Avicenna - Volume 2022, Issue 2

The pandemic situation generated by the novel coronavirus virus (COVID-19) created several moral and economic dilemmas. While trying to save many local and world economies, entrepreneurs, leaders, and policymakers faced the challenges of managing the resultant economic and financial disruptions and risks coupled with the moral obligation to observe business ethics. This research is based on a documental collection, revision, and analysis of relevant and emerging literature to catch the best practices and experiences adopted by various governments and businesses, especially in western countries, to protect the jobs and employment rights of workers. Among other things, this study urges social policymakers to adopt innovative mechanisms and programs to not only protect the rights of employees but also help maintain jobs during pandemic situations and economic crises The research suggests that adhering to business ethics will enhance the use of technology and boost the sense of innovation and creativity of both employees and their organizations. The importance of the collaboration between public Administrators, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and employees to maintain the fundamentals of business ethics and protect employees’ rights is adjudged to be critical to a speedy recovery from the losses and disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Global climate change exposes workers to increased air temperature, polluted air, and ultraviolet radiation due to ozone depletion, increased extreme weather events, and evolving patterns of vectorborne diseases. These climate change hazards are causing acute and chronic health problems to workers. The occupational distribution of the population is the most vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change worldwide. Climate change-related adverse health hazards to the general population is getting evident around the globe. A limited focus has been made on developing a relationship between climate change and related occupational health hazards. This policy paper aims to guide health officials and policymakers to develop a climate change mitigation policy for the occupational distribution of the population. Absolute magnitude determination of climate changerelated health risks is essential to developing projecting models and predicting future hazards and risks. These models will help us to estimate climate change and environmental exposure, susceptibility of the exposed population, and capacity of public health practice and services to reduce climate change impact. Adaptation policies in international, national, and local occupational settings are required to acclimatize the workers and mitigate climate change-related adverse effects.

This study aims to compare the eating behaviors, food preferences, and body mass index of children with and without Autism residing in Lahore, Pakistan. The study participants were aged 5-12 years, and were divided into two groups: 60 children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and 120 typically developing (TD) school children. The sample was drawn from three Autism schools and three private schools through the purposive sampling technique. Data regarding the participants’ basic personal history, food preferences, and eating behavior were obtained from their parents using a self- administered structured questionnaire. BMI for age percentiles of the children was obtained from standard charts, based on their height and weight measurements. Among participants with Autism, 46.7% were obese, compared to 23.3% of the participants without Autism. Children with Autism exhibited a significantly greater degree of limited variety (U= 2797.000, p= 0.009) and food refusal (U= 1586.000, p= 0.000) as compared to children without Autism. Greater preference for food in the vegetable group was related to a higher BMI for the age percentile, for children with Autism (r = 0.327, p = 0.011). A p-value < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Children with Autism exhibited selective eating and food refusal to a greater degree than children without Autism.

Background: Hepatitis infections, particularly hepatitis B and C, threaten public health to a great extent. They can be directly transferred from pregnant women to their fetuses, either in utero or postpartum. In Saudi Arabia, there is a variation in the prevalence of both infections among women throughout the country’s regions. Thus, it is necessary to examine women for probable infections by any of these types of hepatitis to prevent hepatitis transmission.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections among women in Ha’il, Saudi Arabia during 2016-2020.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on the cumulative sero-prevalence of hepatitis B and C among 23,462 women who attended the maternity hospital in Ha’il, Kingdom Saudi Arabia (KSA), from the period of 2016-2020.

Results: The analysis revealed that the hepatitis B infection (sero-prevalence 0.27%; 64 cases) is more prevalent than hepatitis C infection (sero-prevalence 0.077%, 18 cases) among women. Both infections were higher among Saudi compared to non-Saudi nationals. Moreover, hepatitis B sero-prevalence increases with women’s age, while HCVAb was higher in the group 40 – <50 years old. The data also showed no trends throughout months, seasons, and years for HCVAb and HBsAg cases. Conclusion: The results show a dramatic decline in both types of hepatitis (B and C) among the investigated women compared to previous and recent reports from other regions in the country and a further decrease in the prevalence during the study period. These results imply that the hepatitis B vaccination program implemented in Ha’il over the last 30 years has been successful for females. Therefore, surveillance, improved diagnostic facilities, and vaccination efforts should be continued in Ha’il, KSA.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected life-saving childhood immunization globally and affected Vaccine- Preventable Diseases eradication and elimination efforts. During the initial phase of the pandemic, some countries temporarily stopped vaccination campaigns against measles, meningitis, polio, tetanus, typhoid, and yellow fever. This study was conducted to quantify the effect of COVID-19 on EPI vaccination.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the district Swat of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa from June to August 2022. The data was extracted from the EPI Management Information System for the four months of the pre-pandemic period and four months of the lockdown period. The pre-pandemic four- month data was taken as a baseline and was compared with the four-months lockdown period.

A 7-19% decrease was found during the lockdown period in various antigen coverage. Coverage of Penta-3 was most affected having a 19% decrease while measles coverage was less affected showing a 7% decrease during the lockdown period. BCG coverage was affected by 14%, PCV by 11 to 18%, Rota by 12 to 16%, and IPV by 18%.

The vaccination coverage improved in the later months of the lockdown, but the number of defaulters and zero-dose children increased. To fill this gap, a robust strategy for vaccination is recommended.