Qatar Journal of Public Health - Volume 2023, Issue 2

Objective This research aimed to assess coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine administration errors at Primary Health Care Centres (PHCC) in Qatar and provide corrective measures to enhance patient safety based on the Centre for Communicable Diseases recommendations.

Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the electronic medical records of patients receiving COVID-19 vaccines at PHCC between 23 December 2020 and 31 December 2021. Demographic information, vaccine details, administration dates, lot numbers, and vaccination sites were extracted. A descriptive analysis was performed to calculate the percentages of common vaccine administration errors outlined by the CDC.

Results PHCC administered 2,797,941 and 694,643 vaccine doses in 2021 and 2022, respectively. The primary error category was data quality, with the highest observed error being a discrepancy between vaccine expiration dates and actual dates (3.1% in December 2022). In 2021, all error percentages within data quality were below 0.37%. Notably, the most prevalent vaccine administration deviation in 2021 was interval rule 2, where the second dose was administered more than 42 days after the first dose. The highest deviation (1.59%) was reported in November.

Conclusions Vaccination remains crucial for disease prevention, necessitating accurate vaccine administration processes. The study underscores the importance of effective implementation and monitoring of vaccination programmes. PHCC’s strategies, including ongoing training, adherence to guidelines, and a monitoring dashboard, contributed to better error understanding. This approach facilitated targeted training and communication efforts to enhance patient safety and minimise potential harm. The findings highlight the significance of continuous improvement in vaccine administration to ensure the success of public health interventions.

Background Fever without a source of infection (FWS) is a common presentation in infants and children. Kawasaki disease (KD) is a rare but serious illness that can sometimes present with FWS. Early diagnosis of KD is important in infants younger than 6 months because delayed treatment has a poor outcome in this age group.

Case presentation A 5-month-old male child, who was first taken by his parents to the primary health center with a complaint of fever, was referred to the hospital Pediatric Emergency Center (PEC). A viral cause was suspected, and he was sent home on oral antipyretic medicine. The next day, the infant developed decreased oral intake and lethargy, so he was admitted to the PEC for observation. The infant was initially diagnosed with sepsis and admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). On the fourth day of fever, the infant developed a skin rash, bilateral nonpurulent conjunctival congestion, strawberry tongue, and left posterior cervical lymphadenopathy. The infant was diagnosed with KD and received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and aspirin. The infant made a full recovery and was discharged home after 11 days of hospitalization.

Discussion KD is a rare but serious illness that can affect infants and children. Infants younger than 6 months with KD tend to have incomplete forms of the disease, which can make the diagnosis difficult. Delays in the diagnosis and treatment of KD can have serious consequences, including the development of coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs).

Conclusion This case report highlights the early presentation of KD in a 5-month-old infant. The early signs and symptoms of KD can be vague or mimic other common illnesses such as viral infections and sepsis. The diagnostic criteria may not be met in the early phase of the disease. Laboratory tests are not specific or diagnostic. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent serious complications. The patient in this case report was fortunate to be diagnosed and treated early. He responded well to treatment and made a full recovery.

Centralized Health Intelligence (CHI) represents an ecosystem where data, technology, and expertise converge to elevate the standards of healthcare services. In this case study, we explore the pivotal role of CHI in reshaping the healthcare paradigm at the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) in Qatar. Adopting clinical information systems led to a wealth of data, necessitating the transformation of the conventional health information management team into the Business and Health Intelligence (BHI) Department. The establishment of a centralized enterprise data warehouse (EDW) and the use of business intelligence tools by the BHI Department further contributed to improved data governance. A meticulous Centralized Health Intelligence Framework was devised to ensure the effective use of PHCC's data assets. This framework encompasses policies and procedures related to data stewardship, information needs assessment, data classification, data privacy, and data literacy requirements. Through this study, we demonstrate how PHCC has harnessed CHI to redefine healthcare delivery by providing relevant stakeholders with easy access to advanced data analytics and data-driven decision-making tools. Implementing CHI infrastructure presents many challenges, including financial, technical, and organizational hurdles. Despite these challenges, CHI significantly benefits relevant stakeholders by providing enhanced access to health data, fostering active engagement. However, addressing data comprehension, security, and privacy concerns remains critical.

African nations have experienced various environmental and anthropological changes, including climate change, natural disasters, food safety issues, and increased industrial waste. These changes have increased the risk of emerging endemic microorganisms and intensified the transmission and impact of existing endemic communicable diseases (ECDs). This paper reviews the literature on the repercussions of ECDs, such as malaria, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis (TB), and viral hepatitis diseases (VHD) in Africa. The narrative review involved an extensive search of published articles and grey literature on these selected ECDs in Africa between January 2000 and December 2022. Through case studies on malaria, NTDs, HIV/AIDS, TB, and VHD, the effects of these ECDs on public health, economic development, and social systems in Africa were demonstrated, as they continue to be major causes of morbidity and mortality in the African region. It was emphasized that underlying social and economic factors contribute to the vulnerabilities associated with these diseases. In conclusion, providing services through community care workers can improve families’ trust, awareness of social support, and recognition of domestic vulnerabilities.

