Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH
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Trop. Med. Int. Health · Sep 2010
Evaluation of the routine use of amoxicillin as part of the home-based treatment of severe acute malnutrition.
To determine whether the inclusion of amoxicillin correlates with better recovery rates in the home-based treatment of severe acute malnutrition with ready-to-use therapeutic food. ⋯ This review of two therapeutic feeding programmes suggests that children with severe acute malnutrition who were treated without amoxicillin did not have an inferior rate of recovery. Given the limitations of this retrospective analysis, a prospective trial is warranted to determine the effect of antibiotics on recovery from uncomplicated malnutrition with home-based therapy.
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Trop. Med. Int. Health · Sep 2010
ReviewReview of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant TB: global perspectives with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa.
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global emergency and is responsible for 1.7 million deaths annually. Widespread global misuse of isoniazid and rifampicin over three decades has resulted in emergence of the ominous spread of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) globally. These difficult to treat resistant forms of TB are increasingly seen in Asia, Eastern Europe, South America and sub-Saharan Africa, disrupting TB and HIV control programmes. ⋯ Given the increasing current global trends in MDR-TB, aggressive preventive and management strategies are urgently required to avoid disruption of global TB control efforts. The data suggest that existing interventions, public health systems and TB and HIV programmes must be strengthened significantly. Political and funder commitment is essential to curb the spread of drug-resistant TB.
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Trop. Med. Int. Health · Sep 2010
Assessment of capacity for surgery, obstetrics and anaesthesia in 17 Ghanaian hospitals using a WHO assessment tool.
To survey infrastructure characteristics, personnel, equipment and procedures of surgical, obstetric and anaesthesia care in 17 hospitals in Ghana. ⋯ The greatest barrier to improving surgical care at district hospitals in Ghana is the shortage of adequately trained medical personnel for emergency and essential surgical procedures. Important future steps include strengthening their number and qualifications.