Abstract

Introduction Mass casualty events are becoming almost daily news nowadays. Trafic road accidents, floods, industrial failures or fires are in constant growth in frequency and severity of consequences during last decades. What is one of the most distinguished features of these events is the number of the casualties requiring medical assistance, number that is overwhelming the available medical means and capabilities at the spot of the event. This discrepancy is leading to the significant change into the modus operandi of the hospitals that are in visinity of the event. The Outpatients-addmission departments are one of the most affected by these changes.

The objective of our study is to present the changes into Hospital Outpatient-admission departments due to the mass casualty event

Materials and Methods Hospital Disaster Response Plans and the activities throughout COVID-19 pandemic are analyzed. The means of descriptive method are applied to present the planned and executed activities during the mass casualty event into these departments that are compared with the routine work flow.

Results and Discussion The greatest challenge in case of one mass casualty event is the scarcity of medical assets in or close to the place, where the event occurs – a lot of patients are requiring life-saving or urgent medical support. This provokes sharp increase into the number of patients that have to be admitted into hospital premises, within limited timeframe.

The required changes for effective saving of life and protection of health of the casualties are discussed and presented

Biography

Prof Colonel Rostislav Stefanov Kostadinov is Organizing and leading the educational process for Medical University of Plovdiv and Medical College of Plovdiv students. Delivering lectures, leading seminars and the students examine. Monitoring, organizing, and facilitating the International relations and Project activities of the Public Health Faculty academic staff. Organizing and leading Ph.D. and resident programs on Disaster Medicine and Disaster Medical Support at the Medical University of Plovdiv Planning, organizing, and managing courses for improvement of the population skills for healthy behavior in case of disasters and catastrophes. Leading and managing courses for disaster medical support (for medical professionals) and advance medical training for search and rescue team members.

Abstract

The global pandemic covid-19 impacted with public health ,food security and unemployment. The economic and social disruption caused by this pandemic is beyond recoverable. The pandemic had affected the entire food system and livelihood loss with border closures, trade restrictions , confinement measures and job loss. The COVID-19 crisis had opened eyes towards issues in particular workers’ health and safety, Adhering to workplace safety and health practices and ensuring access to decent work and the protection of labour rights in all industries will be crucial in addressing the human dimension of the crisis. Immediate and purposeful action to save lives and livelihoods should include extending social protection towards universal health coverage and income support for those most affected. These include workers in the informal economy and in poorly protected and low-paid jobs, including youth, older workers, and migrants. Particular attention must be paid to the situation of women, who are over-represented in low-paid jobs and care roles. Different forms of support are key, including cash transfers, child allowances and healthy school meals, shelter and food relief initiatives, support for employment retention and recovery, and financial relief for businesses, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. We must develop the strategies for the future of our environment and tackle climate change and environmental degradation with ambition and urgency to protect the health, livelihoods, food security and nutrition of all people. Global solidarity and support is the need of the hour , especially with the most vulnerables to overcome the intertwined health and social and economic impacts of the pandemic. We must recognize this opportunity to build back better. This paper will inform about the community resiliency process to manage future pandemic. 

Biography

Professor Minakshi Das is affiliated with Global Health of York University and possesses 20 years of research and implementation experience in Reproductive Health globally. Her research engagements concentrated on maternal and child health and well-being, sexual violence against women and children community health governance, public health policies and reform, health, and human rights, and environmental health and well-being, As a public health policy analyst, she has developed community health interventions in association with UNICEF and UNFPA. Her current research focus is on the impact of Covid-19 and community resiliency in India and Nepal.

Abstract

The outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the world—albeit not in a positive way. Job loss has been one of the worst financial shocks families have faced, making it extremely difficult to make ends meet and causing devastating downstream effects like foreclosures, evictions, and above all putting food on the table. To understand food accessibility during the pandemic, this paper explores different scenarios of affordability, accessibility, and transportation. We started with the premise that the lockdown, untenable living costs, and disruptions caused by COVID -19 would expose the fragility of people’s access to food especially, in lower socio-economic groups. 

A cross-sectional survey in English and Spanish was conducted using the PhenX Toolkit for 18 days. We tested our hypothesis with the Chi-square test and used functions to compute the depression scores from the PHQ-9 questionnaire. 

Our results show that COVID-19 negatively impacted the affordability of food and access to food from food retailers. It, however, had no significant impact on the availability of healthy food in stores, qualification for food programs, distance to the nearest food retailer, and mode of transportation used for grocery shopping. We, at Scientia Lab, believe that this is just a starting point for a food system transformation that builds resilience at all levels, especially in affordability and accessibility during future pandemics.

