Assessment of Building Coverage and Environmental Quality of Residential Area in Nkpor Uno Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria

This study was conducted to assess the building coverage and environmental quality of residential area in Nkpor Uno Idemili North L.G, Nigeria. The study employed a descriptive survey design to find out level of compliance of buildings to planning regulations. One hundred and eighty (180) were interviewed using a modified instrument (questionnaire). The data collected were coded into SPSS and analyzed with descriptive statistics. The results showed that 72(40%) reported inadequate setback as a major effect of over built buildings, 55(30.6%) reported inadequate free air space, 37(20.6%) said inadequate ventilation and lighting. Also, the nature of drainage system provided in residential areas; 76(42.2%) has no drainage system, 70(38.9%) has close drainage system. The building coverage of residential houses in the study area; 60(33.3%) has their building falls under 51-75% for over built, 48(26.7%) has their building falls under 76-100% for overbuilt. For the factors influencing the percentage of area built upon, 57(31.7%) has greed and no money to acquire a large plot of land, 47(26.0%) has no land space to built their desirable house. Then, non adherence to provision of adequate ventilation and lighting in the residential houses in the study area affects the dwellers’ health and such factors can promote communicable diseases. In conclusion, it was observed that the compliance rate was not encouraging because the planning regulations recorded very low compliance as include set–back from property boundaries; inadequate free air space; lost of aesthetic values, and inadequate ventilation and lighting. Therefore, government should embark on enforcement of land use plan, and strategic plans for various towns and villages to accommodate its utilities and facilities.

Perioperative Management of Percutaneous Dilated Tracheostomy for Patient during Intensive Care after Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) Shunt Installation

Background: Tracheostomy is a technique used to treat patients with inadequate ventilation and upper airway obstruction by making air passage through the neck directly into the trachea. Percutaneous dilated tracheostomy is usually performed in patients requiring long-term use of a ventilator in an intensive care unit. Basic knowledge of perioperative management of percutaneous dilated tracheostomy is fundamental and must be mastered by anesthesiologists. Case: A woman, 45 years old is treated at dr. Moewardi hospital with decreased consciousness E2V2M3, non-communicant hydrocephalus, and intraventricular hemorrhage. The patient underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery and was admitted to the intensive care unit. Patients require long-term use of a ventilator and thus require percutaneous dilated tracheostomy. The percutaneous dilated tracheostomy procedure was successfully performed and there were no complications after the procedure. Conclusion: Percutaneous dilated tracheostomy is a minimally invasive tracheostomy technique as an alternative to conventional techniques, with lower complications and shorter time.

Individual calculation of perfusion activity based on ventilation efficiency for V/P-SPECT

Aim Implementation of the individual calculation of perfusion activity to ensure the guideline-compliant ratio of perfusion to ventilation (P/V-ratio) of ≥ 3 in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) using V/P-SPECT. Material and Methods 50 consecutive V/P-SPECT examinations, in which a standard activity of 160 MBq was applied for perfusion imaging, are evaluated retrospectively. Based on this patient group an activity factor is determined, which provides a correlation between the applied perfusion activity and the expected perfusion counts of the gamma camera. Using the mean activity factor, the perfusion activity required for a P/V-ratio of four is calculated using the previously acquired ventilation count rate. This is applied prospectively to the 100 subsequent examinations. Results The mean perfusion activity factor is (54.56 ± 10.13) cps/MBq. The individually calculated perfusion activities range from 80 MBq to 200 MBq with an average value of (146.9 ± 35.3) MBq and a median of 140 MBq. The individual activity calculation thus reduced the mean perfusion activity by 8.2 % and the median by 12.5 %. In addition, the individual calculation reduced the proportion of P/V ratios < 3 from 14 % to 0 % and the proportion of P/V ratios > 5 from 24 % to 19 %. Conclusion The presented method for the individual calculation of perfusion activity offers a simple way to ensure a guideline-compliant P/V-ratio. Furthermore, unnecessarily high perfusion activity as a result of inadequate ventilation can be avoided.

The Perception of the Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ) of Private Hostels in Ifite-Awka, Nigeria

This study aimed at evaluating the indoor environment conditions of the private hostels in Ifite Awka Anambra state with a view to establishing its quality and impacts on students dwelling on these hostels in the study area. Being a survey research, the study was affected by the use of questionnaire, literature searches and direct observations. Accordingly, a total of 311 questionnaires were administered while 258 questionnaires which represent 83% were returned and found useful. The study found that IEQ parameters of hostels in study area are: Indoor air quality was poor due to inadequate ventilation of rooms; thermal comfort of rooms was found to be warm; indoor light quality was found good and the acoustics comfort and noise slightly good and to some extent poor. Therefore, the study recommended that during the design and construction of buildings, IEQ parameters should be considered, so as to obtain a quality indoor environment.

Redesigning the ventilated improved pit latrine for use in built-up low-income settings

The ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine has the potential to address the challenge of access to improved sanitation in built-up low-income settings. However, its conventional technical design fails to address the needs and preferences of some users. The objective of this paper was to test the technical performance of modified engineering designs of the technology to respond to some preferences of toilet users. The entry of air from multiple windows in the superstructure and installation of insect screens in windows were tested in an experimental VIP latrine. The modified design achieved the recommended ventilation rate of 20 m3/h when a vent pipe diameter of 150 mm was used. The study concludes that adopting a multidirectional airflow design leads to a lower ventilation rate as compared to the conventional design. However, when fitted with the recommended size of vent pipe, this modified design achieves more than twice the recommended ventilation rate with or without an insect screen installed in the windows. Nevertheless, the practice in which 100 mm diameter vent pipes are used with insect screens installed in windows is likely to lead to odour problems due to inadequate ventilation through the vent pipe.

Assessment of socio-clinical profile of paediatric TB cases admitted to tertiary health care centre, Odisha, India

Background: Tuberculosis is continued to be a major killer of mankind. Childhood tuberculosis contributes to high mortality due to diagnostic difficulty. Different social factors are responsible for its causation. The objective of the study was to assess the socio clinical factors prevalent among paediatric TB cases admitted to MKCG Medical College.Methods: It was a cross sectional study carried out in the indoor paediatric ward of MKCG medical college. Duration of the study was from August 2016 to July 2017. Study participants were all admitted paediatric cases of age group less than 14 years. Data collected through scientifically designed pretested questionnaires.Results: Total 103 patients were admitted during study period of whom, 54% were male. Their median age was 8 years. They were mostly Hindu by religion (98%) and from lower socioeconomic classes (77%). Majority (60%) were from nuclear family (59%) and families of BPL card holder. Most of their parents had low educational status. Physical overcrowding, inadequate ventilation in the house and smoking were main epidemiological factors observed.Conclusions: It was concluded from the above study group, socioeconomic and environmental risk factors were widely prevalent among them. So, control of these factors are the priority issues to be addressed and improvement of these conditions are recommended for effectiveness of the curative measures.