ABSTRACT
Integration is an important tool for successful implementation of components of a comprehensive health programme. We describe strategies adopted to integrate the Saudi maternal and child health (MCH) activities with other primary health care (PHC) components in order to achieve optimal quality care. Achieving such integration was one of the specific objectives of the MCH programme. Besides training MCH workers, other important tools of MCH/PHC integration included: organization, supervision, continuing education, data management and health systems research. The strengths and weaknesses of integration are discussed while the opportunities, limitations and implications are reviewed.
Subject(s)
Child Health Services/organization & administration , Comprehensive Health Care/organization & administration , Delivery of Health Care, Integrated/organization & administration , Maternal Health Services/organization & administration , Primary Health Care/organization & administration , Female , Forecasting , Health Personnel/education , Health Resources/organization & administration , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Inservice Training/organization & administration , Maternal Mortality , Maternal Welfare , Organizational Objectives , Pregnancy , Quality Assurance, Health Care/organization & administration , Saudi Arabia/epidemiology , Total Quality Management/organization & administrationABSTRACT
Integration is an important tool for successful implementation of components of a comprehensive health programme. We describe strategies adopted to integrate the Saudi maternal and child health [MCH] activities with other primary health care [PHC] components in order to achieve optimal quality care. Achieving such integration was one of the specific objectives of the MCH programme. Besides training MCH workers, other important tools of MCH/PHC integration included: organization, supervision, continuing education, data management and health systems research. The strengths and weaknesses of integration are discussed while the opportunities, limitations and implications are reviewed
Subject(s)
Child Health Services , Comprehensive Health Care , Delivery of Health Care, Integrated , Health Personnel , Health Resources , Infant, Newborn , Maternal Health Services , Maternal Mortality , Maternal Welfare , Organizational Objectives , Pregnancy , Primary Health CareABSTRACT
Baseline data on acute respiratory infections (ARI) were collected by a survey questionnaire distributed to physicians of 10% of the health centres randomly selected from each of the five provinces of Saudi Arabia. The physicians estimated that ARI was the cause of sickness in 50% of ill children < 5 years in 1995. None of the physicians had had any training in ARI and they were not aware of any national protocol or programme. Physicians' responses indicated an over-use of antibiotics and diagnostic procedures. A national protocol for diagnosis and treatment of ARI has been prepared and distributed and leaders of primary health care and 55 national trainers have been trained.
Subject(s)
Attitude of Health Personnel , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Physicians/psychology , Practice Patterns, Physicians'/statistics & numerical data , Respiratory Tract Infections/prevention & control , Absenteeism , Acute Disease , Child , Clinical Competence/standards , Education, Medical, Continuing , Humans , National Health Programs , Needs Assessment , Population Surveillance , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Respiratory Tract Infections/diagnosis , Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology , Saudi Arabia/epidemiology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
The clinical efficacy of three indigenous plants was compared with that of ampicillin and placebo in a randomized double blind clinical trial. Eighty-two men with shigellosis were studied. Sixteen patients received dried unripe fruit powder of 'bel' (Aegle marmelos), 19 received dried powdered plant of 'thankuni' (Hydrocotyle asiatica), 15 received a similar preparation of 'gandhavadulia' (Paederia foetida), 15 received ampicillin and 17 received a placebo. Treatment with indigenous plants did not show any clinical improvement or bacteriological cure as compared to ampicillin. The natural history of shigellosis was obtained by documenting the response of the indigenous plants and placebo treated groups.
Subject(s)
Dysentery, Bacillary/drug therapy , Medicine, Ayurvedic , Plants, Medicinal/physiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Ampicillin/therapeutic use , Bangladesh , Double-Blind Method , Dysentery, Bacillary/microbiology , Dysentery, Bacillary/physiopathology , Feces/microbiology , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Eighty mothers whose children had measles in the past month were interviewed for beliefs and practices related to the management of measles and measles associated diarrhoea. Beliefs and practices about diarrhoea, associated with measles are described. Diarrhoea during and after measles was considered beneficial by mothers, who believed it helped to flush out impurities from the body. Paradoxically ORS was not used because of an erroneous idea that ORS would stop diarrhoea. Informing mothers that ORS will not stop diarrhoea, but will help in flushing out the impurities, could enhance ORS use, reducing morbidity and mortality. The prevalent belief, that measles patients must be kept in a clean environment is useful and should be encouraged. Other beliefs and practices to hasten the eruption are neutral, but since they encourage cleanliness and isolation, need not be discouraged.
Subject(s)
Diarrhea/therapy , Measles/complications , Medicine, Traditional , Antidiarrheals/therapeutic use , Bangladesh , Child , Diarrhea/drug therapy , Diarrhea/etiology , Humans , Mothers , Rural PopulationABSTRACT
Field studies to determine the effects of a large dose of water miscible vitamin A on selected parameters of children's immunological function were completed in rural Bangladesh. There was no difference between vitamin A treated or control groups in tetanus antitoxin responses after tetanus toxoid immunization or in skin test reactivity to common antigens. Subsequent studies with mice demonstrated vitamin A dose-related antitoxin responses, but the animals required amounts of vitamin that would be likely cause undesirable side effects if administered in similar doses to children.