has been a lot of confusion, controversy, and even fake news and rumors over the past five months since the vaccination against COVID-19 began in Korea on February 26, 2021. People’s views on vaccination are bound to vary depending on their experience, perspective, and even political stance. In this article, we wanted to introduce the arguments and conflicts that could arise during vaccinations and suggest what we should think about so that many people can get vaccinated without hesitation.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence Estimates of Latent and Acute Toxoplasma Infections in HIV+ People—Call for Action in Underprivileged Communities

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 2034
Author(s):  
Ali Rostami ◽  
Seyed Mohammad Riahi ◽  
Shayan Abdollahzadeh Sagha ◽  
Ali Taghipour ◽  
Mahdi Sepidarkish ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Seroprevalence Data ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

We undertook a comprehensive, systematic review of observational studies to estimate respective seroprevalences of latent and acute Toxoplasma gondii infections in HIV+ people at the global, regional and country levels; related seroprevalence to socio-economic variables and CD4+ cell counts; and assessed temporal changes in prevalence and risk factors for this group. We systematically searched international databases for seroepidemiological surveys between 1 January 1980 and 31 July 2020. We used a random effects model to calculate pooled seroprevalences with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and estimated the numbers of HIV+ people inferred to harbour latent and acute T. gondii infections (LT or AT). We grouped seroprevalence data according to the geographic regions defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and conducted subgroup and meta-regression analyses of the data. Of a total of 4024 studies identified, 150 and 65 of them met the inclusion criteria for LT and AT in HIV+ people, respectively. The overall, pooled seroprevalences of LT and AT were 37.4% (95% CI, 33.4–41.4) and 1.3% (95% CI, 0.9–1.8%), equating to ~14.2 and 0.5 million HIV+ people, respectively. Most HIV+ people with T. gondii infections originated from Africa, and the highest seroprevalences were in low-income countries with low human development indices. Significant risk factors for toxoplasmosis in HIV+ patients included the consumption of raw/undercooked meat, frequent contact with soil, a low CD4+ T lymphocyte number (<200 cells per μL) and age. Overall, the finding of high seroprevalences of particularly latent T. gondii infection in HIV+ people in underprivileged regions of the world, such as parts of Africa, calls for preventative action. Programs that include routine serological monitoring, counselling, care, animal control and/or prophylactic treatment measures are needed to prevent severe toxoplasmosis from developing in people living with HIV infection. Our study highlights the potential importance of parasite chemoprophylaxis in resource-poor settings, particularly in low-income countries.

scholarly journals Is cholera disease associated with poverty?

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (06) ◽  
pp. 408-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arturo Talavera ◽  
Ela M. Perez
Keyword(s):  
World Health Organization ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Disease Incidence ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Intrinsic Factors ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Global Threat ◽  
Key Indicators

Background: Cholera remains a global threat and is one of the key indicators of social development. While the disease no longer poses a menace to countries with minimum standards of hygiene, it remains a serious challenge to countries where access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation cannot be guaranteed. The objective of this work was to analyse the results obtained when contrasting the reports of the World Health Organization (WHO) about cholera disease with those of the World Bank List of economies (countries). Methodology: Data were obtained from reports of two international organizations, the report on cholera disease incidence of the World Health Organization and the World Bank’s classification of countries attending to their income. Results: We determined that low-income countries are more affected by cholera disease than countries with middle or high income. This difference was reflected in the percent of countries, the total number of reported cases, the number of cases per 100,000 habitants, as well as in the reported mortality. These results support the phrase “cholera disease is a disease of poverty.” Conclusions: We consider that economic development is an important factor in the morbidity and mortality of cholera, together with environment, climate, culture, medical management, political intention, and the intrinsic factors of the system.

scholarly journals Newborn and Infant Hearing Screening Facing Globally Growing Numbers of People Suffering from Disabling Hearing Loss

