scholarly journals Socio-Economic and Political Impact of Pandemics in the African Continent and Regional Mechanisms to Mitigate it

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1613-1623
Author(s):  
Sultan Khan
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
African Continent ◽  
Nation States ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
History Of ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Basic Infrastructure ◽  
The Impact

Throughout the history of African societies, pandemics have claimed, in some instances more lives than warfare. Africa is susceptible to many pandemics. Given the state of underdevelopment amongst African nation-states characterised by low levels of education, poor health care facilities, lack of basic infrastructure, poverty, low levels of income, lack of skilled health care workers, and many more factors, it is not sufficiently equipped to handle pandemics that are life-threatening. Hence, it is prone to outbreaks of infectious diseases. Pandemics cause the socio-economic crisis, which in turn affects political stability. In the history of Africa, the Ebola disease, HIV/Aids, Cholera are some of the major diseases that have ravished nation-states in contemporary times. Now, just like other parts of the world, it has to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic that has far-reaching consequences. This article seeks to interrogate the nature and causes of major pandemics in the globe and the African continent and the steps taken to ameliorate these. It further examines the impact of pandemics on the socio-economic and political spheres of life in the continent.

scholarly journals Culture, health and well-being sit in places. Impact of COVID-19 on the African Society: geo-anthropological perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-103
Author(s):  
Nicoletta Varani ◽  
Anna Siri ◽  
Enrico Bernardini
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
World Health ◽  
Critical Element ◽  
African Continent ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Through an interdisciplinary contribution, the authors intend to propose an updated framework of the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic on the African continent and some critical reflections on various geopolitical and geo-anthropological aspects concerning the new vulnerabilities associated with the pandemic crisis in Africa and the importance of culture and its effects on well-being and health. The pandemic seems to have hit the African continent much less severely than the rest of the world, with a mortality index (2,4%) lower than the global one (3,5%). The spread of the virus in this geographical area is largely underestimated because health care facilities do not have the tracking power that rich countries have, several factors show how Africa is managing to counter the impact of the pandemic. One reason could be the intervention of the immune capacity of a population exposed in the recent past to numerous other infections that could have stimulated greater protection, both in terms of innate and acquired immunity. The dispersion of the rural population, which represents the majority of the African population (43%), could act as a geographical barrier to the virus. It is a complex picture where there are feelings of distrust between the institutions and the population on the management of the pandemic and the circulation of an excessive amount of data that creates confusion. In the African context, the need to understand the relationship between culture and health becomes fundamental. If the role of cultural values is underestimated, the positive potential of culture as a critical element for maintaining and improving health is negated. According to the World Health Organization, traditional medicine is the cornerstone of health care or its complement in the countries where community membership is most deeply rooted. In Africa, the World Health Organisation estimates that 85% of the population uses it because it is more widespread and accessible than traditional healing systems. Only one form of contagion travels faster than a virus. And that’s fear. Dan Brown

Assessing the Preparedness of Healthcare Facilities for Disasters and Emergencies in Damghan, Iran

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Behrad Pourmohammadi ◽  
Ahad Heydari ◽  
Farin Fatemi ◽  
Ali Modarresi
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives: Iran is exposed to a wide range of natural and man-made hazards. Health-care facilities can play a significant role in providing life-saving measures in the minutes and hours immediately following the impact or exposure. The aim of this study was to determine the preparedness of health-care facilities in disasters and emergencies. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Damghan, Semnan Province, in 2019. The samples consisted of all the 11 health-care facilities located in Damghan County. A developed checklist was used to collect the data, including 272 questions in 4 sections: understanding threatening hazards, functional, structural, and nonstructural vulnerability of health-care facilities. The data were analyzed using SPSS 21. Results: The results revealed that the health-care facilities were exposed to 22 different natural and man-made hazards throughout the county. The total level of preparedness of the health-care centers under assessment was 45.8%. The average functional, structural, and nonstructural vulnerability was assessed at 49.3%, 31.6%, and 56.4%, respectively. Conclusions: Conducting mitigation measures is necessary for promoting the functional and structural preparedness. Disaster educational programs and exercises are recommended among the health staff in health-care facilities.

scholarly journals N-CDAD in Canada: Results of the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program 1997 N-CDAD Prevalence Surveillance Project

