BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic strained the already weak health system of Nepal, especially during the surge of the delta variant. A telephonic consultation service was rapidly established to provide free consultations to assist those in home isolation due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. In this study, we describe the process of establishing the hotline and share preliminary findings. During the peak of the delta wave in Nepal, the hotline was started by a local nonprofit organization.
MethodologyWe established the hotline with help of a private telecommunication company. The hotline was advertised on social media, radio, and newspapers. Healthcare workers were recruited and trained and the service was provided for free. Patient data were recorded and de-identified for analysis, monitoring, and evaluation.
ResultsThe majority of the callers were from Kathmandu valley, which includes three districts, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur. Overall, 44% of the callers inquired about the clinical manifestations of COVID-19. On average, there were 75 calls each day between May 2021 and February 2022. The average call duration was three minutes and 42 seconds. Trained healthcare workers answered the calls for 15.5 hours a day.
ConclusionsOur work established the feasibility of a rapid hotline service in response to the pandemic causing high strain on the health system. Lessons learned from this experience can be useful for future disasters in Nepal and other places with similar health system strains.
Introduction: Congenital hypothyroidism is a preventable cause of intellectual disability in childhood. It is one of the commonest endocrine conditions encountered in the neonatal period. Maternal Thyroid Status has long been recognized as having an impact on the developing fetus, and more recently a family history of thyroid dysfunction has been implicated as a risk factor in congenital hypothyroidism (CH). Therefore, this study focused on thyroid screening in neonates born to hypothyroid mothers.
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the thyroid function in neonates born to hypothyroid mothers.
Methodology: This was a hospital based cross-sectional observational prospective study conducted at Birat Medical College and Teaching Hospital from March 2021 to May 2022. A total of 109 neonates born to hypothyroid mothers were included in the study. Thyroid functions of these babies were assessed at 72 hours of life. The data was entered into Microsoft offices excel and analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 20).
Results: Out of 109 neonates born to hypothyroid mothers, <1% was found to have a high TSH Level above the upper limit of reference cut off value (20miu/L) and was considered to be abnormal (congenital hypothyroidism).
Conclusion: All the newborns except one had normal TSH levels which were probably due to early diagnosis and timely initiation of treatment to the mothers with hypothyroidism.
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