18 March, 2011 19:41

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GSK reduces prices for antibiotics

The new year has started with some good news of price cuts to GSK’s range of antibiotics.
The popular yet pricey antibiotics include Augmentin,Zinnat,Zinacef and Clavulin.
This is the second price reduction announcement by GSK in two years and makes me wonder whether the competition especially from Indian pharmaceutical companies is biting into their profits. I will publish the new prices versus the old prices once i get them. The Amerucan

Happy New Year

This is to wish you a happy new year and a 2010 filled with more information on health and the state of health care in Kenya.

Amerucan

ARE KENYANS BURNED OUT?

I have been doing a series of health talks for various organizations on stress and stress management. I have come across numerous people working in these organizations who have high levels of stress and at various degrees of burn out.

What is burn out in the first place? Burn out is defined as the state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion brought about by long term exposure to stress and stressful conditions. This state of exhaustion is accompanied by a loss of interest, cynicism and irritability.

The main outcome of burn out is that there is a reduction in overall performance by the individual and their work output suffers.

Who are more likely to be affected by burn out?

1. Those who work in organizations with dysfunctional dynamics and poor communication structures.
2. Those who do not have a balance between social and work life
3. Those who feel powerless to make decisions
4. Those who are in monotonous or chaotic environments

As I was meditating about the feedback I received from the health talks, I began to reflect on the similarities of how people burn who are stressed get burned out and how a country full of stressed people burns out. This similarity makes sense to me because a country is its citizens. If the citizens are stressed so is the country. Thinking about this, there have been several events occurring in Kenya that makes me think that Kenyans are stressed and in various stages of burn out.

1. There was an announcement in the media that money for free education was stolen. I was expecting an avalanche of complaints but there has been not much of an outcry.
2. There has been a lot of activity going on regarding the draft constitution. I have observed that many people do not appear too interested to air their view as passionately as during the referendum in 2005. The most noise is coming from mainly NGO’s and the politicians.
3. 150 million shillings is directly pocketed by a group of people selling a farming scheme in ukambani on behalf of the members of that scheme. There is little outcry.
4. There is an expose on TV about corruption at the ports of Mombasa that barely raises a whimper. There is belief that there not much we can do.
5. A car rolls and 8 occupants die. Not much of concern. It’s just another accident like any other.

From these few examples, do you think Kenyans are burned out?

Let me elucidate on my hypothesis.

A good number of Kenyans have become numb and exhausted by numerous scandals that are brought to light on a daily basis. Are we exhausted? Do we lack interest in the follow up to these scandals? Are we cynical to any attempt to right these wrongs? To me, all these questions produce a big YES!

Why are we in this state?

We are in this state because of the following factors:

A. We live in a country with dysfunctional dynamics (we do not relate well) and poor communication structures. I will highlight some examples of this dysfunction.

1. The Post Election Violence in 2008 was a great emotional stressor. It was the biggest negative emotional event we experienced as a nation since the 1982 coup. This great emotional demand that was placed on us scarred psyche and we still bear the fear of uncertainty of what will happen during the next election. The site of people being killed and raped is one that weighs heavy on our emotions.
2. Our government is always bickering about one issue after another and thus we are unable to focus on progress as a nation. This constant bickering weighs heavily on Kenyans leading to exhaustion and losing interest.
3. There is a lot of selfishness amongst people in Kenya where the sense of brotherhood is being eroded by our “men eat man” mentality. This mentality began with our forefathers and now it has reached proportions where we steal money meant for HIV drugs and for free primary education. Don’t we care? Do we listen to our brothers and sisters? I do not think so.

B. Kenya is a country  where we do not have a balance between politics and economics

The unfortunate thing about Kenya is that we politik from one election to the next nonstop. We are unable to extensively discuss nation building initiatives other than politics! What makes it worse is that the media has been unable to check this situation. The mainstream media actually is part of this problem. Main stream media does not have the guts to break from the fold and venture into positive reporting away from politics. The main stream media sticks to its herding instincts and just do whatever the rest does. Kenya has so much going for it if only we just take a closer look.

Discussion of politics continuously has lead to exhaustion and people who do not care anymore. Politics does not bring food to the table (unless for a chosen few), economics does!

