Context:
The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health crisis in India and globally. While national guidelines exist, the sources of data which form the basis of these guidelines are limited to a few well-established tertiary care centres. There is inadequate literature on AMR and antibiotic mismatch from India at community level and even less literature on AMR patterns from rural India.
Aims:
The aims of this study were as follows: 1) to describe the patterns of AMR at an urban tertiary care hospital and a rural 100 bedded hospital; 2) to compare and contrast the AMR patterns noted with published ICMR guidelines; 3) to examine the issue of AMR and antibiotic mismatch; and 4) to identify local factors influencing drug-bug mismatch at the local level.
Settings and Design:
The data were obtained from two independently conceived projects (Site 1: Urban tertiary care hospital, Site 2: Rural 100-bedded hospital).
Methods and Materials:
Local antibiograms were made, and the antibiotic resistance patterns were compared between the urban and rural sites and with data published in the 2017 ICMR national guideline for AMR.
Statistical Analysis Used:
Descriptive statistics including means and medians were used.
Results:
Our data reveal: a) a significant mismatch between sensitivity patterns and antibiotics prescribed; b) The national guidelines fail to capture the local picture of AMR, highlighting the need for local data; and c) challenges with data collection/retrieval, access and accuracy of diagnostic tools, administrative issues, and lack of local expertise limit antimicrobial stewardship efforts.
Conclusions:
Our study finds the burden of AMR high in both rural and urban sites, reinforcing that AMR burden cannot be ignored in rural settings. It also highlights that national data obtained from tertiary care settings fail to capture the local picture, highlighting the need for local data. Mechanisms of linking rural practices, primary health centres, and small hospitals with a common microbiology laboratory and shared data platforms will facilitate antibiotic stewardship at the community level.
Context:
Pregnancy-related preventable morbidity and mortality remain high in India. Safe delivery services should focus on improving neonatal and maternal outcomes while also enabling a positive childbirth experience. However, high rates of intrapartum obstetric referrals are common.
Objective:
To describe the timing and the reasons for obstetric referrals to a public tertiary care hospital in Bangalore and characteristics of the referring facilities.
Methods:
We interviewed 320 women who delivered at the tertiary care hospital within a one-month time frame prior to the interview and who originally planned to deliver elsewhere.
Results:
Ninety four percent of women in the study reported that the decision to transfer to the tertiary hospital was made after the onset of labour. Referrals were made for medical as well as non-medical reasons. About a third (35%) had to take loans to cover the expenses of childbirth.
Conclusions:
Referrals frequently occurred after the onset of labour. Our data imply that improving obstetric referral protocols will improve the birth experience and reduce the burden on tertiary care facilities and on the women themselves.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the generally recommended management of acute calculous cholecystitis. It is important for family physicians to be taken into consideration that for some patients the surgical risk–benefit profile favors conservative management. Here, we highlight the possibility of safe, home-based, conservative management of acute calculous cholecystitis in a patient-centered and evidence-based manner by a team of family physicians with backup support of their specialist referral network. We use this case to highlight the value of family physicians providing home-based care.
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