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Neumann ◽  
Shelly Chadha ◽  
George Tavartkiladze ◽  
Xingkuan Bu ◽  
Karl White
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Data Transfer ◽  
Hearing Screening ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
National Committee ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Screening Programs ◽  
The World

Recent prevalence estimates indicate that in 2015 almost half a billion people—about 6.8% of the world’s population—had disabling hearing loss and that prevalence numbers will further increase. The World Health Organization (WHO) currently estimates that at least 34 million children under the age of 15 have disabling hearing loss. Based on a 2012 WHO report, approximately 7.5 million of these children were under the age of 5 years. This review article focuses on the importance of high-quality newborn and infant hearing screening (NIHS) programs as one strategy to ameliorate disabling hearing loss as a global health problem. Two WHO resolutions regarding the prevention of deafness and hearing loss have been adopted urging member states to implement screening programs for early identification of ear diseases and hearing loss in babies and young children. The effectiveness of these programs depends on factors such as governmental mandates and guidance; presence of a national committee with involvement of professionals, industries, and stakeholders; central oversight of hearing screening; clear definition of target parameters; presence of tracking systems with bi-directional data transfer from screening devices to screening centers; accessibility of pediatric audiological services and rehabilitation programs; using telemedicine where connectivity is available; and the opportunity for case discussions in professional excellence circles with boards of experts. There is a lack of such programs in middle- and low-income countries, but even in high-income countries there is potential for improvement. Facing the still growing burden of disabling hearing loss around the world, there is a need to invest in national, high-quality NIHS programs.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Vaccines for the low-income Countries; challenges and the way forward

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-80
Author(s):  
Purushottam Adhikari ◽  
Sangeeta Poudel ◽  
Asmita Itani ◽  
Swotantra Gautam ◽  
Saroj Adhkari Yadav
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Common People ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

The vaccine rollout has started for the health workers as well as common people all around the world. The production has been going on rapidly, but the poor and low income countries are still lagging behind to get in the vaccine race and have their people vaccinated. A group of several international non-governmental organizations have warned about 90% of people in 67 low-income countries to have a low chance of being vaccinated in 2021 due to more than a necessary number of vaccines reserved by developed countries. COVAX program, co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, along with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has raised rays of hope but it’s still long way to go. Vaccine hesitancy among the public, logistics and storage difficulty and emergence of new variants has emerged as potential challenges for COVID-19 vaccination in developing countries.

scholarly journals Tuberculosis and Non-Communicable Disease Multimorbidity: An Analysis of the World Health Survey in 48 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2439
Author(s):  
Brendon Stubbs ◽  
Kamran Siddiqi ◽  
Helen Elsey ◽  
Najma Siddiqi ◽  
Ruimin Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Survey ◽  
Low Income ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
World Health Survey ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). TB multimorbidity [TB and ≥1 non-communicable diseases (NCDs)] is common, but studies are sparse. Cross-sectional, community-based data including adults from 21 low-income countries and 27 middle-income countries were utilized from the World Health Survey. Associations between 9 NCDs and TB were assessed with multivariable logistic regression analysis. Years lived with disability (YLDs) were calculated using disability weights provided by the 2017 Global Burden of Disease Study. Eight out of 9 NCDs (all except visual impairment) were associated with TB (odds ratio (OR) ranging from 1.38–4.0). Prevalence of self-reported TB increased linearly with increasing numbers of NCDs. Compared to those with no NCDs, those who had 1, 2, 3, 4, and ≥5 NCDs had 2.61 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.14–3.22), 4.71 (95%CI = 3.67–6.11), 6.96 (95%CI = 4.95–9.87), 10.59 (95%CI = 7.10–15.80), and 19.89 (95%CI = 11.13–35.52) times higher odds for TB. Among those with TB, the most prevalent combinations of NCDs were angina and depression, followed by angina and arthritis. For people with TB, the YLDs were three times higher than in people without multimorbidity or TB, and a third of the YLDs were attributable to NCDs. Urgent research to understand, prevent and manage NCDs in people with TB in LMICs is needed.