C. Kenyans feel powerless to make decisions

As we speak, Kenyans are not holding their breath as the draft constitution moves to parliament. Busy bodies have been making empty threats to the legislature to pass the draft constitution. What is tragically funny is that the legislature may do what it wants. They have the power. They have the power to decide. The 30 day exercise to get views from Kenyan was an exercise in futility because the legislature will make its own recommendations. What can Kenyans do? Nothing! We are powerless. We are pawns to be used at will by the political class who have benefited from a draconian constitution. .With our country in politics mode 24/7 we are destined for doom. People are tired of being played like fools. They simply do not care.

Do you think we are in burn out as a country? Are we heading for break down?

Methinks so. When man is pushed to this limit there is chance for doing irrational things because there is nothing to lose.

We have to find solutions to our issues and avoid going into breakdown as individuals and as a nation.

What do you think?

Swine Flu Detected in Nairobi?

I got a disturbing text last night which essentially said that there was a confirmed case of swine Flu detected at a clinic located at busy mall in the Westlands area of Nairobi.I chose to ignore it and not forward the message as it was appeared not to be based on fact and that it might be a case of rumour mongering. I chose wrong.

This morning I found several sms’s of a similar nature and  got worried. People were actually believing the contents of the sms. My relatives started bombarding me with questions related to the sms, of which I do not have the answer. The last straw was when my partner in life started calling her relatives and passing the same information as fact. This information has expectantly created a sense of uneasiness and what makes it worse is that it has not been based on fact.

With this in mind, I wanted to get some facts on this matter.If not facts , some information that can bring to light this story. I made several calls to reliable contacts who informed me ” off the record” that they were unhappy with the way this information has spread without dealing with the facts. In their view, this information has been creating some sense of panic amongst the wananchi.

The information given to me, which has not been verified, is that there was actually a  patient seen at the clinic and who fitted the criteria of a person who would required screening by the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation (MoPHS) team. This criteria is based on the guidelines the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation(MoPHS) had provided to all public hospitals and major private hospitals. This screening is routine and does not confirm that someone has swine flu.Unfortunately, I am informed, the information managed to reach the press even before the screening could be completed and thus the rumours and messages began. I am informed that preliminary tests have not revealed a positive finding of swine flu virus but further confirmatory tests have to be carried out .Therefore there is still no final confirmation of the results from screening this patient.

My advice is, let us all be calm and await formal response by the MoPHS and stop spreading information that can cause unecessary alarm.

In the meantime you can read my  earlier post on general information and precautions about swine Flu.

Have a safe weekend and stay healthy

Swine Flu Information

SWINE FLU

Following the outbreak of swine Flu and widespread reporting on the illness, there have been widespread concern and request for information.

We have compiled the following information that will assist you with understanding the illness and on what to do.

A. Facts about the Swine Flu Influenza

· Swine influenza is a highly contagious respiratory disease in pigs caused by one of several swine influenza A viruses (similar to the viruses that cause the FLU in humans).

· The current outbreak is being caused by the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus that affects both pigs and humans.

· Swine influenza is highly contagious and tends to cause severe symptoms but few cases of death (1%-4%).

· In the United States, 64 confirmed cases of swine flu have been reported as of April 28, 2009 and all affected patients have had mild influenza like illness, with only 2 requiring brief hospitalization. No deaths have been reported in the United States.

· The usual vaccine for influenza administered at the beginning of the flu season is not effective for this viral strain.

· Kenya’s Government and public health officials are monitoring the threat from swine influenza and will provide guidance to health care professionals and the public.

B. Symptoms of Swine Flu Influenza

Manifestations of swine influenza are similar to those of seasonal influenza. Patients present with symptoms of acute respiratory illness, including at least 2 of the following:

• Fever
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Body aches
• Headache
• Chills and fatigue
• Diarrhea and vomiting (especially in children)

C. Treatment for Swine Flu Influenza

Treatment is largely supportive and consists of:

• Drinking plenty of fluids that boosts immunity: please avoid alcohol that will lead to dehydration.

• Plenty of Rest is vital as it boosts your immunity and allows your body to recover.

• Chicken soup: known to relieve congestion.

• Honey/ginger: soothes the throat and helps with the cough.

• Painkillers like Paracetamol (e.g. panadol) for the aches and pains.

• Steam inhalation to decongest the nose.

Treatment with Antiviral Drugs

· Antiviral drugs may also be considered for treatment or prevention .

· Oseltamivir and zanamivir antiviral drugs have been shown to be effective in treating the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus. Initiation of antiviral agents within 48 hours of symptom onset is imperative for providing treatment efficacy against influenza virus.

· The recommended duration of treatment is 5 days.

