Organised trauma systems and designated trauma centres for improving outcomes in injured patients.

Rationale: Trauma systems have become the standard of care in high-income countries, but remain uncommon in low- and middle-income countries. High-quality evidence of effectiveness is needed to advocate for the development of trauma systems in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of injury is highest.

Objectives: To assess the benefits and harms of organised trauma systems and designated trauma centres compared with usual care in injured patients.

Explosive Weapons Trauma Care Collective (EXTRACCT) Blast Injury Clinical Practice Guideline: Genito-Urinary Trauma.

Introduction: This clinical practice guideline from the Explosive Weapons Trauma Care Collective (EXTRACCT) group provides a review of current best practice for the management of urogenital injury after blast injury due to unexploded ordinance and improvized explosive devices. In particular, landmine-related blasts are a continuing problem and this plagues lower-income and middle-income regions disproportionately.

Methods: An expert literature review of current practice is presented.

Global surgery is an essential component of global health.

Global surgery as an essential component of global health. Global surgery is the study and practice of improving access to timely, quality, and affordable surgical care. It emphasizes horizontal health systems strengthening through addressing a range of health challenges in surgical care that improve health outcomes, particularly in vulnerable populations.

Trauma burden, patient demographics and care-process in major hospitals in Tanzania: A needs assessment for improving healthcare resource management.

Background: Appropriate referrals of injured patients could improve clinical outcomes and management of healthcare resources. To gain insights for system development, we interrogated the current situation by assessing burden, patient demography, causes of injury, trauma mortality and the care-process.

Methods: We used an observational, cross-sectional study design and convenience sampling to review patient charts from 3 major hospitals and the death registry in Tanzania.

Prophylactic antibiotics to prevent surgical site infections in Botswana: findings and implications.

Objectives: Antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery is known to reduce the rate of surgical site infections (SSI) as well as shorten hospital stay. However, there is currently a scarcity of data on antibiotic prophylaxis and SSIs among African countries including Botswana. Consequently, this study aimed to address this.

Evaluation of Resources Necessary for Provision of Trauma Care in Botswana: An Initiative for a Local System.

Background: Developing countries face the highest incidence of trauma, and on the other hand, they do not have resources for mitigating the scourge of these injuries. The World Health Organization through the Essential Trauma Care (ETC) project provides recommendations for improving management of the injured and building up of systems that are effective in low-middle-income countries (LMICs). This study uses ETC project recommendations and other trauma-care guidelines to evaluate the current status of the resources and organizational structures necessary for optimal trauma care in Botswana; an African country with relatively good health facilities network, subsidized public hospital care and a functioning Motor Vehicle Accident fund covering road traffic collision victims.

Corrigendum: Risks, precipitants and clinical presentation of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre in Tanzania.

This corrigendum corrects article "Risks, precipitants and clinical presentation of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre in Tanzania". Pan Afr Med J. 2014 Oct 1;19:119.

Asthma prevalence, knowledge, and perceptions among secondary school pupils in rural and urban coastal districts in Tanzania.

Background: Asthma is a common chronic disease of childhood that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of asthma among secondary school pupils in urban and rural areas of coast districts of Tanzania. The study also aimed to describe pupils' perception towards asthma, and to assess their knowledge on symptoms, triggers, and treatment of asthma.

Risks, precipitants and clinical presentation of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease at the Kilimanjaro Christian medical centre in Tanzania [corrected].

Introduction: Risk factors and precipitants of gastro-oesophageal disease (GERD) differ widely in communities. We conducted an observational study to describe these risks, precipitants and clinical presentation of GERD patients at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in Tanzania.

Methods: We consecutively recruited 92 GERD patients who were referred for endoscopy at KCMC from March to November 2008.

Non-communicable diseases in antiretroviral therapy recipients in Kagera Tanzania: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to describe the extent of self-reported non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) recipients in Kagera region in Tanzania and their effect on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study was conducted 2 years after HAART administration was started in Kagera region.

Methods: The SF-36 questionnaire was used to collect the HRQOL data of 329 HAART recipients.