SSMJ August 2016

Editorials

Editorial. Conflict devastates health service delivery in South Sudan

South Sudan emerged in 2005 with some of the poorest health indicators - the maternal mortality ratio of 2,054/100,000 live births was the worst in the world. Under-five and infant mortality were in the red, in addition to a low immunization coverage

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a life-long metabolic disorder in which blood glucose is raised. Poorly controlled diabetes causes both short-term and long-term complications which are listed in ‘Role of Diabetes Nurse Specialist’

News, Reports and Policy

Letter from Mrs Janet Michael

Medair: providing life-saving services to the most vulnerable

“In this area, it’s hard to access healthcare. It’s a long walk to the clinic, which is especially difficult for the elderly and those seriously ill. During this time of the year, when it hasn’t rained a lot yet, it’s still feasible. However, when the heavy rains start, the roads will turn into mud pools and there will be water everywhere. It will be very hard to walk to the clinic. Also, sometimes there are drugs in the clinic, but sometimes there aren’t.”

Advert : Help to develop the role of Diabetes Nurse Specialist for South Sudan

Help to develop the role of Diabetes Nurse Specialist for South Sudan

Clinical Guidance

The Role of the Diabetes Specialist Nurse

The following article focuses upon the essential role of the Diabetes Specialist Nurse (DSN) in the care and management of patients with diabetes. The author is a DSN in the United Kingdom (UK), where the specialist nursing role has become a fundamental and crucial part of the diabetes multidisciplinary team (MDT) and service. The author draws upon her own experiences within the UK as a DSN and discusses ways in which the role could prove advantageous for a low income country such as South Sudan. The article considers key targets for developing countries and how the DSN role could help them to be achieved.

How to interpret an unenhanced CT Brain scan. Part 1: Basic principles of Computed Tomography and relevant neuroanatomy

The aim of this article is to: • Cover the basics of Computed Tomography (CT) Brain imaging. • Review relevant CT neuroanatomy.

Answers to Quiz on infant feeding

Research

Endomyocardial fibrosis: is it a systemic disease?

Background: Patients with endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) characteristically present with gross ascites and absent or minimal pedal oedema. This has long puzzled clinicians, especially since this clinical picture remains the same regardless of whether there is left, right or biventricular ventricular heart failure. The development of ascites, therefore, may not be directly and solely related to changes in the heart, but to local changes in the peritoneum. In order to investigate this possibility we performed peritoneal biopsies on 28 EMF patients.

Infant feeding methods among HIV-positive mothers in Yei County, South Sudan

This study describes the infant feeding methods chosen by HIV-positive mothers in Yei County, South Sudan and the factors that influenced their choice.

Hepatitis B among young people in Lere health department (Chad)

Hepatitis B is an infectious disease that affects many people worldwide. It may be acute or chronic. Age-specific prevalence varies by geographical region with highest endemicity levels in sub-Saharan Africa and prevalence below 2% in regions such as tropical and central Latin America, North America and Western Europe.

Case Reports

No documents found.

Summaries