Paediatrics and international child health
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Paediatr Int Child Health · Aug 2015
ReviewNeonatal surgical care: a review of the burden, progress and challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.
The outcome of neonatal surgery has significantly improved over the decades in high-income countries. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), however, it has lagged behind. This is a review of the current state of neonatal surgery in SSA. ⋯ While the number of paediatric surgeons has increased, there are still few anaesthetists. In order to significantly improve the outcome for neonates with surgical problems in SSA, paediatric surgery, anaesthesia, neonatology and neonatal nursing capacity need to be scaled up and fast-tracked. To make neonatal surgery safer in these settings, neonatal intensive care facilities need to be provided and improved.
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Paediatr Int Child Health · Aug 2015
ReviewConfronting stillbirths and newborn deaths in areas of conflict and political instability: a neglected global imperative.
Despite considerable improvements in reproductive and newborn health throughout the world, relatively poor outcomes persist in areas plagued by conflict or political instability. ⋯ Despite troubling relative and absolute indicators, the special requirements of improving reproductive and neonatal outcomes in areas affected by conflict and political instability have not received adequate attention. New integrated political and technical strategies will be required. This should include moving beyond traditional approaches concerned with complex humanitarian emergencies. Rather, global efforts must be based on a deeper understanding of the specific governance requirements associated with protracted and widespread health requirements. A focus on women's roles, regional strategies which take advantage of relative stability and governance capacity in neighbouring states, virtual infrastructure, and assistance regimens directed specifically to unstable areas may prove useful.
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It has been argued that the oedema of kwashiorkor is not caused by hypoalbuminaemia because the oedema disappears with dietary treatment before the plasma albumin concentration rises. Reanalysis of this evidence and a review of the literature demonstrates that this was a mistaken conclusion and that the oedema is linked to hypoalbuminaemia. This misconception has influenced the recommendations for treating children with severe acute malnutrition. ⋯ In CNS this is successfully treated with intravenous albumin boluses. By contrast, the WHO advise the cautious administration of hypotonic intravenous fluids in kwashiorkor with shock, which has about a 50% mortality. It is time to trial intravenous bolus albumin for the treatment of children with kwashiorkor and shock.
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Paediatr Int Child Health · Jan 2015
ReviewPakistan and the Millennium Development Goals for Maternal and Child Health: progress and the way forward.
The world has made substantial progress in reducing maternal and child mortality, but many countries are projected to fall short of achieving their Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 targets. The major objective of this paper is to examine progress in Pakistan in reducing maternal and child mortality and malnutrition over the last two decades. ⋯ Progress in addressing key social determinants such as poverty, female education and empowerment has also been slow and unregulated population growth has further compromised progress. There is a need to integrate the various different sectors and programmes to achieve the desired results effectively and efficiently as many of the determinants and influencing factors are outside the health sector.
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Overweight and obesity in childhood is an increasing problem for the less affluent countries of the world. The prevalence of overweight/obesity varies, not only between countries but across countries, depending on the environments in which children live. ⋯ Affluence also brings the ability to purchase commercial, prepared 'fast-food' items, leading too often to disadvantageous effects on children's diets. The solutions to this rising tide of overweight/obesity seem to lie with broad-based programmes initiated at central government level or at more local community level but which are designed to reach across and throughout societies to enable families and communities to modify the unhealthy lifestyle which too often accompanies increasing affluence and development.