The Effect Of The Blockade On Governmental Health-Care Services In Qatar

Problem: A good portion of the budget dedicated to the health-care sector every year for laboratory and pharmacy services is spent on patient care, instruments and equipment, medication, software, facilities, and so on. Almost all of these are imported at high cost. The blockade of Qatar seems to affect the health-care system by affecting the internal operations and other services. Aims: This study aims to highlight the factors affecting laboratory and pharmacy services during the blockade. Its purpose is also to reveal the weaknesses that are influencing the internal operations of pharmacies and laboratories. The overall goal is to make recommendations that could improve Qatar's economic competitiveness in relation to the health sector and not the hydrocarbon industry with or without the blockade. Methodology: Qualitative methods are used such as a series of literature reviews because the blockade figures are confidential. Finding: The blockade had limited impact on the health care expenditure internal in Qatar. Combined with the low inflation rate and increase levels of import for the pharmaceutical supplies, it seems that the quality and scope of the health care service was not affected. By embargo

Investigating the cardiac effects of Sildenafil loaded nanoparticles on heart failure using the Zebrafish Embryo Model.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the first cause of death worldwide. Vasolidator agents are used to relax cardiac muscle, but their extremely short half-lifes limit their effectiveness. Sildenafil is such an agent used to relax the blood vessels muscles and increase the blood flow. The conventional drug can lead to serious problems in patients duo to the systematic drug delivery. Use of Nanomedicine potentially can enhance delivery of this agent while reducing the systematic effect of the drug. Aim: The purpose of the research is to examine the effectiveness sildenafil loaded nanoparticles in rescuing heart failure using zebrafish embryo model. Methods: There will be five experimental groups. The zebrafish will be treated with Aristolochic Acid (AA) at 24 hour per fertilization (hpf) to create the heart injury group. The treatment groups will be heart injury followed by a dose of either Sildenafil or Sildenafil loaded nanoparticles at 36 hpf. Two control groups will be the negative control (exposed to egg water) and vehicle control (exposed to the Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)).To evaluate the drug effects on embryo, toxicity assessment (Survival rate, tail flicking and hatching rate), cardiotoxicity assessment and gene expression of heart injury marker via RT-PCR will be conducted. Results: Preliminary findings demonstrate, loading Sildenafil to nanoparticles enhances its effectiveness dramatically. The experiments are ongoing to confirm the results. Conclusion: Nanomedicine is a powerful approach to enhance cardiovascular therapy. Vasodilator drugs in particular will benefit from this improvement as demonstrated with our finding

Cardiac function and blood flow hemodynamics assessment of zebrafish (Danio rerio) using high-speed video microscopy

BackgroundIn the last few decades, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were introduced as a model organism to investigate human diseases including cardiovascular and neuronal disorders. In most zebrafish investigations, cardiac function and blood flow hemodynamics need to be assessed to study the effects of the interference on the cardiovascular system. For heart function assessment, most important parameters include heart rate, cardiac output, ejection fraction, fractional area change, and fractional shortening. MethodsA 10 s high-speed video of beating heart and flowing blood within major vessels of zebrafish that are less than 5 days post fertilization (dpf) were recorded via a stereo microscope equipped with a high speed camera. The videos were analyzed using MicroZebraLab and image J software for the assessment of cardiac function. ResultsUsing the technique described here, we were able to simply yet effectively assess cardiac function and blood flow dynamics of normal zebrafish embryos. We believe that the practical method presented here will help cardiac researchers using the zebrafish as a model to examine cardiac function by using tools that could be available in their laboratory.This work is supported by Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF),National Priority Research Program under grant number NPRP 10-0123-170222

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially