World Health Organization Standards Research Articles

Assessment of surface water quality in mining area: A case study of the southwest region of Burkina Faso

Mining activities, whether industrial or artisanal, are often responsible for the pollution of water resources, leading to significant degradation of water quality. This study aims to assess the quality of surface waters in three out of the four provinces of the South-Western region of Burkina Faso, an area known for its numerous mining sites. To evaluate the water quality in the study area and to assess the importance of each parameter in influencing this quality, we applied Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Indices (WAWQI) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis. These analyses were based on data obtained from the measurement of various physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, chloride, sulphate, nitrate, phosphate) and heavy metals (total iron, manganese, lead, cadmium, chromium, copper, zinc, arsenic) collected at the end of 2020. Samples were taken from a variety of sources: four rivers and five reservoirs. This approach provided a comprehensive assessment of the surface water quality in the study area. The results indicated that, of the twenty parameters analysed, only total iron consistently exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) standards across all samples, while bicarbonate exceeded the standard in three instances and calcium-phosphate in one. The water quality index values ranged from 8.18 to 165.85, with an average of 46.84. Only one river sampling point, situated at the Poni province (SW4 at Poniro River), exhibited "poor" water quality, while all other water bodies exhibited water quality ranging from "good" to "excellent." The dendrogram analysis confirmed this finding by showing that total iron is separated from the other parameters, highlighting its negative role in the deterioration of water quality, whereas the other parameters play a positive role.

Evaluation of chemicals of potential concern and enzyme activity in stored sachet water produced in diobu Port Harcourt, Southern Nigeria

This study investigated water quality and the effect of prolonged storage on selected brands of sachet water produced in Diobu Port Harcourt, Southern Nigeria by estimating the levels of chemicals of potential concern (COPCs) and enzyme activity in the water samples. Five different brands of sachet water purchased from water factories in Diobu were labeled WS 1 - 5 and assessed for COPCs, toxic metals, physicochemical parameters and enzyme activity, following standard procedures. Results were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) standards for drinking water. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in all five brands of sachet water ranged between 2.00±0.00mg/l and 17.51±0.14mg/l, indicating non-compliance with WHO permissible limits for BOD in drinking water. Similarly, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) showed exceedances in WS-5 when compared with regulatory standards, and ranged from 102.70 ± 0.67mg/l at day 0 to 207.30 ± 0.33 mg/l at day 7. WS-2 and WS-5 showed turbidity values above recommended limits at days 0, 7 and 14. Other physicochemical parameters analyzed were within WHO permissible limits. Also, values obtained for some COPCs and heavy metals were all within WHO guidelines for water potability. Assay for acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and amylase enzymes in the water samples showed increasing enzyme activity between days 0 and 14. Overall, our results showed significant presence of microbial pollutants, progressive increase in enzyme activity and leaching of dichloromethane with prolonged storage of sachet water under direct sunlight. These findings indicate that the stored sachet water brands are not healthy for human consumption.

A study on Escherichia coli contamination in drinking water sources to combat waterborne diseases effectively in Bist Doab, Punjab, India.

The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates universal access to safe drinking water (DW) by 2030 in order to mitigate waterborne diseases (WBDs). Mitigating WBDs necessitates access to clean water devoid of pathogens such as Escherichia coli. Despite advancements, urban areas such as Jalandhar continue to grapple with recurrent outbreaks of diarrhoea, cholera, hepatitis A, and hepatitis E. Zero E. coli presence in water samples is considered safe DW. This study aims to find out whether DW supplied and available in Bist Doab region is free from faecal contamination and safe to drink per the WHO Standards. A total of 32 samples were collected from six distinct villages, alongside 23 samples from three urban wards of Jalandhar and tested using spreading techniques, involving bacterial screening and quantification of colony-forming units to ascertain E. coli contamination levels. The results reveal that 56.5% of urban DW samples exhibited potential health risks attributable to contamination, while rural counterparts demonstrated significantly lower E. coli levels. An area-specific approach and a three-tier policy are proposed through this research work to combat WBDs effectively and efficiently in our developing nation.