scholarly journals Examination of WHO/INRUD Core Drug Use Indicators at Public Primary Healthcare Centers in Kisii County, Kenya

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faith A. Okalebo ◽  
Eric M. Guantai ◽  
Aggrey O. Nyabuti
Keyword(s):  
Drug Use ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
Essential Medicines ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Rational Use ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Consultation Time ◽  
Primary Healthcare Centers

ABSTRACTBackgroundIrrational drug use is a global problem. However, the extent of the problem is higher in low-income countries. This study set out to assess and characterize drug use at the public primary healthcare centers (PPHCCs) in a rural county in Kenya, using the World Health Organization/ International Network for the Rational Use of Drugs (WHO/INRUD) core drug use indicators methodology.MethodsTen PPHCCs were randomly selected. From each PPHCC, ninety prescriptions from October to December 2018 were sampled and data extracted. Three-hundred (30 per PPHCC) patients and ten (1 per PPHCC) dispensers were also observed and interviewed. The WHO/INRUD core drug use indicators were used to assess the patterns of drug use.ResultsThe average number of drugs per prescription was 2.9 (SD 0.5) (recommended: 1.6– 1.8), percentage of drugs prescribed by generic names was 27.7% (recommended: 100%); the percentage of prescriptions with an antibiotic was 84.8% (recommended: 20.0–26.8%), and with an injection prescribed was 24.9% (recommended: 13.4–24.1%). The percentage of prescribed drugs from the Kenya Essential Medicines List was 96.7% (recommended: 100%). The average consultation time was 4.1 min (SD 1.7) (recommended: ≥10 min), the average dispensing time was 131.5 sec (SD 41.5) (recommended: ≥90 sec), the percentage of drugs actually dispensed was 76.3% (recommended: 100%), the percentage of drugs adequately labeled was 22.6% (recommended: 100%) and percentage of patients with correct knowledge of dispensed drugs was 54.7% (recommended: 100%). Only 20% of the PPHCCs had a copy of KEML available, and 80% of the selected essential drugs assessed were available.ConclusionThe survey shows irrational drug use practices, particularly polypharmacy, non-generic prescribing, overuse of antibiotics, short consultation time and inadequacy of drug labeling. Effective programs and activities promoting the rational use of drugs are the key interventions suggested at all the health facilities.

scholarly journals Attitude and Behaviour For Preventing COVID-19 Disease Infections in Mali: An Analysis Based On COVID-19 Panel Phone Survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilfried GUETS ◽  
Deepak Kumar Behera
Keyword(s):  
World Bank ◽  
Low Income ◽  
World Health ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Model ◽  
The World Bank ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
Phone Survey ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
National Statistical Office

Abstract Background COVID-19 outbreak has been declared as an emerging and conflict situation by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to the multiple nature of infection through international spread that poses a serious threat to populations’ health and socio-economic conditions household in general. Objective This study aims to analyse the behaviour adopted by households’ heads for preventing COVID-19 infection in Mali. Methods We collected data from the COVID-19 Panel Households survey collected in Mali by the National Statistical Office, Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), in collaboration with the World Bank in October 2020. We used a multivariate logistic regression model. Results A total of 1,514 households heads were included. The age between 20 and 90 years old. The poor households represented 27%. Being a household with a low-income reduced the probability of using masks (p < 0.1). Being poor increased the probability to agree with vaccination (p < 0.01). The health services utilisation increased the probability of wear masks (p < 0.01), getting tested (p < 0.01), and agree with the vaccine (p < 0.01). People with a high occupation volume were more likely to wear protective masks (p < 0.1). Conclusion Behaviour and attitude prevention varied according to households characteristics. Local government and policymakers should continue to provide more economic, medical and social assistance to protect the population, which would reduce the spread of the disease, particularly to households living in vulnerable regions of the country most affected by conflict and food insecurity.

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