The Cardiovascular Journal of Africa (CVJA) is an international peer-reviewed journal that keeps cardiologists up to date with advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Topics covered include coronary disease, electrophysiology, valve disease, imaging techniques, congenital ...heart disease (fetal, paediatric and adult), heart failure, surgery, and basic science.
more
This report summarizes the findings of the Health Financing Progress Matrix assessment for Zambia. Recognizing the remarkable progress towards UHC made by the country over the past twenty years, the report also highlights weaknesses in the current health financing system and, extending from this, th...ose priority issues to be addressed in order to further accelerate Zambia’s progress towards universal health coverage (UHC).
more
Lancet Public Health. 2019 Dec 20. pii: S2468-2667(19)30246-4. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30246-4.
Objetivos.
Estimar la carga de tuberculosis (TB) en menores de 15 años y describir las características clínico, epidemiológicas y los resultados del tratamiento antituberculoso en Ecuador.
Métodos.
Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo utilizando los datos del programa nacional de TB de los... años 2015 y 2016. Se estimaron la tasa y el porcentaje de casos de TB infantil y se describieron las características de la enfermedad y el resultado del tratamiento según las categorías de edad: 0-4, 5-9 y 10-14 años.
Resultados.
De los 10 991 casos de TB diagnosticados, 223 (2,03%) fueron menores de 15 años; según la región del país esta carga varió entre 0 y 5,5%. De los 223 casos, en 213 se había registrado el resultado del tratamiento y fueron incluidos en el estudio; 78 (37%) eran menores de 5 años y en 147 (69%) no hubo registro de la investigación de contactos. Sesenta y cinco (68%) de los adolescentes y 40 (51%) de los menores de 5 años tenían diagnóstico de TB pulmonar. La prevalencia de VIH fue 11,5% en los menores 5 años y 6,3% en el grupo de 10-14 años. El tratamiento fue satisfactorio en el 93% de los casos, (curación, 36,6%, tratamiento terminado, 56,8%).
Conclusiones:
Ecuador presenta un alto porcentaje de subdiagnóstico de TB infantil y una carga menor a la esperada, principalmente en menores de 5 años. La alta prevalencia de VIH y la falta de sistematización adecuada de la investigación de contactos en los adolescentes revelan la necesidad de considerar estrategias centradas en la familia y que involucren la capacitación del personal de salud en el manejo del paciente pediátrico centrándose en las necesidades específicas de cada población.
more
Accessed on 03.03.2020
Situatiuon sanitaire du Sénégal
Dr Boubacar SARR - Coordonnateur du Programme National de Lutte contre la Cécité
Despite progress in improving antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people with HIV in Malawi, the burden of HIV infections and HIV treatment outcomes among key populations is suboptimal. Client-centered differentiated service delivery approaches may facilitate addressing HIV prevention and treatment nee...ds of key populations in Malawi.
Methods
De-identified program data routinely collected as part of the LINKAGES project–Malawi were assembled from October 2017 to September 2019. HIV case finding was compared across different testing modalities for each population. Poisson regression was used to estimate the association between testing modalities and ART initiation.
Results
Of the 18 397 people included in analyses, 10 627 (58%) were female sex workers (FSWs), 2219 (12%) were men who have sex with men (MSM), and 4970 (27%) were clients of FSWs. HIV case finding varied by modality and population, with index testing and enhanced peer outreach demonstrating high yield despite reaching relatively few individuals. FSWs who tested positive through risk network referral testing were more likely to initiate ART within 30 days compared with those who tested positive through clinic-based testing (adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 1.50; 95% CI, 1.23–1.82). For MSM, index testing (aRR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.06–2.00) and testing through a drop-in center (aRR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.19–2.78) were associated with 30-day ART initiation.
Conclusions
These data suggest that differentiated HIV testing and outreach approaches tailored to the needs of different key populations may facilitate improved ART initiation in Malawi. Achieving 0 new infections by 2030 suggests the need to adapt treatment strategies given individual and structural barriers to treatment for key populations with HIV in high-prevalence settings.
more
Los pueblos indígenas presentan tasas más altas de morbilidad y mortalidad por tuberculosis (tb) que los demás grupos étnicos. El acceso limitado a servicios de salud debido a la ubicación geográfica y a problemas del conflicto armado los mantiene aislados. En este estudio se pr...esenta un análisis de la situación epidemiológica de la tb en pueblos indígenas, y se identifican factores socioculturales que pueden ayudar a mejorar el control de la enfermedad.
