Poor practice and knowledge among traditional birth attendants in Eastern Sudan.

To identify and understand knowledge and practice among traditional birth attendants (TBAs), a total of 111 TBAs were interviewed at Kassala, Eastern Sudan between March and April 2011. Hand-washing prior to the delivery was a universal practice but only 25.2% of the interviewed TBAs used sterilised equipment. TBAs in this study appeared to have a low level of awareness about when a mother should be referred to hospital, and lacked basic information on family planning and HIV/AIDS. None of these 111 TBAs knew or used equipment for neonatal resuscitation (such as bag, tube and mask) or knew neonatal signs that needed extra attention such as change in skin colour, weak suckling and respiratory distress, and nearly one-third (28.8%) of the respondents believed in a few days delay in milk production. Thus, substantial effort is needed to improve the knowledge and practice among TBAs in Eastern Sudan, including training programmes, and this might be the best hope to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Anemia in Kassala Area Eastern Sudan

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the types and the ways of diagnosis of anemia at Kassala region; Sudan. Methods In this study we examined and investigate 210 patients with anemia.Full blood cell count including peripheral picture; blood film for malaria; urine analysis and stool examination were done for every patient.Bone marrow aspiration was done for patients with splenomegaly with or without pancytopenia and or presence of immature cells in the peripheral blood. Serum iron and serum ferritin; for confirmation of iron deficiency were measured in some patients. Results Out of all patients; 45(21) had chronic illness; 42(20) had history of repeated attacks of malaria and 3(18) patients had nutritional anemia. Sixty three (30) patients presented with severe anemia; 32(15) with mild anemia and 115(55)with moderate anemia. Eighty patients presented with enlarge spleen.26 (33) out of the latter group had features of hypersplenism. Conclusion Common causes of anemia in this area were chronic illness; followed by nutritional and repeated malaria infection. Splenomegaly and hypersplenism are common. We recommended that full blood count; peripheral blood picture and estimation of serum iron and serum ferritin should be performed for every anaemic patient. Blood film for malaria should be done for every anaemic patient and negative films should be repeated by immunochromatography test for plasmodium falciparum and vivax