· Prevention with antiviral drugs should also be considered in the following individuals (before exposure or after exposure):

1. Close contact of a confirmed/suspected case of swine FLU with people with chronic medical conditions e.g. asthmatics , persons  above 65 years or less than 5 years and pregnant women.

2. Travelers to Mexico by people with chronic medical conditions e.g. asthmatics ,persons  above 65 years or less than 5 years and pregnant women.

3. Health care providers or public health workers who were not using appropriate personal protective equipment during close contact with a confirmed or suspected case

D. What to do if swine Flu is detected and confirmed in your community.

The CDC recommends the following actions:

Home isolation

• Patients who develop flu-like illness (i.e. fever with either cough or sore throat) should be strongly encouraged to self-isolate in their home for 7 days after the onset of illness or at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.
• To seek medical care, patient should contact their health care providers to report illness (by telephone or other remote means) before seeking care at a clinic, physician’s office, or hospital.
• Patients who have difficulty breathing or shortness of breath or who are believed to be severely ill should seek immediate medical attention.
• If the patient must go into the community (e.g., to seek medical care), he or she should wear a face mask to reduce the risk of spreading the virus in the community. If a face mask is unavailable, ill persons who need to go into the community should use tissues to cover their mouth and nose while coughing.
• While in home isolation, patients and other household members should be given infection control instructions, including frequent hand washing with soap and water. Use alcohol-based hand gels (containing at least 60% alcohol) when soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty. Patients with swine influenza should wear a face mask when within 6 feet of others at home.
• For other people in the house who are not ill should minimize contact in the community, assign one to act as a care giver to the ill family member and should remain home at the earliest sign of illness.

School dismissal and childcare facility closure

• Strong consideration should be given to close schools upon a confirmed case of swine flu or a suspected case epidemiologically linked to a confirmed case.
• Consultation with local or state health departments is essential for guidance concerning when to reopen schools. If no additional confirmed or suspected cases are identified among students (or school-based personnel) for a period of 7 days, schools may consider reopening.
• Schools and childcare facilities in unaffected areas should begin preparation for possible school closure.

Social distancing

• Large gatherings linked to confirmed cases should be cancelled .
• Additional social distancing measures are currently not recommended.

E. Further Reading and Special thanks

Because the situation is changing rapidly, it is important to check regularly for changes in recommendations as new information becomes available. Online resources for daily guidance include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

For reading the detailed report click here.

Link between cervical cancer and throat cancer.

The virus that is known to cause cervical cancer has been identified as one of the causes of throat cancer in people who engage in oral sex(John Hopkins study).The virus (HPV) is known to be transmitted sexually and risk is 9 times higher in people who have reported having oral sex with more than 6 partners. The other main causes of throat cancer are tobacco and alcohol.

Doctors = Lawyers?

I have been thinking long on this issue of doctors being seeing in the negative. I have had a few bad experiences with lawyers, but with doctors the experience has not always been so good. With lawyers we tend to give a blanket statement that they are bad and from what i see, a few “bad apple” lawyers make the whole lot rotten. But I see a worrying trend where a few doctors are putting the whole lot in disrepute. Is it that doctors are misunderstood? Is it that we do not understand them?Methinks that doctors, especially in urban areas have become accustomed to being demigods, who do not answer to anyone but themselves. That may be fine, but i believe it leads to a dangerous situation where the doctor cannot be brought to task when an error is made.Am I picking on doctors or are these issues that need to be addressed.I would not want ever to doubt my doctor, not for one second. What do you think?

Frustrating Day

Its been a long confusing day as regards the many aspects of my life.

On one part, i have tried cracking my brain about securing some two websites and it has hit my team and i(about 8 hours later) that we will need to go back to the drawing board.Security online is a big issue for me and it is killing me.

The other part is the fact that i meet my former workmates time and again and they have this look of why i had to leave the company!come on guys, it was good while it lasted but my contract had come to an end.If things were different the same company would not hesitate to kick me out.Thats why am here bashing my head aginst the wall looking into solutions to secure the sites.

I have never liked working within the confines of employent, i have found it restricting.Good ideas are either shelved or used by someone else(ok they are stolen).But i have to give it to the corporate sector, they have taught me not what to become:greedy, tenacious and at time selfish.Not with standing, there are many souls who are genuine and i know our corporate sector’s ethics will change in time.

Now am alone, without the comfort of a monthly salary i have to make this work.It has to!

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