Nursing Shortage in India: Are There Solutions for Policymakers?

Abstract Investment in nursing is important to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage. Nurses play a critical role in achieving health goals, they ensure the continuum of care by providing comprehensive and integrated care 24 × 7. They are the largest workforce and it is essential to invest to take care of the shortage of nurses as it is a global crisis. India and other low- and middle-income countries have been struggling with this ubiquitous issue of nursing shortage for decades, preventing them from meeting their national health targets, with the majority of states failing to meet the World Health Organization standard of 4 nurses/1000 population. There are multiple factors leading to the shortage impacting the quality of patient care, patient safety and nurses. Since the nursing shortage is multifaceted, effective interventions necessitate a more in-depth comprehension of the issue. This article aims to give a glimpse of the nursing workforce’s current state in India, the reasons for the shortage, its impact on patient care, and the potential strategies to address the emerging challenges it entails. To achieve the objectives of this review article, a detailed literature review was conducted using published research articles, dissertations, review articles, newspaper articles and governmental, non-governmental and international agency reports.

Geochemical Investigation of the Concentration of Some Metals in Well Water, Malete, Kwara State

Abstract: Access to safe and clean drinking water is essential but underground water contamination by some (heavy) metals poses a serious threat to water quality in many areas. This research focus was to analyze the concentration of various metals in underground water samples obtained from different locations in Malete, Kwara State, Nigeria. The metals of interest include lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), uranium (U), and cobalt (Co), which are associated with adverse health and environmental effects, such as cancer and other forms of diseases. Through atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), the samples collected from Westend 1, Westend 2, Yidi road, New Yidi road, and School Road were analyzed to assess the concentration of some metals that can pose health risks. The results showed that the average lead (Pb) concentration across samples was 0.07 mg/L, chromium (Cr) was 0.02 mg/L, the average manganese (Mn) concentration was 0.16 mg/L, Uranium (U) averaged at 0.02 mg/L and Cobalt (Co) was found at an average concentration of 0.03 mg/L. The results were compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water quality standards. Chromium (Cr) concentration was below the WHO standard of 0.05 mg/L suggesting a low risk of chromium toxicity. while other metals were above the standard. Hence ,the results identified potential sources of metal contamination and represents a significant step toward addressing the environmental and health challenges posed by some metals contamination in Malete.

Maternal Factors, Feeding Practices and Morbidity Status of Children Aged 0-6 Months Attending Kwanza Hospital’s Well-Baby Clinic

Good nutrition in early life is key to building the body’s immunity and good health in later years. For children aged 0-6 months, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is widely advocated as the optimum practice. In Kenya, exclusive breastfeeding rates are still low. The purpose of this study was to determine the maternal factors, feeding practices and morbidity among children aged 0 to 6 months attending well baby clinic at Kwanza Hospital, Trans-Nzoia, Kenya. A cross-sectional analytical design was utilized and systematic sampling used to attain the sample size of 151 children. Questionnaires, focus group discussion and key informant guides were employed in data collection. SPSS version 28 was used for data analysis. To evaluate the results, descriptive statistics, chi-square test, ODDs ratio and logistic regression were employed. Majority (63.5%) of the children were aged 0-3 months. More than half (52%) of the children were on EBF, over a quarter (26.2%) were given prelacteal feeds and nearly half (41.2%) reported sick. The findings revealed associations between mode of delivery with breastfeeding status (p-value 0.0001), marital status with breastfeeding frequency (OR 5.23, 95% CI 1.90-14.36, p-value 0.001), maternal illness with use of prelacteal feeds and morbidity with monthly income. Logistic regression was conducted using the Maximum Likelihood Estimation method (MLE). There was a significant relationship between monthly income and the likelihood of a child being sick (p=0.036). The relationship was a weak positive relationship (r=0.063, r<sup>2</sup>=0.004). The study concludes that feeding practices among children aged 0-6 months were inadequate (use of prelacteals, mixed feeding and replacement feeding) in relation to World Health Organization standards. Nearly half (41.2%) of the children (0-6 months) suffered from childhood morbidities. This study suggests strengthening of exclusive breastfeeding health talks by health institutions, strengthening preventive strategies to reduce childhood illnesses, counseling and support for mothers having children before marriage.

