SSMJ February 2016

Editorials

Tackling the high burden of blindness

South Sudan is the world’s newest country coming into existence on 9th July 2011 after a 20-year protracted civil war that left all infrastructure destroyed and populations displaced. It is also now one of the poorest war ravaged countries in East Africa with the worst development indices.

News, Reports and Policy

News from the Poole Africa Link

October 2015 saw a change in direction for Poole Africa Link (PAL). Due to the political situation in South Sudan, the scheduled trip was diverted to Lira, Northern Uganda where there is a referral 500-bed hospital, and several schools of nursing. The one we used as our base was at a new University outside town, which currently has three intakes of midwifery students, (about 150 students in total). Funding is from the African World Bank and the Government is very supportive.

SSMJ February 2016 - Resources

Congratulations to Dr. Victor Vuni

Quiz on infant feeding

Clinical Guidance

Hepatocellular carcinoma in South Sudan: possible aetiologies, presentation, diagnostic challenges and ways forward

Prenatal screening for congenital malformations: diagnosis and management in low and medium income countries

Major congenital malformations incompatible with life occur in 2-3% of all foetuses [1]. They are the cause of 20 – 30% of perinatal deaths [2]. Apart from occasional case reports little has been published on this topic in Tanzania.

Research

Causes of maxillofacial patients mortality in a Nigerian tertiary hospital

One of the major aims of patient management is the prevention of mortality but it is still encountered in clinical practice [1, 2]. Mortality in maxillofacial patients often result from involvement of other systems as may be seen in Ludwig's angina or severe brain injury following craniofacial trauma and stage IV malignancies [2, 3, 4]. Intraoperative deaths may also occur from anesthetic and/or surgical complications occasionally.

Abdominal pregnancy discovered during laparotomy for complications after attempted abortion

Chad is a sub-Saharan country where reproductive health problems are still acute [1]. There is a high maternal mortality ratio, a low contraceptive prevalence, a high prevalence of induced abortions among teenage girls (18.4 % of all teenage pregnancies) due to the restrictive abortion law, poor perinatal care, difficult access to ultrasound services, and poverty.

Inhaled foreign body mismanaged as TB, finally removed using a rigid bronchoscopy after 6 years of impaction

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is one of the leading causes of sudden death among children aged less than three years [1]. Aspiration is common in this age group because of the less effective and protective mechanisms involved in coordination of breathing and swallowing [2]. FBA resembles a number of pulmonary diseases and so poses a great challenge to clinicians for its management [3].

Case Reports

No documents found.

Summaries