Background: Self-medication is the use of drugs to treat self-diagnosed disorders/symptoms, or the intermittent/continued use of a prescribed drug for chronic/recurrent disease/symptoms (WHO). It is the cause for antibiotic resistance, inappropriate treatment, financial burden and many deaths. WHO listed self-medication as one of the priority research area at the local context. The objective of the study was to find the prevalence and pattern of self-medication in surrounding communities of Birat Medical College and Teaching Hospital. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the surrounding communities of Birat Medical College from 1st August 2018 to 15th December 2018. Multistage sampling was used to collect information from 348 household having family members aged 16 years and above. Ethical approval was taken from Institutional Review Committee of Birat Medical College. Pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used. Results: The mean age of the participants was 40.5±15.9 years. Prevalence of self-medication was 44.04%. Majority took self-medication for headache 43.6% followed by common cold 39.1% etc. Majority used allopathic drugs 82.7% followed by traditional healers 9.8%. Common medication were antipyretics 18.8%, antibiotics 16.5%, proton pump inhibitor 7.5%, antihistamines 6.8% etc. The reason behind self-medication were low cost 30.1%, time saving 24.1%, illness too trivial/mild for consultation 18.8%, quick relief 18.1%, high doctor fee 15 %, lack of awareness 13.5 %,  familiar with treatment options 12.8%, long waiting line in hospital 12% etc. Out of them 8.3% noticed side effects of self-medication. Out of all 59.5% felt the need of awareness program on rational use of medicines. Age, sex, marital status, ethnicity, religion, education and occupation of participants, education and occupation of head of household, poverty status, family type, house residence type, type of house has no significant association with self-medication. Participants residing in alani/rent households were 1.93 times more likely to self-medicate than those residing in their own and participants having negative attitude were 1.90 times more likely to self-medicate than those who had positive attitude and both were statistically significant.  Conclusions: The burden of self-medication was present and allopathic drugs including antibiotics were common. Adverse drug reactions were reported but participants were unaware about the place to report. Participants had negative attitude towards self-medication which is harmful for their health. As pharmacy was the common source of self-medication, the prescription based medicine dispensary should be advocated.

Background Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of deaths and disability in Nepal. Health systems can improve CVD health outcomes even in resource-limited settings by directing efforts to meet critical system gaps. This study aimed to identify Nepal’s health systems gaps to prevent and manage CVDs. Methods We formed a task force composed of the government and non-government representatives and assessed health system performance across six building blocks: governance, service delivery, human resources, medical products, information system, and financing in terms of equity, access, coverage, efficiency, quality, safety and sustainability. We reviewed 125 national health policies, plans, strategies, guidelines, reports and websites and conducted 52 key informant interviews. We grouped notes from desk review and transcripts’ codes into equity, access, coverage, efficiency, quality, safety and sustainability of the health system. Results National health insurance covers less than 10% of the population; and more than 50% of the health spending is out of pocket. The efficiency of CVDs prevention and management programs in Nepal is affected by the shortage of human resources, weak monitoring and supervision, and inadequate engagement of stakeholders. There are policies and strategies in place to ensure quality of care, however their implementation and supervision is weak. The total budget on health has been increasing over the past five years. However, the funding on CVDs is negligible. Conclusion Governments at the federal, provincial and local levels should prioritize CVDs care and partner with non-government organizations to improve preventive and curative CVDs services.

Objective:Good governance and leadership to address non-communicable diseases and minimization of their risk factors is crucial to improve healthy life expectancy particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to understand and document cardiovascular disease (CVD) programs and policy formulation process and epitomize the challenges and opportunities for leadership and good governance for the health system to address non-communicable diseases particularly cardiovascular diseases in Nepal.Design and method:A national level task force was formed to coordinate and steer the overall needs assessment process. A qualitative study design was adopted using The Health System Assessment Approach Manual. Eighteen indicators under six topical areas of leadership and governance in cardiovascular health were assessed. Health laws, policies, regulatory standards, planning and strategy documents and reports on civil society engagement were reviewed. Seven key stakeholders from ministry, professional councils and non-governmental organizations working on CVD were identified and in depth interviews were conducted. Field notes and tape records of interview were compiled and transcribed. Strength, weakness, opportunities and threats in each topical area of leadership and governance were analyzed.Results:Voice and accountability exist in planning for health from the local level. The government has shown strong willingness and has a strategy to work together with the private and non-government sectors in health however, the coordination with non-state actors during policy formulation has not been effective. There are strong rules in place for regulatory quality, control of corruption and maintaining financial transparency. The government frequently relies on evidence generated from large-scale surveys for health policy formulation and planning but research in cardiovascular health has been below par. There is a scarcity of CVD-specific treatment protocols at all levels of government coupled with weak reporting from the private sector. Expensive health care with ineffective cost control over drugs and services, medical malpractice with commission system and lack of interest among donors to invest in CVD were important challenges for strong leadership and governance.Conclusions:Despite plenty of opportunities, much homework is needed to improve leadership and governance in cardiovascular health in Nepal. The government needs to designate a workforce for specific programs to help monitor the enforcement of health sector regulations, allocate enough funding to encourage CVD research and work towards developing CVD-specific guidelines, protocols, and capacity building. The government needs to leverage the opportunities associated with the current decentralized health system.

The synergistic and harmonic functions of retina, optic nerve, part of thalamus and visual cortex are essential for the perception of color: human color vision is trichromatic i.e. the mixture of red, green and blue lights. The present cross-sectional study was conducted in August to October 2018. The ethical approval was obtained from Institutional Review Committee (IRC) of Nepal Medical College. After obtaining consent from the participants, the study was carried out among health science students of age group 18-25 years at Jorpati, Kathmandu, Nepal. The number (n) of sample size was 300; (male, n=150, female, n=150). The assessment of color blindness was done with the help of Ishihara Chart (“Ishihara Type Tests for Color Blindness”-38 plates (2002) Eye Care- Ludhiana, India). Among the study group (male, n=150, female, n=150), the color deficiency were found in male participants only; n=7, which is 2.33% of total participants (n=300). None of the female participants were found to be color blind/weak. Among the color deficient (n=7), protanomaly detected in 1, deuteranomaly in 2 and deuteranopia in 4. Hence, the present students of health stream are future health workers, whose observation apt to clinical examination is instrumental to treat patients; therefore, they must be aware and circumspect of their color vision to discharge their duties to the patients in a better way.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Rupture-prone atheromas that give rise to myocardial infarction and stroke are characterized by the presence of a necrotic core and a thin fibrous cap. During homeostasis, cellular debris and apoptotic cells are cleared quickly through a process termed “efferocytosis”. However, clearance of apoptotic cells is significantly compromised in many chronic inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis. Emerging evidence suggests that impairments in efferocytosis drive necrotic core formation and contribute significantly to plaque vulnerability. Recently, it has been appreciated that successive rounds of efferocytosis, termed “continual efferocytosis”, is mechanistically distinct from single efferocytosis and relies heavily on the metabolism and handling of apoptotic cell-derived cargo. In vivo, selective defects in continual efferocytosis drive secondary necrosis, impair inflammation resolution, and worsen atherosclerosis. This Mini Review focuses on our current understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of continual efferocytosis and how dysregulations in this process mediate nonresolving inflammation. We will also discuss possible strategies to enhance efferocytosis when it fails.