Malnutrition in Children at General Tinio, Nueva Ecija and the Assimilation of Interventions to Prevent the Condition

Undernutrition is a complex issue that affects various aspects of life. Malnutrition increases the risk of various diseases and infections. Undernutrition can also lead to chronic health conditions such as obesity and diabetes. The study aims to determine the malnutrition among children below five years old at General Tinio, Nueva Ecija. The study analyzed a population of 3,693 children aged 0–5 years old from General Tinio, Nueva Ecija, based on data from the 2022 Nutrition Survey conducted by the Municipal Health Office. Using a total population sampling technique, the entire dataset was included to ensure comprehensive representation. Nutritional assessments were conducted following the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Nutritional Status of Infants and Children, with variables such as weight-for-age, height-for-age, and BMI-for- age analyzed against WHO standards. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics to determine the prevalence and severity of malnutrition (stunting, wasting, underweight, overweight, and obesity). Results were categorized, presented in tables, and compared across genders to identify disparities, with trends and risk factors interpreted in line with global and local benchmarks. Results: The overall prevalence of overweight is 6.04%, and the prevalence of obesity is 6.15%. Overall, undernutrition specifically overweight and obesity is also a concern for children aged 0-5 years old with a significant proportion of children in the overweight and obese categories. The global prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents aged 5-19 years has increased from 0.7% to 5.6% for girls and from 0.9% to 7.8% for boys from 1975 to 2016. In the United States, 1 in 5 children and adolescents are affected by childhood obesity. The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued its first comprehensive guideline on evaluating and treating children and adolescents with obesity, which reflects growing concerns about health later in life. The guideline recommends that pediatricians try to see children with obesity and provide comprehensive programs to help them manage their weight. Childhood obesity is a complex issue that can be caused by many factors, including behavior, genetics, and societal and community factors such as access to healthy food and beverages.

Effects of Gas Flaring On Air and Groundwater Quality in Ebedei and Ashaka, Located in Ukwuani, Delta State, Nigeria

This research examines the effects of gas flaring on air and groundwater quality in Ebedei and Ashaka, located in Ukwuani, Delta State, Nigeria. Data on air pollutants, including sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and carbon dioxide (CO₂), as well as groundwater quality parameters, were collected during both the wet and dry seasons through systematic sampling techniques. The findings indicate that levels of SO₂ and NO₂ exceeded the permissible limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO), posing significant threats to air quality and public health. Conversely, CO₂ concentrations remained within acceptable ranges. Groundwater analysis revealed slightly acidic pH levels, elevated biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and high concentrations of iron, lead, and phosphates, all surpassing WHO standards and pointing to contamination caused by industrial emissions and acid rain. Statistical analyses demonstrated strong links between SO₂ and NO₂ emissions and groundwater quality, highlighting their harmful effects. Seasonal differences in pollutant levels were minor, suggesting that human activities are the primary source of pollution. The study emphasizes the urgent need for stricter environmental policies, effective pollution control measures, and ongoing monitoring to protect local communities and ecosystems.

From Radioactive Effluent to Drinking Water: Efficient Removal of Trace 99TcO4 -/ReO4 - by Cationic Porous Aromatic Framework.

Efficient removal of 99TcO4 - from radioactive effluents while recovering drinking water remains a challenge. Herein, an excellent ReO4 - (a nonradioactive surrogate of 99TcO4 -) scavenger is presented through covalently bonding imidazolium poly(ionic liquids) polymers with an ionic porous aromatic framework (iPAF), namely iPAF-P67, following an adsorption-site density-addition strategy. It shows rapid sorption kinetics, high uptake capacity, and exceptional selectivity toward ReO4 -. Notably, the residual concentration of TcO4 -/ReO4 - in the radioactive wastewater after iPAF-P67 treatment is as low as 0.046 ppb, fully meeting the drinking water standards of World Health Organization (WHO, 0.159 ppb) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA, 0.053 ppb). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the imidazolium groups in iPAF-P67 provide stronger electrostatic interactions and higher binding energies between iPAF-P67 and TcO4 - anions, leading to its superior adsorption performance. Furthermore, the scale-up synthesized iPAF-P67 materials are shaped with polyethersulfone (PES) to fabricate PAF-P67/PES beads and nanofibers via phase inversion method and electrospinning technique, respectively. Both composites demonstrate outstanding ultra-purification abilities toward ReO4 - to meet the WHO criteria even after multiple dynamic adsorption/desorption cycles. This work develops a design strategy for adsorbents applicable in the sequestration of low-concentration radioactive pollutants.

