Self-Care Capacities of Diabetic Patients Monitored in the Internal Medicine Unit at the Kara Teaching Hospital (CHU Kara)

Objectives: To evaluate the practice of self-care in diabetic patients monitored at the Kara Teaching Hospital, known as CHU Kara. Method: We conducted a quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional study of 40 diabetic patients monitored at the Kara CHU. The data collection took place from February 20 to May 28, 2018 and the data was collected anonymously. Results: Out of the forty (40) respondents, 60% were male with a sex ratio of 1.5 and an average age of 56.15 years. Two-thirds (2/3) of the patients did not have the blood glucose meter. More than half (52%) did not know the normal blood glucose value and 82.5% were on a low carbohydrate diet. Eighty-two point fifty percent (82.50%) were under Oral antidiabetic (ADO). Forty percent (40%) of patients often forgot their medication. Forty-seven point-fifty percent reported frequent episodes of hypoglycaemia with dizziness (58%), tremors (53%), hunger (53%), sweat (37%), tingling (26%) and the most common gestures were: sugar ingestion (53%) and glycemic control (26%). Eighty-five (85%) said they used to feel hyperglycemia with fatigue (76%), polyuria (65%), polydipsia (44%) the most common precursors and the most frequent interventions were taking hypoglycemic drugs (74%) and controlling blood glucose (24%). Conclusion: The practice of self-care remains risky for diabetic patients. Hence the need for the establishment of adequate therapeutic education programs.

Review of Maternal Deaths over 3 and a Half Years at the Kara University Hospital Center, Northern Togo: About 65 Cases

Objective: To analyze maternal deaths, identify causes and dysfunctions leading to these deaths in order to contribute to the implementation of strategies to reduce maternal mortality at CHU Kara. Method: Cross-sectional descriptive study involving 65 cases of maternal deaths recorded at CHU-Kara from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2021. Results: Our study focused on 65 cases of maternal deaths recorded at the maternity ward of CHU-Kara. The average age was 30 years, with a range of 15 to 45 years. They were mostly housewives (52.3%), uneducated (38.5%), multiparous (41.5%), and referred (86.2%). The causes were mainly direct obstetric causes (81.54%), with preeclampsia and its complications (28.30%) and immediate postpartum hemorrhage (20.75%) being the most common. However, uterine rupture (20.5%) and post-abortion sepsis (16.4%) were the most lethal etiologies. Delayed evacuation (46.43%), inadequate transportation (91%), and insufficient prenatal care (72.31%) were the dysfunctions before referral. Within the CHU Kara, delays in management (58.46%), unavailability of blood and labile products (18%), and insufficient monitoring were the dysfunctions identified. Ninety-five point four percent (95.4%) of the deaths were preventable. Conclusion: The magnitude of intrahospital maternal deaths, the various dysfunctions observed in the occurrence of maternal deaths before referral/evacuation and within the hospital highlight the importance of effectively implementing recommendations from audits in the fight against maternal mortality. The majority of the deaths were preventable (95.38%).

Early Postoperative Deaths in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit of CHU-Kara

Aim: Review of early postoperative deaths in the surgical intensive care unit at CHU-Kara. Introduction: Surgery, one of the means of treatment of diseases, also presents risks for the patient, including early postoperative death linked to numerous risk factors. Methodology: This was a retrospective descriptive study conducted on the records of patients who died within 48 hours after surgery from November 1, 2019 to April 30, 2021. The study was conducted in the surgical intensive care unit and in the operating room. Results: Thirty-two early postoperative deaths or 2.22% out of 1442 operated with 30 deaths retained for the study. Male gender predominated (70%). The average age was 31.22 years. Farmers were more concerned (66.67%). The time to surgery was 1.6 days. ASA1 patients (40%) predominated followed by ASA IV (30%). 80% of patients were operated on as an emergency. Digestive pathologies 80% were more represented. General anaesthesia 86.66% was more practiced associating Propofol, Fentanyl, Ketamine and Atropine more frequently. The average duration of the procedures was 132.5 minutes. Intraoperative complications were associated with cardiac arrest and hemorrhage (33.34%). ASA class higher than 2, dirty surgery (46.67%), and delayed recovery (13.34%) were the incriminating risk factors. Death by hemodynamic shock and respiratory distress were the main causes 26.66%. Conclusion: Early postoperative mortality was high and involved all ages. Anesthesia and surgery, the low level of qualification of the intraoperative actors, the lesser intraoperative security;the association of anesthetic effects, the complexity of intraoperative lesions led to the increase of mortality. The combination of two or more factors was pejorative for the deaths.

Obstetric References in Disadvantaged Environments: Case of References to the University Hospital Center of Kara, in Northern Togo

Introduction: References are frequent and most often carried out in emergency situations. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical profile of obstetric referrals to the CHU-Kara. Methodology: This was a retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study conducted from September 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023, at CHU-Kara, focusing on obstetric referrals to the Gynecology-Obstetrics department. Result: 828 patients were referred for obstetric reasons out of 1295 admissions, representing a frequency of 63.9%. The average age was 25.04 years. They were primigravida (38.3%), unemployed (62.7%). Motorcycles were the main means of transportation, accounting for 53.1% of cases. The average distance to reach the referral center was 31.6 km, covered in an average of 71 minutes. In 40.7% of cases, patients had less than 4 prenatal consultations and were referred in peripartum (56.6%) for pre-eclampsia (14%), post-term pregnancy (11.8%), dystocia (10.5%). Eighty-six point nine percent (86.9%) of the referred patients were able to deliver during their stay in the department, of which 61.7% had vaginal deliveries. The maternal and perinatal mortality rates were 0.7% and 14.9%, respectively. Conclusion: Obstetric referrals to Kara University Hospital are frequent during the perpartum period and are often carried out by motorbike.

Hospital Information Systems Shortage in Sub-Saharan African Hospitals: Opportunities and Challenges

The HIS is recognised as an essential tool for optimising the management of a health establishment in particular and the health system in general. But it is still very little implemented in hospitals in the South. Open source HIS software, available on the Internet, can be a solution for starting a (HIS) project in these hospitals. A search on the Internet for open source HIS software allowed us to choose MedBoard, the second most popular open source software out of 381, to start an HIS project called PERFORMANCE at the Kara University Hospital in northern Togo. A questionnaire allowed us to assess the level of knowledge of health actors on hospital information systems. The results of this evaluation allowed us to strengthen our proposal. The analysis of the current computer park of the CHU Kara does not allow whatever the functionalities of MedBoard to implement PERFORMANCE at the CHU Kara. Logistics are needed to make PERFORMANCE work. The real difficulty to start and perpetuate HIS project is linked to the human factor.