Biography

Madhalasa Iyer is a rising freshman from Princeton University and an award-winning writer, environmentalist and scientist recognized by national organizations like the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Discovery Education, Anthony Quinn Foundation, University of Washington, New York Life Foundation and local groups including her city’s performing arts center and her ISD. Her scientific work has been published in the Journal of Student Research, Mentoring in Medicine Journal and Curieux Academic Journal. She is also a speaker for both TEDX and EarthX. She is extremely passionate about public health and seeks to make a difference in her community.

Abstract

Racism deeply affectsthe social determinants of health, resultingin racial health inequities in populations of color. Recently, measures have been taken to address this issue in Washington, DC. These measures include the 2020 Racial Equity Achieves Results (REACH) Amendment Act, which focuses on racial equity, social justice, and economic inclusion (The DC Line, 2020). To further these efforts, there is a need to understand the relationship between structural racism, unemployment, poverty, and violence. The research reported here explores the correlation between historic racism, social determinants of health, housing policies, and community violence in Washington, DC. The methods used include mappingracial covenants from 1940 to 2010, neighborhood displacement, and social determinants of health. Currentmortgage lending in the neighborhoods across the city was used to measure the housing market and lending discrimination. The author also used demographic data from various sources to measure the social determinants of health across statistical neighborhoods. Findings indicate that Wards 5, 7 and 8, in Southern and Eastern parts of DC, have the highest rates of crime, unemployment and concentrated poverty and the lowest house lending rates. Between 1940-2010, these wards also experienced the most housingdisplacement. The district’s racial dissimilarity index of 70.9 indicates that Washington, DC is still highly segregated and that individual health and exposure to violence varies significantly by zip code. To achieve health equity, appropriate measures to dismantle structural racism must be taken. The needed measures must be linked to community- based participatory research and policies that incorporate the historical context of the problem along with the voices of community members.

Biography

Nadia Altaher is a recent graduate from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia with a major in Community Health and a minor in Data Analysis. She has experience interning at various health departments, including at the Office of Health Equity in DC Department of Health and with a maternal public health nurse at Fairfax County Health Department. Nadia won an award within the College of Public Health at George Mason University for Interdisciplinary research and graduated with honors. She is excited to continue her education and hopes to gain more experience with research and data analysis.

Abstract

The rate of hearing loss caused by wax impaction is most common in low- and middle-income countries, with the resulting hearing loss typically being of the conductive kind. This study focused on the prevalence of wax and related factors among primary school learners in Lilongwe, Malawi. The screening procedures was done using otoscope, tympanometer and audiometer. The study was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The study used a random sample of one hundred and fifty learners from six public primary schools; three from rural and three from urban. The results showed that fifty-one learners had wax (34 %) of the total sample and ninety nine learners had no wax (66%), with a relatively small mean age (M=13.43, SD=2.15). It also showed that there is no significant difference of wax prevalence between urban and rural public schools but the use of cotton buds is the preferred method used in urban with 38.7%, while matchstick is commonly used in rural areas with 34.7%. Wax impaction is a common ear problem among primary school learners in Lilongwe. There is no significant difference of wax impaction between urban and rural public primary schools. The study recommended that awareness, screening programmes and routine otoscopy should be done in primary schools.

Biography

My name is Regina Bickiel Kachapila from Lilongwe Malawi. She Graduated from Starkey Hearing Institute in Zambia 2016 as Hearing Instrument Specialist. She have being involve herself in training others on primary ear care, conducting outreach clinics and fitting hearing aid and rehabilitation with 7 years’ experience working with Ministry of Health Malawi. And now she has Master’s Degree in Clinical Audiology and Hearing Therapy from School of Advanced Education, Research and Accreditation (SAERA) in Spain and she is registered with Medical Council of Malawi as an Audiologist. Regina is the Executive Director of ASHA Specialist Audiology Clinic which provides ear and hearing care including balance in Lilongwe.

Abstract

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) play a critical role in public health programs, ensuring effective implementation, accountability, and evidence-based decision-making. This abstract presents a synthesis of influential scientific papers on the importance of monitoring and evaluation in public health.

The reviewed papers cover a range of topics related to M&E in health programs, providing practical guidance and perspectives for practitioners, administrators, field workers, and managers. They emphasize the need for comprehensive M&E frameworks that enable systematic assessment, measurement, and analysis of program outcomes and impacts thus improving patient care, program management, and resource allocation. The interpretive and ethnographic perspectives, emphasizing the importance of understanding social and cultural contexts when evaluating health interventions have also been stated. Additionally, the challenges and opportunities associated with M&E in health and social development are discussed, highlighting the complexities of implementing robust evaluation systems.

They emphasize the role of stakeholders, such as public health practitioners and evaluators, in driving M&E efforts and facilitating knowledge sharing. By embracing robust M&E practices, public health programs can optimize their impact, enhance accountability, and contribute to evidence-informed policies and interventions.