Prevalence of Being Obese, Overweight, and Underweight Among Jordanian Children and Adolescents Based on International Growth Standards.

The rise of obesity and other nutrition-related conditions among children and adolescents is a global challenge, particularly in the Middle East. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of being underweight, overweight, and obese among Jordanian children and adolescents using the body mass index (BMI) percentiles of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) standards. This retrospective cross-sectional/longitudinal study analyzed 58,474 (42.6% males; 57.4% females) height, weight, and BMI-for-age records from 31508 healthy Jordanian children and adolescents aged 2-19 years. The data were retrieved from the Ministry of Health's nationwide electronic database (2017-2023) and assessed using the CDC and WHO growth standards. Logistic regression was performed to assess the variables associated with overweight/obese status. The prevalence of being underweight, overweight, and obese varied by the reference used, as more cases of being obese and underweight were reported when applying the CDC standards. The regression models showed the males had significantly lower odds of being overweight and obese than the females. Increased age was associated with higher odds of being overweight and obese, with annual increases observed across all age groups. Using the WHO and CDC standards, the prevalence of being underweight was higher in the males aged 6 years and older, while being overweight and obese was more prevalent in the females. The observed annual increase in the prevalence of being overweight and obese underscores the need for targeted strategies. Growth references tailored to regional profiles may improve national nutrition policies for Jordanian children and adolescents.

Prevalence and contributors to anaemia among children aged 6 to 59 months in Kyangwali Refugee settlement, Western Uganda: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundAnaemia is a major cause of morbidity among children under five years in Uganda. However, its magnitude among refugee populations is marginally documented. In this study, the prevalence and contributors to anaemia among children 6 to 59 months in Kyangwali refugee settlement in Western Uganda was determined.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study that was carried out among 415 mother- child dyads at Kwangwali refugee settlement. Anaemia was determined by measuring haemoglobin concentration using the HaemoCue method, while nutritional status was examined using standard World Health Organisation (WHO) nutritional indices. Data abstraction forms, pretested questionnaires and face to face interviews were used to collect patient data. Associations between the independent variables and anaemia were examined using modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors. In all statistical tests, a P- value of < 0.05 was considered as significant.ResultsThe proportion of children with anaemia was 49.2% (95% CI: 44.4–53.9). Anaemia was 1.4 times (95% CI = 1.13–1.82; p = 0.003) more prevalent among wasted children than the normal children. The prevalence of anaemia was also higher among underweight children than those with normal weight (aPR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.11–1.70; p = 0.004). Additionally, the prevalence of anaemia was higher among children of birth order of 6 or above (aPR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.22–3.29; p = 0.006), while anaemia prevalence was lower among children whose mothers’ had attained secondary level of education (aPR = 0.19, CI = 0.04–0.98; p = 0.048) and those who fed on fish (aPR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.57–0.99; p = 0.039) and meals prepared with oils and fats (aPR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.51–0.97; p = 0.029). There was no significant relationship between anaemia occurrence and the household dietary diversity score.ConclusionsAbout half of the study children were found to be anaemic. The most significant contributors to anaemia in the study population were malnutrition, maternal education, feeding practices and birth order. The study findings suggest need of screening of children for anaemia at all nutritional clinics, promotion of education, addressing barriers to sustainable food supply and accessibility of nutrient-dense foods, treating anaemia in children alongside other micronutrient deficiencies and addressing the nutritional needs of multiparous mothers in refugee communities.

Geophysical and geochemical characterization of Odogbo Dumpsite, Ijebu Ijesa, Southwestern Nigeria.