more
Since late August 2022, cases of severe acute watery diarrhoea have been increasingly reported across Syria, concentrated
particularly along the Euphrates river. These were later confirmed to be cholera cases.3 Cholera is a disease caused by
bacteria that can be found in faeces, and spreads throug...h people consuming contaminated water or food. It causes severe
watery diarrhoea and vomiting which lead to dehydration. If treated immediately, less than 1% of cases result in patients
dying. However, if timely treatment is not available, cholera can lead to death within hours in 25 to 50% of cases. The
situation is critical in Syria as the local population is facing a severe water crisis due to drought, falling groundwater levels,
reduced flow in the Euphrates River, and reduced functionality of Alouk water station. REACH has been monitoring
developments in Northeast Syria through regular data collection cycles, remote sensing data, and rapid needs assessments
more
Le Burkina connait depuis les 5 dernières années, une dégradation continue de la situation sécuritaire. Cette situation a connu une détérioration accélérée depuis 2029 principalement dans les régions du Nord, du Centre-Nord, du Sahel, de la Boucle du Mouhoun ,de l’Est et du Centre Est. C...ette dégradation a entraîné un accroissement substantiel des déplacements internes et réduit l'accès déjà très limité aux services sociaux de base, y compris les services de santé, dans un contexte d'extrême pauvreté dans ces localités.
On estime un total de 2,2 millions de burkinabè qui sont dans un besoin humanitaire de plus en plus croissant dans tous les secteurs. Parmi ces populations vulnérables, on compte 1 902 150 déplacés internes à la date du 30 avril 2022 et plus de 1,2 millions étaient directement privées d’un accès aux soins de santé à cause principalement de la fermeture et ou du fonctionnement au minima des formations sanitaires dans les zones à défis sécuritaire. Au total, 290 communes sont concernées par le phénomène des PDIs dont la majorité se retrouvent à Djibo (285 654),
Kaya (123 610), Barsalogho (93 378), Gorgadji (43 651), Fada N’Gourma (85 574), Dori (66 798) et Gorom-Gorom (65 106).
La situation actuelle est rendue complexe par une annonce d’un niveau alarmant d'insécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle selon les analyses faites par le Cadre intégré de Classification (IPC) de la malnutrition aiguë de novembre 2021 (IPC AMN) et du cadre harmonisé (CH) de l’insécurité alimentaire de mars 2022. Tous ces facteurs concourent à la dégradation de la situation alimentaire et nutritionnelle des populations affectées surtout les couches les plus vulnérables que sont les femmes et les enfants. C’est ainsi que le Ministère de la santé en collaboration avec l’UNICEF et le PAM a entrepris de réaliser une nouvelle enquête SMART rapide après celles 2019 et de 2020 auprès de certain nombre de localités abritant un grand nombre de déplacés internes afin d’évaluer la situation nutritionnelle et sanitaire des enfants de 6 à 59 mois et des femmes enceintes et des femmes allaitantes ayant des enfants de moins de 2 ans. Cette enquête a couvert 12 communes et localités qui sont reparties par région et par district sanitaire de la manière suivante: Tougan, Nouna, Kaya, Kongoussi, Tougouri, Pissila, Gayéri, Thiou, Séguénéga, Gorom-Gorom,
Gorgadji et Bani.
more
The war is having a devastating impact on health and human capital in Ukraine and is expected to affect generations to come. The most obvious effects on health are immediate: an estimated 4,339 conflict-related deaths and 5,246 people injured. Less visible is the illness caused, and exacerbated, by ...people not being able to access care for acute and chronic conditions.
more
: a cluster-randomised trial.
Lancet Glob Health 2020; 8: e387–98
Plos Current Outbreaks
An outbreak of Lassa Fever (LF) reported and confirmed in Ondo state, Southwest Nigeria in January 2016 was investigated. This paper provides the epidemiology of the LF and lessons learnt from the investigation of the outbreak.
Results: We identified 90 suspected LF case...s of which 19 were confirmed by the laboratory. More than half (52.6%) of the confirmed cases were females with majority (73.7%) in the age group ≥ 15 years. The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 63.2% among the laboratory-confirmed positive cases where 9 of 19 cases died, was significantly higher compared to the laboratory confirmed negative cases where 6 of the 65 cases died ( CFR; 8.5%) p ≤ 0.05. Two hundred and eighty-seven contacts of the confirmed cases were identified, out of which 267(93.0%) completed the follow-up without developing any symptoms and 2 (0.7%) developed symptoms consistent with LF and were confirmed by the laboratory. More than half of the contacts were females (64.5%) with most of them (89.2%) in the age group ≥ 25 years.
more
Rapport d’étape au 30 novembre 2011