الملخص

المُقَدِّمَة: التَّصلُّب الجانبي الضُّموري هو أحد الأمْراض العَصَبيَّة التَنَكُّسِيَّة التي تُصيب الخلايا العَصَبيَّة في المُخ والحَبْلِ الشَّوكِي، ويَنْتَهي المرض غَالباً بالوفاةِ. هَدَفَت هذه الدراسة لتَلخيص خَصَائِص مَرْضَى التَّصلٌّب الجانبي الضُّموري في البُلدان العَرَبية ومَدى جَودة الرِعاية الصحِّيَّة المُقدَّمة لهم.

المَنْهَجِيَّة: تَمَّ إجْراء هذه الدِّراسة وِفْقَاً للمبادِئ التَّوجِيهيَّة للمُراجعات المَنْهَجِيَّة والتَّحالِيل التلوية (PRISMA). تَمَّ إجراء بحث مُحَوْسَب في ثلاث قواعد بيانات في الأول من شَهر كَانُون الْأَوَّل لعام 2023م باستخدام المصطلحات المناسبة. تَضَمَّنَت مَعايير الأَهْلية أن تكون الدِراسة أوَّلية وَصفيَّة للتَركِيبة الدِّيمُوغْرافية أو الخَصَائص السَّريرية أو الرِعَاية الصحِّيَّة لمرضى التَّصلُّب الجانبي الضُّموري في أي من البُلدان العَرَبيَّة. تَمَّ إنشاء التَّحليل التلوي والرسومات البيَّانِية الغَابيَّة باستِخدام بِرنامج R Studio وذلك باستخدام نَمُوذَج تَحليل التأثير العشوائي. تمَّ حِساب النِّسبَة المئويَّة للمُتغيرات الفِئويَّة والمُتوسِّط الكُلي للمُتغيرات المُستمرة مع فَاصِل الثِّقة 95% لتقدير الحجم الشُّمولي.

النَتَائِج: بَعد فَحص الأدبيات، تَمَّ تَحدِيد وإدراج سبع دِراسات - جيدة الجَودة - مُوافِقة لمعايير الأهليَّة. شَملت هذه الدراسات خَمس دراسات وَصْفِيَّة لمَرضَى التَّصلُّب الجَانِبي الضُّموري ودراسَتين تَمَّ إجراؤهم عَلى مُقدِّمِي الرِعَاية الصحِّيَّة. أَظهَرَ التَّحليل التلوي أنَّ نِسبَة الذُكور الشُّموليَّة عَبرَ كَافة الدراسات 63% مع فَاصِل ثِقَة يَتَرَاوح بين 57% و69%. كانت نِسبَة المُصابين بالنٌوع البَصَلِي للمَرَض عَبرَ كَافة الدِراسات 23% مع فاصل ثقة يتراوح بين 19% و28%. كما كَانَ المُتَوَسط الشُّمولي لعُمر المَرضَى عِندَ بِداية المَرض 53.3 سنة مع فاصل ثقة يتراوح بين 51.6 و55.1 سنة. أَشَارَت الدِراستان الخاصتان بِالرِّعَايَة الصحِّيَّة إلى ضَعْف كَفَاءَة الرِعَاية الطِّبيَّة بِمَرضَى التَّصلُّب الجانبي الضُّموري.

الخَاتِمَة: تُشير هَذِه المُراجَعة إلى نُدرة وقِلَّة الأدَبِيَّات البَحثيَّة المَنشُورَة عَن مَرضَى التَّصلُّب الجَانِبي الضُّموري فِي البُلدان العَرَبيَّة. فِيمَا يَخص الأدبيات المُتاحَة فإِنها تُشير إلى أنَّه فِي حِين أنَّ مَرضَى التَّصلُّب الجَانِبي الضُّموري يَتَشَارَكُون بَعض السِمَات السُكَّانِيَّة والسَريريَّة مَعَ المَرضَى مِن مَناطِق أُخرى، إلَّا أنَّ هُناك اختلافات ملحوظة، كما أَشَارَت الدِراسَات أيضاً إلى ضَعف كَفَاءَة الرّعاية الصحِّيَّة المُقَدَّمَة. يُوْصَى بِتَوجيه المَزيد مِن الأبحاث لدِراسَة مَرضَى التَّصلُّب الجَانِبِي الضُّمُورِي فِي العَالَم العَرَبِي.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects upper and lower motor neurons and is ultimately fatal. This study aimed to investigate ALS patients’ demographics, clinical features, and healthcare situation in Arab countries.

Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a literature search was conducted on 1st December 2023 using appropriate search terms in three databases. Inclusion criteria encompassed observational studies that reported on the demographics, clinical features, or healthcare of ALS patients in any Arab country. The meta-analysis and the forest plots were generated by R Studio using the DerSimonian Laird random effect meta-analysis model.

Results: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Among these, five were observational studies focusing on ALS patients, while two examined the healthcare provided to ALS patients. The pooled proportion of males across all studies was 63% (95% CI = 57% to 69%). Meanwhile, the pooled proportion of patients with bulbar ALS was 23% (95% CI = 91% to 28%). The overall mean age of patients at the onset of the disease was 53.3 years (95% CI = 51.6 to 55.1). The two healthcare studies reported subpar health and medical care for ALS patients.

Conclusion: This systematic review highlights the limited literature on ALS in Arab countries. The findings suggest that while Arab ALS patients share some demographic and clinical features with patients from other regions, there are also notable differences. Further research is needed to enhance our understanding of ALS in Arab countries and improve healthcare provisions for affected individuals.