Due to incessant contamination of the groundwater system near the dumpsite in southwestern Nigeria Basement Complex, this study seeks to evaluate the impact of the Odogbo dumpsite on the local groundwater system by integrating geophysical and geochemical methodologies. Aeromagnetic data covering the study area was acquired, processed, and enhanced to delineate basement features that could potentially be passing plumes to the groundwater system. Concurrently, geoelectric methods using 2-D dipole-dipole imaging and vertical electrical sounding (VES) were utilized to characterize the vulnerability indices of the lithologies underlying the dumpsite. The resistivity data was collected with the UltraminiRES resistivity meter. Vulnerability assessment of the regolith was conducted through longitudinal conductance rating. Water samples from the vicinity of the dumpsite were analyzed using a spectra AA220 atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results of magnetic derivatives and analytical signals filters revealed that the Odogbo dumpsite is directly situated atop lineaments trending mainly in an NE-SW direction. The 2-D resistivity model depicted the extent of the leachate plume percolation, characterized by resistivity values below 20 Ωm. The curve types identified from VES results were A, H, HK, and KQ while the geoelectric layers were identified as topsoil, weathered layer, lateritic layer, and fresh/fracture basement. The protective capacity varied across the area, from 0.02 to 0.473 mhos, signifying weak to moderate protective capacity of the overlying layer. Most elemental parameters tested fell below the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible values and some were within WHO standards except iron. All the water sampled were rated poor to unsuitable as their water quality index (WQI) ranged between 232.81357 and 1520.88776 due to high elemental iron content which could be from other sources. The study area is safe from contamination for now but there is a high tendency that the area may be contaminated in future; hence, the need to monitor the region periodically is highly recommended.

Evaluation of drug prescribing pattern based on World Health Organization drug use indicators in dermatology outpatient department of Injibara General Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, 2024.

Irrational use of medicines is a problem globally that soon needs to be addressed. According to estimates from the World Health Organization, almost half of all medications were improperly prescribed. This study aimed to assess the drug prescribing patterns based on World Health Organization drug use indicators in the dermatology outpatient department of Injibara General Hospital. A facility-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from August 15 to August 30, 2024, with 620 patient prescriptions issued at the dermatology outpatient department of Injibara General Hospital. All patient prescriptions dispensed from the dermatology outpatient department from April to July 2024 were included. A structured data collection tool adopted from the World Health Organization core medicine use indicator was used to collect data, and Statistical Package for Social Science version 27.1 was used for data analysis. An average of 1.74 drugs per encounters was prescribed, with 21.6 and 3.1% of prescriptions being antibiotics and injections, respectively. Generics were used in 95.4% of prescriptions, and nearly 84% of drugs were prescribed from the Ethiopian essential-drug list. The World Health Organization's recommended threshold for the average number of prescriptions prescribed per encounter was met, indicating proper prescribing practices that reduce polypharmacy. The percentage of encounters with antibiotics was within the World Health Organization's value, which reflects that dermatologists are less likely engaging in irrational antibiotic prescriptions. Likewise, the World Health Organization's recommendations for the percentage of encounters with injection was met, indicating an effort to minimize unnecessary use of injections by dermatologists, which can reduce complications associated with injection use. However, the World Health Organization's guidelines for generic drug prescriptions were not met, suggesting that dermatologists are less likely to prescribe generic drugs, which can raise patient healthcare expenditures considerably. Prescriptions from the Ethiopian essential medicine list also fell short of World Health Organization's standards, indicating a failure to follow established guidelines.

Comparative Assessment of Ground and Surface Water Sources from Awo Mmama Community, Imo State, Nigeria

The study was carried out to evaluate the water quality of some selected boreholes and river, in Awo Mmama Local Government Area of Imo State with respect to microbial and physicochemical parameters. Water samples were collected and analyzed using microbiological protocols. Results were compared to World Health Organization standards. The physicochemical parameters from Ground and Surface Water Sources within the river showed low turbidity level corresponding with WHO/EPA-Nigeria recommended guideline value of 0-50NTU. Nitrate concentration was also low in the river. Faecal coliforms, E. coli and Salmonella were also recorded at some points were higher above the recommended level for drinking water by WHO. The study underscores the need for periodic monitoring of the boreholes and River Njaba water to forestall outbreak of water borne diseases in the area.