Biography

Manasi Parad is a Paramedic and a Public Health Professional. She completed her MSc. in Applied Public Health from Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, United Kingdom in 2018. She has a 5-year experience in working in the Hospital, Teaching, IT & Social Sector. She is a Junior Executive at NICHE Advocacy Foundation, an NGO working for Emotional Fitness. She has a keen interest in Communicable & Non-Communicable Diseases, Disaster Management, Public Health Policy, Public Health Advocacy and Monitoring & Evaluation.

Abstract

A mathematical model for studying the dynamics of monkeypox virus transmission with non-pharmaceutical intervention is created, examined, and simulated using real-time data. Positiveness, invariance, and boundedness of the solutions are thus examined as fundamental features of mathematical models. The equilibrium points and the prerequisites for their stability are achieved. The basic reproduction number and thus the virus transmission were determined and quantitatively used to study the global stability of the model’s steady state. Furthermore, this study considered the sensitivity analysis of the parameters according to R0. The most sensitive variables that are important for infection control are determined using the normalized forward sensitivity index. Data from the United Kingdom collected between May and August 2022, which also aid in demonstrating the usefulness and practical application of the model to the spread of the disease in the United Kingdom, were used. In addition, using the Caputo– Fabrizio operator, Krasnoselskii’s fixed point theorem has been used to analyze the existence and uniqueness of the solutions to the suggested model. The numerical simulations are presented to assess the system dynamic behavior. More vulnerability was observed when monkeypox virus cases first appeared recently as a result of numerical calculations. We advise the policymakers to consider these elements to control monkeypox transmission. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that another control parameter could be the memory index or fractional order.

Biography

Adeniji Adejimi, PhD in Mathematical Technology (Applied Mathematics) and proceeded to resume a postdoctoral research fellow position at the Tshwane University of Technology. He has published several papers in the reputable journal peer-reviewed. His field of research is in infectious disease and epidemiology modelling. He currently serves as the associate editor of the African Scientific Reports.

Abstract

Universal Health care aims to ensure equitable access to quality health services for all who need it without causing financial hardship while digital health has the potential to transform healthcare and accelerate progress towards achieving the goal of universal health by 2030. In resource-poor settings, technology provides new and efficient ways of reducing inefficiencies in the health system by empowering patients, providers, managers, and policymakers with the information and tools they need to manage and strengthen health systems. 

However, like many health interventions, harnessing the transforming power of digital health is limited by socio economic determinants of health, referred to as digital divide. In many developing countries, the digital divide limits access to the use of emerging and existing digital technologies. Some of these factors include access to electricity, broadband connectivity, digital literacy, and the cost of data. Globally about 800 million persons do not have access to electricity, and only 1 in 3 persons in developing countries have internet access. Literacy rate is put at 66% in sub-Saharan Africa, and more than one billion persons live in countries where internet is unaffordable. 

So, just as achieving health equity requires deliberate effort to ensure that no one is disadvantaged by their circumstances, implementing digital health programs, especially in resource-poor countries, must be inetentional about expanding access. Digital health interventions must remove the underlying obstacles and challenges to accessibility, and focus on tools and applications that will drive equitable, inclusive, and sustainable transformation of the health systems.

Biography

Victoria has a first degree in pharmacology and a post-graduate degree in Public Health (MPH) and Management of Information Technology (M.Sc.). She is a senior public health and digital health analyst with over fifteen years of experience designing and implementing development projects in resource-poor settings. She recently completed a survey digital health that led to the development of a digital health staretgy for some countries and is currently working to evaluate national health financing strategies for primary health care in Nigeria.

Abstract

The global impact of COVID-19 pandemic serves as a sharp reminder that infectious diseases can be lethal. An unknown pathogen has begun a new chapter in the history of infectious illnesses. By January 2022, COVID-19 has caused almost 5.9 million deaths globally. Governments must increase public trust in vaccination adoption and address pandemic logistics and awareness. Objectives were to assess the Makkah resident's awareness of impact of COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, to assess the adherence of Makkah residents to MOH health directives on the COVID-19 pandemic. To meet the research objectives, we used a quantitative descriptive approach (cross-sectional study). We collected the data of 378 participants. However, due to errors and discrepancies, we rejected the data of 34 individuals. Therefore, the data of 344 participants were analyzed. The results revealed that 59.3 % of the respondents were females. We Conclude That the residents of Makkah, had a high level of awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority wore masks, kept proper social distances, washed their hands, and used hand sanitizers as directed by the MOH. 

Biography

Kholod Saleh Fallatah completed the Bachelor degree in Medical Science at Umm-Alquraa University, Saudi Arabia (Makkah Almukarramah) and the Master degree in Public Health (Mass Gathering) college of Medicine. University of Alfaisal, Saudi Arabia (Riyadh). And have a membership of Saudi society of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.