2001 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meaghen Hyland ◽  
Marianna Ofner-Agostini ◽  
Mark Miller ◽  
Shirley Paton ◽  
Marie Gourdeau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Nosocomial Infection ◽  
Toxin Production ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Surveillance Program ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Case Definitions ◽  
Infection Surveillance ◽  
Positive Stool ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND:A 1996 preproject survey among Canadian Hospital Epidemiology Committee (CHEC) sites revealed variations in the prevention, detection, management and surveillance ofClostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD). Facilities wanted to establish national rates of nosocomially acquired CDAD (N-CDAD) to understand the impact of control or prevention measures, and the burden of N-CDAD on health care resources. The CHEC, in collaboration with the Laboratory Centre for Disease Control (Health Canada) and under the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program, undertook a prevalence surveillance project among selected hospitals throughout Canada.OBJECTIVE:To establish national prevalence rates of N-CDAD.METHODS:For six weeks in 1997, selected CHEC sites tested all diarrheal stools from inpatients for eitherC difficiletoxin orC difficilebacteria with evidence of toxin production. Questionnaires were completed for patients with positive stool assays who met the case definitions.RESULTS:Nineteen health care facilities in eight provinces participated in the project. The overall prevalence of N-CDAD was 13.0% (95% CI 9.5% to 16.5%). The mean number of N-CDAD cases were 66.3 cases/100,000 patient days (95% CI

scholarly journals History of health technology assessment in Belgium

2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (S1) ◽  
pp. 82-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Cleemput ◽  
Philippe Van Wilder
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Good Clinical Practice ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Services Research ◽  
Drug Reimbursement ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Further Development

Objectives: This paper gives an overview of health technology assessment (HTA) in Belgium.Methods: The information included in the overview is based on legal documents and publicly available year reports of the Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE).Results: Belgium has a relatively young history in HTA. The principle of evidence-based medicine (EBM) was introduced in the drug reimbursement procedure in 2001, with the establishment of the Drug Reimbursement Committee (DRC). The DRC assesses the efficacy, safety, convenience, applicability, and effectiveness of a drug relative to existing treatment alternatives. For some drugs, relative cost-effectiveness is also evaluated. The activities of the DRC can, therefore, be considered to be the first official HTA activities in Belgium. Later, in 2003, KCE was established. Its mission was to perform policy preparing research in the healthcare and health insurance sector and to give advice to policy makers about how they can obtain an efficient allocation of limited healthcare resources that optimizes the quality and accessibility of health care. This broad mission has been operationalized by activities in three domains of research: HTA, health services research, and good clinical practice. KCE is independent from the policy maker. Its HTAs contain policy recommendations that may inform policy decisions but are not binding.Conclusions: Although the Belgian history of HTA is relatively short, its foundations are strong and the impact of HTA increasing. Nevertheless KCE has many challenges for the future, including continued quality assurance, further development of international collaboration, and further development of methodological guidance for HTA.

scholarly journals The Impact of Tracheotomy on the Eventual Outcome of Surgery for Benign Laryngotracheal Stenosis in a Tertiary Health Care Setup

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-56
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Definitive Treatment ◽  
Laryngotracheal Stenosis ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Tertiary Healthcare ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Eventual Outcome ◽  
Outcome Of Surgery

ABSTRACT Introduction Acquired benign laryngotracheal stenosis is often preventable. A majority of such patients have a history of some airway intervention, ranging from a planned endotracheal intubation for the purpose of anesthesia, to an emergency tracheotomy in the setting of stridor. The primary aim of the first treating clinician is to secure the airway, and often these patients already have a tracheotomy at the time of initial presentation. Materials and methods We analyzed 80 patients that have been managed for varying grades and locations of acquired benign laryngotracheal stenosis presenting to a tertiary healthcare centre, and analyzed the impact of tracheotomy on the eventual outcome. Summary and conclusion Tracheotomies performed in patients suffering from stenosis in the airway pose technical challenges. If planned even in the most urgent situations, they can play a vital role in determining the eventual outcome of the definitive treatment. The site, technique and care of the tracheotomy are key factors in determining the eventual outcome. How to cite this article Hathiram BT, Khattar VS. The Impact of Tracheotomy on the Eventual Outcome of Surgery for Benign Laryngotracheal Stenosis in a Tertiary Health Care Setup. Int J Otorhinolaryngol Clin 2015;7(2):51-56.

