Informatics Publishing Limited

Anuradha ¹, Jagbir Malik ¹, Pardeep Khanna ¹, Babita ¹, H. Raghavendra ¹, Shweta Goswami ¹, Mukesh Nagar ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Community Medicine, Pt. BD Sharma University of Health Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, IN

Abstract

Measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children. With the introduction of measles vaccine in national programme since 1985, the disease burden has reduced. Coverage of the 1st dose of measles is 69.6% as per DLHS-3 survey. In the field conditions measles vaccine efficacy is 85% when given at 9 months of age and approximately 95% when given at >12 months of age. After second dose it becomes 99%. So India is conducting Measles Catch-up Campaign from 14 November to 15 December as supplementary activity as a part of global effort to reduce measles morbidity and mortality (MDG4). Rapid assessment of measles catch-up campaign in a rural block of Haryana. A cross sectional study was conducted in block Lakhanmajra of Rohtak district comprising of 24 villages. Fourty children were assessed randomly, twenty each, from every village and randomly selected school of that village by using standard WHO format for measles rapid assessment form 24.Assessment was done one day after the complete immunisation of that area. Total 1160 children (aged 9 month to 10 yrs) were assessed. A total of 66 children (5.69%) were found to be non-vaccinated, out of which 26 (2.24%)were male and 40 (3.45%)were female. The number of unvaccinated children found in schools were almost double (3.88%) of those found in homes(1.81%), and the difference was found to be statistically significant. the most common reason found by house to house survey was that, the child was out of station followed by unawareness of the campaign, while the most common reason at school was absence from school followed by needle phobia and other reasons. Altogether it is a successful programme. More attention should be focused towards better coverage in schools.

Keywords

Measles, Catchupcompaign, Immunisation.

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Mukesh Nagar ¹, M. S. Punia ², Anita Punia ³, Shweta Goswami ³, Amandeep Kaur ³, H. Raghvendra ³, Anuradha ³, Kiran Nagar ⁴

Affiliations
1 Medical Officer, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, IN
2 Community Medicine Pt BD Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, IN
3 Pt BD Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, IN
4 National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur, IN

Abstract

An estimated 2.39 million Indians are currently living with HIV. In 2004, the Indian government began providing free antiretroviral therapy (ART), through ART centers. Adherence to ART is the most essential component of treatment success in HIV care. ART demands a minimum of 95 percentage adherence to avoid viral resistance and treatment failure. There is limited information available from Haryana on adherence to ART and its predictors. So this study was planned to determine patient adherence to ART and associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the ART Centre at Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana from December 2010 to May 2011. A total of 400 patients aged 18 years and above were selected randomly and interviewed using a pretested semi-structured schedule, after taking their written informed consent. The data collected were compiled in MS Excel and analysed using appropriate statistical tests. The mean age of patients was 35.33 years. The median time on ART was 20 months. Average 7-day adherence was 94.34 per cent. 23.5% reported missed doses over the past 7 days; 65.5 per cent of them reported missing a full day's medications. Common reasons for missing doses were “traveling / away from home” (27.6 %), “simply forgot” (21.6%), “ran out of pills” (17.2%) and “busy with other things” (13.8 %). There is a need to create an understanding among patients, their families and health care providers regarding importance of adherence to ART; and develop validated low-cost interventions that optimize adherence.

Keywords

Adherence, Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), HIV.

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Vinod Chayal ¹, Pardeep Khanna ¹, Pooja ², Anuradha ³, Mukesh Nagar ⁴, Shweta Goswami ⁵

Affiliations
1 Department of Community Medicine PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, IN
2 Medical Officer, Health Department, Haryana, IN
3 Indian Army, IN
4 VMMC and Safadarjang Hospital, New Delhi, IN
5 Department of Community, Medicine KPC Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, IN

Abstract

Influenza Subtype A has caused various pandemics; in 1918-19 Spanish flu [A (H1N1)], Asian Flu [A (H2N2)] 1957-59, Hongkong Flu [A (H3N2)] 1968-69 and "Swme Flu" [A (H1N1)] 2009-10. H1N1 flu virus causes respiratory illness in people, affecting the nose, throat and lungs. Influenza can be transmitted through airborne route by droplets from infected human beings or direct contact or contact with fomites. Agent H1N1 influenza derives Segments from four influenza viruses; North American Swine, North American Avian, Human Influenza and Eurasian Swine. Pigs Infected with Influenza virus from different host of human or bird origin may act as "mixing vessel" which may lead to reassortment of influenza genes and can create a new strain of influenza virus. Subtype A of Influenza virus can Undergo mutation that can take place within the genome (Antigenic drift) / or reassortment among the genetic materials of subtypes (Antigenic Shift) resulting in a new virus. Antigenic analyses of the recent circulating A (H3N2) viruses have shown differences from the A (H3N2) virus used in the influenza vaccines for 20142015. Recently, countries in Northern Africa, Middle East, and India reported an increase in influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 activity The predominant stain in western countries has been seasonal influenza A (H3N2)where as in India the California stam of 2009 is prevailing. It has been reported that the recent 2014-2015 H1N1 A outbreak in India has resulted in >30,000 cases with over 2000 deaths. These recent spurt of cases and deaths which was even higher than the original H1N1 2009 outbreak in India resulted in a widespread debate that this stain H1N1 A 2009 has mutated or not. Improved surveillance and monitoring of the influenza outbreaks need of the hour to both treat as well as prevent spread of the virus. Due to better connectivity world over and high infectious nature of influenza, there is an urgent need to develop a comprehensive and a standardized response to influenza epidemic outbreaks. There is a need of genetic and phenotypic analysts of the virus as and when cases are reported world over and general dissemination of the data is needed to ensure access to this data source in case of any outbreak.

Keywords

Swine Flu, Influenza, Infection.

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Vinod Chayal ¹, Pardeep Khanna ¹, Srishti Singh ¹, Shweta Goswami ², Anuradha ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Community Medicine, PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, IN
2 Department of Community Medicine, ESI- PGIMSR, Kolkata, IN
3 Department of Community Medicine, MMIMSR, Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, IN

Abstract

The world's population reached 7.3 billion in mid 2015 and is projected to increase by more than one billion people within the next 15 years, reaching 8.5 billion in 2030, and to increase further to 9.7 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion by 2100. 60% of the global population lives in Asia (4.4 billion). China (1.4 billion) and India (1.3 billion) remain the two most populous countries of the world, representing 19 and 18 percent of the world's population, respectively though India has only 2.4% of the world's land mass. Within seven years, the population of India is expected to surpass that of China1. In the year 2011, India had a population of 1.21 billion but what was alarming to note was that Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India (199 millions) had a population greater than Brazil which is the fifth largest country in the world in terms of its land area2. In 1951 and 2011, IMR was 146 and 50 respectively and so was TFR at 6 and 2.4 respectively clearly supporting mother and child health services as being the pillar stones for curbing the menace of population in our country. The high fertility could also be the result of India's high unmet need for family planning (12.8%) and lower contraceptive usage by the eligible couples (56.3% were using any method of family planning while 48.5% were using any modern method).7 The solution lies not only in contraceptive technology but in attempts to deal with the problems of ill-heath and disease in the country. Many measures were adopted in last one century to control population. This paper highlights various measures adopted for population control and reasons for their success or failure.

Keywords

Population Control, TFR, Family Planning, Population Growth, Critical Review, Strategies.

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