Influenza and COVID-19 Outbreak

No abstract in Englis

Prevalence of Blood-Borne Infection Among Healthcare Workers

Objectives: Needlestick and sharps injuries are a major cause of transmission of blood borne pathogens in health-care workers. The present study aims to examine the yearly incidence and causes of sharps injuries and assess the prevalence of blood-borne infection in provincial healthcare workers in Mongolia. Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolling 21 province hospitals across Mongolia was conducted from 2015 to 2019. Descriptive data presented as absolute numbers with percentage and a multivariate analysis was employed to identify the association between risk factors and occupational exposure to blood-borne factors. Results: Of the 20546 health care workers, 12.5% (n = 2566) employees were infected with hepatitis. Approximately 4.4% were infected with hepatitis B; 7.5% with hepatitis C; and 0.6% with hepatitis B, C or B, D. Among health care workers detected with hospital-acquired infection, most were women (n = 84.1%), aged between 41-55 years old (58.9%). Having sharp needlestick injuries, blood and body liquids splash, and a dental service was found to be associated with hospital-acquire infection in the study. Conclusion: Our study results demonstrated that 12 out of 100 health care workers were infected with HAI in Mongolia. This indicates that there be might serious occupational hazards. Public health authorities should consider increasing provision of public health programs such as vaccination, safety equipment and adjusted workload. Health care workers in Mongolia should be informed about the risks and consequences, as well as undertake preventive measures

Availability, affordability and costs of pediatric medicines in Mongolia

Abstract Background The Essential Medicines List for Children (EMLc) was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to assist member countries to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The Government of Mongolia has adopted a National Essential Drug List (NEDL) with the seventh update published in 2014. The objective of this study was to determine the accessibility, availability and costs of essential pediatric medicines in Mongolia. Methods A standardized methodology developed by the WHO and Health Action International (HAI) was employed to conduct a study on the availability, costs and affordability of pediatric medicines in Mongolia. A data collection tool collected information in regards to retail and wholesale availability and costs of essential pediatric medicines at pharmacy outlets during January and August of 2016. Results Availability of individual essential pediatric medicines varied across the country. The average availability of medicines was 72.6% in the public sector (9.1–100%). Correspondingly, average availability of all selected medicines in the private sector was 76.7% (26.7–100%). Lowest price medicines were 2.45 times higher than the international reference price (IRP) in the private sector and was 1.95 times higher in the public sector. The lowest cost medicines in the public sector were more affordable for all conditions. The least affordable treatment was estimated to be for respiratory tract infections, or otitis media using amoxicillin clavulanic acid, suspension costing up to 1.03 days wages. Conclusion Procurement, supply and distribution of essential pediatric medicines needs to be regularly investigated in order to identify the availability and costs of pediatric formulations in Mongolia

Public Awareness and Practices Towards Self-Medication with Antibiotics Among Malaysian Population: Questionnaire Development and Pilot Testing

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A comprehensive health effects assessment of the use of sanitizers and disinfectants during COVID-19 pandemic: a global survey

COVID-19 has affected all aspects of human life so far. From the outset of the pandemic, preventing the spread of COVID-19 through the observance of health protocols, especially the use of sanitizers and disinfectants was given more attention. Despite the effectiveness of disinfection chemicals in controlling and preventing COVID-19, there are critical concerns about their adverse effects on human health. This study aims to assess the health effects of sanitizers and disinfectants on a global scale. A total of 91,056 participants from 154 countries participated in this cross-sectional study. Information on the use of sanitizers and disinfectants and health was collected using an electronic questionnaire, which was translated into 26 languages via web-based platforms. The findings of this study suggest that detergents, alcohol-based substances, and chlorinated compounds emerged as the most prevalent chemical agents compared to other sanitizers and disinfectants examined. Most frequently reported health issues include skin effects and respiratory effects. The Chi-square test showed a significant association between chlorinated compounds (sodium hypochlorite and per-chlorine) with all possible health effects under investigation (p-value <0.001). Examination of risk factors based on multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that alcohols and alcohols-based materials were associated with skin effects (OR, 1.98; 95%CI, 1.87-2.09), per-chlorine was associated with eye effects (OR, 1.83; 95%CI, 1.74-1.93), and highly likely with itching and throat irritation (OR, 2.00; 95%CI, 1.90-2.11). Furthermore, formaldehyde was associated with a higher prevalence of neurological effects (OR, 2.17; 95%CI, 1.92-2.44). Furthermore, formaldehyde was associated with a higher prevalence of neurological effects (OR, 2.17; 95%CI, 1.92-2.44). The use of sodium hypochlorite and per-chlorine also had a high chance of having respiratory effects. The findings of the current study suggest that health authorities need to implement more awareness programs about the side effects of using sanitizers and disinfectants during viral epidemics especially when they are used or overused