No abstract

Background: The implementation of maternal health guidelines remains unsatisfactory, even for simple, well established interventions. In settings where most births occur in health facilities, as is the case in Kerala, India, preventing maternal mortality is linked to quality of care improvements.Context: Evidence-informed quality standards (QS), including quality statements and measurable structure and process indicators, are one innovative way of tackling the guideline implementation gap. Having adopted a zero tolerance policy to maternal deaths, the Government of Kerala worked in partnership with the Kerala Federation of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (KFOG) and NICE International to select the clinical topic, develop and initiate implementation of the first clinical QS for reducing maternal mortality in the state.Description of practice: The NICE QS development framework was adapted to the Kerala context, with local ownership being a key principle. Locally generated evidence identified post-partum haemorrhage as the leading cause of maternal death, and as the key priority for the QS. A multidisciplinary group (including policy-makers, gynaecologists and obstetricians, nurses and administrators) was established. Multi-stakeholder workshops convened by the group ensured that the statements, derived from global and local guidelines, and their corresponding indicators were relevant and acceptable to clinicians and policy-makers in Kerala. Furthermore, it helped identify practical methods for implementing the standards and monitoring outcomes.Lessons learned: An independent evaluation of the project highlighted the equal importance of a strong evidence-base and an inclusive development process. There is no one-size-fits-all process for QS development; a principle-based approach might be a better guide for countries to adapt global evidence to their local context.

No abstract

Introduction: Over the past 10-15 years, next to diarrheal disease and respiratory infection, dengue fever has become a leading cause of hospitalization and deaths among childrens. Today, dengue fever is considered one of the most important arthropod-borne viral diseases in humans in terms of morbidity and mortality. So researcher felt that is is vital that school childrens should possess knowledge on some vector born diseases especially dengue fever and its prevention. Method: In this study cross sectional descriptive survey was used. High school children were selected through probability simple random sampling. The data was collected using a pretested structured questionnaire. The Planned-teaching programme was administered at the end of the pre-test. The post-test was carried out after 7 days, using the same tool as the pre-test. The data was analysed using SPSS version 16 and the results expressed as proportions Results: A total of 60 high school children were included in the study. Analysis of data revealed pre test knowledge score was 28.25%. Considering the level of knowledge of high school students, a planned teaching programme was administered. The post test knowledge score was 70.83%. Hence comparison in pre-test knowledge score and post-test percentage of dengue and its prevention was approximately 42.58%. A significant association between age and post test knowledge was found Conclusion: A significant number of high school children had poor knowledge.So researcher felt that awareness programmes regarding dengue fever and its prevention. should be emphasized.

BACKGROUND:Refractive error is the second leading cause of treatable blindness. 46.69% of all ocular morbidity in the country is directly attributed to refractive errors and myopia is the commonest type of refractive error. School age children constitute a particularly vulnerable group because uncorrected refractive errors may lead to amblyopia, subnormal binocularity or strabismus resulting in permanent visual loss. Studies have shown that there has been an increase in the proportion of myopia among students. In view of the importance of detecting the eye defects in school children in our region where staple food and socio-demography is different from rest of the country an effort has been made in the present study to find out the extent of problem of refractive errors particularly Myopia among school children. OBJECTIVES: To study and evaluate Myopia among School children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study on random control sample of school children of 7-15 year was carried out in the Hubli city. Visual acuity tests were done all students.Students with 6/6 (p) or less vision were subjected for slit lamp examination, retinoscopy, fundus examination, keratometry and A-scan. RESULTS: 13.5% of children had refractive errors. 4.54% had Myopia. Myopia was more common in females with a peak in 13-15 year group. CONCLUSION: Significant proportion of children of this area had uncorrected refractive errors. Regular screening and correction of refractive error will help to improve vision, prevent further deterioration and hence irreversible changes in the visual system.