In April-May 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) implemented, with local authorities, United Nations (UN) agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), an early warning system (EWS) in Darfur, West Sudan, for internally displaced persons (IDPs). The number of consultations and deaths per week for 12 health events is recorded for two age groups (less than five years and five years and above). Thresholds are used to detect potential outbreaks. Ten weeks after the introduction of the system, NGOs were covering 54 camps, and 924,281 people (IDPs and the host population). Of these 54 camps, 41 (76%) were reporting regularly under the EWS. Between 22 May and 30 July, 179,795 consultations were reported: 18.7% for acute respiratory infections; 15% for malaria; 8.4% for bloody diarrhoea; and 1% for severe acute malnutrition. The EWS is useful for detecting outbreaks and monitoring the number of consultations required to trigger actions, but not for estimating mortality.
Albania, a country with 3.5 million inhabitants, is facing an economic and social crisis. The average per capita income is less than US$1000 per year. Since 1995 unemployment has increased by 2.7%. Poverty and migration are major constraints of the societ
Medical exams are required for boarding, including the register of patient´s weight and height are always done. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is defined as the patients weight (Kg) divided by the square of the height (m). This index is more useful than the crude weight for defining obesity, because it allows comparisons between different biotypes. Obese are more prone to become sick and to have medical complications while sick. Diseases related to obesity include hypertension, diabetes mellitus and joint diseases, among others. The prevalence of obesity keeps growing worldwide, in spite of many efforts (education campaigns, nutritional advise, incentives to the practice of physical activity). The purpose of this study was to verify the percentage of obese seafarers among those with BMI above the normal range annually, over a period of 6 years (from 2003 until 2008). Data was obtained from the company´s database. The research parameters were: (1) being a seafarer (all categories) and BMI > 25; (2) being a seafarer (all categories) and a BMI > 30. The proportion of patients with BMI > 30 between those with BMI > 25 was calculated (simple division). Results: For 2003: 205 (BMI>25), 56 (BMI>30), 27% BMI>30 among BMI>25 For 2004: 398, 122 and 30% For 2005: 481, 152 and 31% For 2006: 497, 167 and 33% For 2007: 565, 198 and 35% For 2008 The data shows a temporal increase in the total number of both overweight patients and obese patients, and also in the percentage of patients with BMI > 30 among those with BMI > 25. Given that a seafarer has an abnormal BMI, he is more likely to be obese nowadays than he was in the previous year. Possible explanations are the ageing of the crews or a reduction in physical demands onboard due to automation; but perhaps the obesity in seafarers is part of a larger social phenomenon of growing obesity. These data are provocative, and could help defining priorities and planning future health actions. 2 SPE 127206
This is a summary of the presentations and discussion of Surveillance, Early Warning Alert and Response at the Conference, Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO)in Phuket, Thailand, 04–06 May 2005. The topics discussed included issues related to the surveillance, early warning alert, and response to communicable and vector-borne diseases as pertaining to the responses to the damage created bythe Tsunami. It is presented in the following major sections: (1) key questions; (2) needs assessment; (3) coordination(4) gap filling; and (5) capacity building. The key questions section is presented in six sub-sections: (1) communicable diseases; (2) early warning; (3) laboratory capacity and referral networking; (4) coordination of disease surveillance, early warning, and response; (5) health infrastructure rebuilding; and (6) using existing national surveillance plans toenhance disease surveillance and early warning systems.
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