scholarly journals The impact of introducing ambulance and delivery fees in a rural hospital in Tanzania.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinna Vossius ◽  
Estomih Md ◽  
Robert Moshiro ◽  
Paschal M ◽  
Jan Terje Kvaløy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Low Birthweight ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Health Care Facility ◽  
Skilled Birth Attendance ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Birth Attendance ◽  
Vaginal Deliveries ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Access to health care facilities is a key requirement to enhance safety for mothers and newborns during labour and delivery. Haydom Lutheran Hospital (HLH) is a regional hospital in rural Tanzania with a catchment area of about two million inhabitants. Up to June 2013 ambulance transport and delivery at HLH were free of charge, while a user fee for both services was introduced from January 2014. We aimed to explore the impact of introducing user fees on the population of women giving birth at HLH in order to document potentially unwanted consequences in the period after introduction of fees . Methods: Retrospective analysis of data from a prospective observational study. Data was compared between the period before introduction of fees from February 2010 through June 2013 and the period after from January 2014 through January 2017. Logistic regression modelling was used to construct risk-adjusted variable-life adjusted display (VLAD) and cumulative sum (CUSUM) plots to monitor changes. Results: A total of 28,601 births were observed. The monthly number of births was reduced by 17.3% during the post-introduction period. Spontaneous vaginal deliveries were registered less frequently, while labour complication and caesarean sections were more frequent. There was a reduction of newborns with birth weight less than 2500 grams. The observed changes were stable over time. For most variables, a significant change could be detected after a few weeks. Conclusion: After the introduction of ambulance and delivery fees an increase in labour complications and caesarean sections of about 80 per 1000 births and a decrease in non-cephalic presentations and newborns with low birthweight of about 17 per 1000 births each was observed. This might indicate that women delay the decision to seek skilled birth attendance or do not seek help at all, possibly due to financial reasons. Lower rates of births in a safe health care facility like HLH is of great concern, as access to skilled birth attendance is a key requirement in order to further reduce perinatal mortality. Therefore, free delivery care should be a high priority.

scholarly journals (A3) Health Care Facilities Affected by the Earthquake in Chile

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s1-s2
Author(s):  
C. Bambaren
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Biomedical Equipment ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Health Care Infrastructure ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionOn February 27, 2010, a 8,8 MW earthquake struck the central and southern coast of Chile, that was followed by a tsunami that destroyed some cities such as Constitution, Ilaco, Talcahuando and Dichato. The national authorities reported 512 dead and 81,444 homes were affected. It was the one of the five most powerful earthquakes in the human modern history. The most affected regions were Maule (VII) and Bio (VIII).ResultsThe impact of the quake in the health sector was enormous especially on the health care infrastructure. The preliminary evaluations showed that 18 hospitals were out of service due severe structural and no-structural damages, interruption of the provision of water or because they were at risk to landslides. Another 31 hospitals had moderate damage. The Ministry of Health lost 4249 beds including 297 (7%) in critical care units. Twenty-two percent of the total number of beds and thirty-nine surgical facilities available in the affected regions were lost in a few minutes due to quake. At least eight hospitals should be reconstructed and other hospitals will need complex repair.ConclusionThe effect of the earthquake was significant on hospital services. It included damages to the infrastructure and the loss of furniture and biomedical equipment. The interruption of the cold chain caused loss of vaccines. National and foreign field hospitals, temporary facilities and the strengthening of the primary health care facilities had been important to assure the continuation of health care services. *Based on information from PAHO – Chile.

