An Evaluation of the Mentoral Support Programme of Directorate of Staff Development

It was an impact assessment study that was conducted to assess the impact of District Teacher Educators (DTE) mentoral support upon Primary School Teachers (PST) professional progress in Punjab. The Punjab Government’s Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Program had been initiated through Directorate of Staff Development (DSD). Five years have passed since the start of this program. High expenditure was expected to be consumed for this task. Its effectiveness or the impact of this program needed to be assessed. Thus, the objectives were to assess the PSTs professional progress in the eight areas of mentoral support program, in M.B.D in district. The Questionnaire and Structured-Interview were taken as instruments. Data was hereby analyzed through percentage measure and Chi-square test. The sample consisted of two types of population. It was based upon 120 PSTs and 40 Heads of Secondary / Higher Secondary Schools working as Cluster Training and Support Centre (CTSC) Heads. Conclusions indicated that PSTs were satisfied about their professional progress acquired through DTEs. However, CTSC Heads were not found satisfied about the impact of DSD’s mentoring program

Public private partnerships and the poor - case report 2: bulk water consumers of the Karachi water and sewerage board

The purpose of the project Public Private Partnerships and the Poor in Water and Sanitation is to determine workable processes whereby the needs of the poor are promoted in strategies which encourage public-private partnerships (PPP) in the provision of water supply and sanitation services. One of the key objectives is to fill some of the gaps which exist in evidence-based reporting of the facts and issues around the impacts of PPP on poor consumers. This report presents the case report from Karachi, Pakistan

Public private partnerships and the poor - case report 4: awami tanks revisited. Study of current working and stakeholders’ response: Orangi, Baldia and Surjani Towns, Karachi

The purpose of the project Public Private Partnerships and the Poor in Water and Sanitation is to determine workable processes whereby the needs of the poor are promoted in strategies which encourage public-private partnerships (PPP) in the provision of water supply and sanitation services. One of the key objectives is to fill some of the gaps which exist in evidence-based reporting of the facts and issues around the impacts of PPP on poor consumers. This report presents the case report from Karachi, Pakistan

Public private partnerships and the poor - case report 1: Karachi, Pakistan

The purpose of the project Public Private Partnerships and the Poor in Water and Sanitation is to determine workable processes whereby the needs of the poor are promoted in strategies which encourage public-private partnerships (PPP) in the provision of water supply and sanitation services. One of the key objectives is to fill some of the gaps which exist in evidence-based reporting of the facts and issues around the impacts of PPP on poor consumers. This report presents the case report from Karachi, Pakistan

Grown up congenital heart disease patient presenting for non cardiac surgery: anaesthetic implications

Congenital heart disease patients surviving to adulthood have increased over the years due to various reasons. These patients are admitted in the hospital for non cardiac surgeries and other procedures more often than normal adult population. Management of grown up congenital heart disease patient presents a challenge during perioperative period for cardiologists, surgeons, intensivists and particularly for the anaesthetist. Management issues include psychological and physiological impact on the patient, complexity of defects, presence of previous palliative procedure, impact of anaesthetic agents on shunting and myocardium, endocarditis prophylaxis and associated extra cardiac anamolies

Public private partnerships and the poor - case report 3: awami tanks in Orangi Town, Karachi, Pakistan

The purpose of the project Public Private Partnerships and the Poor in Water and Sanitation is to determine workable processes whereby the needs of the poor are promoted in strategies which encourage public-private partnerships (PPP) in the provision of water supply and sanitation services. One of the key objectives is to fill some of the gaps which exist in evidence-based reporting of the facts and issues around the impacts of PPP on poor consumers. This report presents the case report from Karachi, Pakistan

Frequency of bloodstream infection in febrile neutropenic patients, experience from a developing country

Introduction: About 20% of febrile neutropenic patients are presented with bloodstream infection which is a leading cause of mortality among these patients. Awareness of the locally prevalent pathogens and their susceptibility pattern is important for proper treatment of infection which improves survival in these patients. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of bloodstream infection in patients with febrile neutropenia admitted in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.Methods; This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Medical wards in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi from 21-2-2016 to 20-8-2017. Patients of over 15 years of age of either gender with severe neutropenia were included in this study. Patients with noninfectious cause of fever, or fever prior to neutropenia were excluded. Patients meeting inclusion criteria were enrolled after taking informed consent. About 2-5 ml blood was collected under aseptic measures in Bactac culture bottles. Blood samples were sent to lab within 30 min of collection. Antimicrobial sensitivity testing of all isolates was performed on diagnostic Sensitivity test plates by Kerby - Bauer Method. Patients were referred back to treating physician if blood culture is positive. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.Results; Of 200 patients, the mean age was 25.8 ± 5.7 years, 120 (60%) were male with male to female ratio of 1.5:1, 89 (44.5%) had low grade fever (Temp. ≤102 °C) and 111 (55.5%) had high grade fever(Temp. \u3e102 °C). The frequency of staphylococcus aureus was 16%, E. coli was 14.5%, Pseudomonas 8.5% and Klebsiella 15.5.Conclusion: It is concluded that the frequency of staphylococcus aureus was 16%, E. coli was 14.5%, Pseudomonas 8.5% and Klebsiella 15.5

Micronutrients and cardiovascular health: A cross-sectional survey among medical students of Pakistan

Introduction: Health authorities particularly World Health Organization emphasize upon the role of nutrition (macronutrients and micronutrients) in prevention of CVD (Cardiovascular Diseases). Objectives: The study aimed to assess knowledge on risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and diverse role of micronutrients in their prevention amongst undergraduate medical students in Pakistan. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among students of third, fourth and final year MBBS across various medical colleges in Pakistan. Consecutive non-probability sampling was employed and self-reported questionnaire was used for collection of data. A total of 381 students were recruited and majority (n=213; 55.9%) were females. Largest number of respondents belonged to third year of MBBS (n=160; 42%). Nearly 66% (n=250) medical students had adequate knowledge on cardiovascular diseases’ risk factors. Results: Around 31% (n=117) had adequate while 69% (n=264) had sub-optimal knowledge on benefits of micronutrients in cardiovascular diseases. Chi-square test of association showed statistically significant relationship (P-value <0.05) between demographic variables and knowledge of students. Conclusion: Medical students being the future healthcare professionals can contribute effectively and efficiently to reducing risks of cardiovascular diseases by having an up-to-date knowledge. Future large-scale and in depth studies can further probe the issue