SSMJ May 2012

Editorials

Editorial: How can you help SSMJ?

If you are reading this you know that ‘SSMJ’ is a journal and a website. But you may not realize that SSMJ is also a charity. The journal is overseen by the Editor-in-Chief, Edward Luka, supported by the Editorial Board and a team of Reviewers under the Chief Reviewer, David Tibbutt. However it would not be possible to produce this journal without the many people who contribute excellent articles and news both from within and outside South Sudan.

News, Reports and Policy

Advert: Project Manager for the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS) of South Sudan

Applications are invited for the time limited post of a Project Manager to head the development of the proposed College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS) of South Sudan. Ideally the candidate will be a senior South Sudan clinician, but applicants from any part of the world who are actively practising clinicians at consultant or specialist level and who have a postgraduate qualification in any clinical discipline may apply.

Three UK midwives go to Yei

The link between Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare Trust and Yei Civil Hospital began with a visit in November 2010 to see how staff could work together. We were greatly helped by John and Poppy Spens who had been living in Yei and helping to run the Martha primary care clinic. After planning and preparation the second visit took place in October 2011.

Clinical Guidance

Post-Conflict Mental Health in South Sudan: Overview of Common Psychiatric Disorders - Part 2: Anxiety and substance abuse

Mental illness has a profound and often underestimated impact on the health and functioning of individuals and communities in post-conflict societies. Part I of this series provided an overview of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); Part II focuses on anxiety and substance use, including alcohol withdrawal.

Is myocardial infarction common in the South Sudan?

It is generally believed that ischaemic heart disease and the serious consequence of myocardial infarction is uncommon in indigenous South Sudanese. This belief may be misplaced as evidenced by this case report.

Research

Safer caesarean sections at Juba Teaching Hospital

This article describes a completed audit cycle of the mode of anaesthesia used for caesarean section at Juba Teaching Hospital (JTH). There is a large body of evidence available that highlights the benefits of regional anaesthesia over general anaesthesia for caesarean sections (CS). The UK National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines suggest that “women who are having CS should be offered regional anaesthesia because it is safer and results in less maternal and neonatal mortality than general anaesthesia”(1). In 2006, the Royal College of Anaesthetists proposed standards for best practice, suggesting that a minimum of 95% of elective CS and a minimum of 85% of emergency CS are conducted under regional anaesthesia.

Rehabilitation of patients with traumatic brain injuries in South Sudan

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as brain injury due to externally inflicted trauma which may result in significant impairment of an individual’s physical, cognitive and psychosocial functioning (1). In an analysis of patients admitted with trauma to Juba Teaching Hospital, Dario Kuron Lado (2) showed that of 652 patients presenting with different patterns of injury due to trauma 12% (47) had suffered head injury.

Tuberculosis 1. Epidemiology of mycobacterium tuberculosis

An understanding of the epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is critical for effective control. In this, the first article of a series, the global burden of tuberculosis (TB), risk factors for transmission and the epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in South Sudan are reviewed.

Case Reports

No documents found.

Summaries

Resources for SSMJ 5 2

These are listed under: • HIV/AIDS • Maternal, neonatal and child health

The ABCDE Approach – Triage and Treatment

The importance of triage is well recognized and the benefits of the ABCDE approach are well documented. It is particularly important to ensure that the limited health resources in South Sudan are directed to those patients who need them most.