scholarly journals The familiar stranger of mental health

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 237-247
Author(s):  
Matthew Sydney Long
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Health Facility ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Service User ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Mental Health Facility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to contribute to the debate about the closure of institutional mental health-care facilities, from an experiential perspective of a former mental health inpatient, ongoing service user and campaigner for retention of such facilities. It argues that auto-ethnographic accounts of mental illness by those with multiple social identities can have a greater role in terms of future training of mental health-care professionals. Design/methodology/approach The paper offers an experiential account of the impact of mental health facility bed closures as a patient admitted to institutional mental health facilities; as a mental health campaigner, fighting for the provision of both places of safety and “safe space” within his own local community; and as an ongoing service user. The research is in the interpretivist tradition of social science in taking an auto-ethnographical methodological stance. Findings This paper is underpinned by two key theoretical notions. Firstly, Stuart Hall’s concept of the Familiar Stranger (2017) is used to explore the tensions of self-identity as the author SHIFTS uncomfortably between his three-fold statuses. Secondly, the notion of “ontological insecurity” offered by Giddens (1991) is used with the paper exploring the paradox that admission to a mental health facility so-called “place of safety” is in fact itself a disorientating experience for both patient and carer(s). Research limitations/implications No positivistic claims to reliability, representativeness or generalisability can be made. It is the authenticity of the account which the reader feels should be afforded primacy in terms of its original contribution to knowledge. Practical implications This paper should have practical use for those tasked with developing educational and training curriculums for professionals across the mental health-care sector. Social implications This paper implicitly assesses the political wisdom of the policy of mental health bed closures within the wider context of the deinstitutionalisation movement. Originality/value This paper is underpinned by original experiential accounts from the author as patient, campaigner for places of safety and onging service-user of mental health care provision.

Renovation in hospitals: a case study on the use of control cubes for local repairs in health-care facilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-257
Author(s):  
Ehsan Mousavi ◽  
Vivek Sharma ◽  
Dhaval Gajjar ◽  
Shervin Shoai Naini
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Repair Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Pathogenic Agents ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the control cubes for dust control in health-care facilities. Research shows that more than 80% of pathogenic agents in hospitals are spread into the air, where they either remain airborne or deposit on the surface. At the same time, renovation and repair activities, including regular maintenance, are a necessity in active health-care facilities and a multitude of studies have documented their impact on indoor air quality. The dust that is generated by construction activities may potentially carry pathogenic agents, varying from coarse particles (≤10 µm, PM10) to fine particles (≤2.5 µm, PM2.5), including airborne bacteria, and fungal spores linked to high patient mortality in immune-compromised patients. Design/methodology/approach This study measures the impact and effectiveness of one such preventative measure, namely, the control cube (CC), on air quality during renovation and repair. CC is a temporary structure, typically made from stainless steel, around the local repair zone to minimize the spread of dust and potential microorganisms. The current paper presents a comparative analysis to identify the effectiveness of a CC equipped with the high-efficiency particulate filtration (HEPA) filter in a hospital setting by simulating construction renovation and repair work. Findings A baseline was established to measure the effectiveness of CCs and the impact of negative pressure on the indoor air quality in a hospital during simulated renovation work. Results showed that CCs are very effective in minimizing the spread of dust due to construction activities in the hospital. However, it is imperative to ensure that the air inside the CC is cleaned via filtration. Originality/value CCs are very effective, and this paper investigates the best approach for facility managers to implement this strategy.

scholarly journals The Spiritism as therapy in the health care in the epilepsy

2016 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 804-810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Luiz Vancini ◽  
Claudio Andre Barbosa de Lira ◽  
Cássia Regina Vancini-Campanharo ◽  
Dulce Aparecida Barbosa ◽  
Ricardo Mario Arida
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Neurological Disorders ◽  
Complementary Treatment ◽  
Positive Coping ◽  
Health Dimension ◽  
Important Health ◽  
History Of ◽  
Patients With Epilepsy ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Objective: to present a brief history of Spiritism, the vision of epilepsy by Spiritism, and the potential of spirituality and religiosity care as complementary and coadjutants treatments in epilepsy. Method: this is a brief review about the impact of faith, spirituality, and religiosity, particularly the Spiritism philosophy as complementary treatment to neurological disorders (particularly focusing on epilepsy) and mental health. We conduct a review of published articles (about religion/spirituality and epilepsy) in the Pubmed and SciELO databases. Conclusion: the exercise of spirituality and religiosity can be a positive coping strategy to support the traditional therapy of patients with epilepsy and other neurological disorders. However, it is necessary to demystify myths and beliefs about the epilepsy and improve knowledge about this important health dimension among professionals, patients, and caregivers to explore their full treatment and supportive potential.

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