Physicochemical and Bacteriological Quality Assessment of Water Downstream of the Kaddoussa Dam in Boudnib, Morocco

This study addresses the pressing need to evaluate the quality of water resources in the Oued Guir watershed, highlighting the importance of monitoring both surface water and groundwater in the context of environmental and public health. It focuses on the evaluation of physicochemical and bacteriological water quality downstream of the Kaddoussa Dam, as well as the characterization of wastewater from the Boudnib treatment plant discharged into Oued Guir. The goal is to assess the health of aquatic ecosystems and understand the impact of anthropogenic activities on these sensitive environments. A comprehensive analysis was conducted at 15 selected stations during a sampling campaign in November 2023. Groundwater and surface water were assessed using 10 physicochemical parameters, while bacteriological quality was evaluated based on fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli. In addition, 38 parameters were studied to characterize the wastewater discharge. All analyses followed standard procedures and the results were compared to Moroccan and World Health Organization (WHO) standards. The study revealed that surface water and groundwater in the study area exhibited strong mineralization, with Electrical Conductivity (EC) exceeding 1400 µS/cm at all stations. Nitrogen quality, in terms of Nitrates (NO3-), was moderate across stations, while Ammonium (NH4+) quality was consistently excellent. Physicochemical parameters of surface waters indicated overall excellent quality. Bacteriological analysis showed minimal contamination by fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli, with levels deemed negligible. However, wastewater from the Boudnib treatment plant exceeded Moroccan standards for organic load, presenting a potential environmental risk.

New exploration on pathogenesis and early diagnosis of gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) refers to varying degrees of abnormal glucose metabolism that occur during pregnancy and excludes patients previously diagnosed with diabetes. GDM is a unique among the four subtypes of diabetes classified by the international World Health Organization standards. Although GDM patients constitute a small proportion of the total number of diabetes cases, the incidence of GDM has risen significantly over the past decade, posing substantial risk to pregnant women and infants. Therefore, it warrants considerable attention. The pathogenesis of GDM is generally considered to resemble that of type II diabetes, though it may have distinct characteristics. Analyzing blood biochemical proteins in the context of GDM can help elucidate its pathogenesis, thereby facilitating more effective prevention and management strategies. This article reviews this critical clinical issue to enhance the medical community's sufficient understanding of GDM.

Head Circumference for Growth Curves and Percentiles for 0-2-Year-Old Children in Ankara: Comparison with GAMLSS and Quantile Regression Methods.

Objective: Growth curves are important tools for assessing the growth and development of children in the target population by age. Measuring head circumference (HC) in infants is an important tool in monitoring infant health and brain development. The aims of this study are to construct current 0-2-year-old HC growth curves and percentiles and compare the methods used in the construction of growth curves for HC measurements by gender. Materials and Methods: The study is a retrospective research that includes the HC measurements of a total of 2832 (n = 1438 girls, n = 1394 boys) children examined between 2018 and 2021 in Başkent University hospital, Ankara. Lambda-Mu-Sigma, LMSP, and LMST methods based on Box-Cox Cole and Green (BCCG), Box-Cox power exponential (BCPE), and Box-Cox t (BCT) distributions respectively, and quantile regression (QR) method were used to construct the fitted growth curves. Model performances were evaluated using the generalized Akaike information criterion. The analyses were conducted using R 4.1.2 version. Results: According to the LMS and QR methods, percentile values of HC measurements by gender were calculated and the results were compared. Smoothed HC growth curves were constructed and compared for both methods by gender. The present study, Neyzi et al study, and World Health Organization (WHO) standards were compared for the third, 50th and 97th percentiles of HC. Conclusion: This study showed that the third-97th HC percentiles calculated by LMS and QR methods are very close to each other. Additionally, this study showed that the HC percentiles of Turkish children were slightly different compared to WHO standards.

Setting Up the World Health Organization (WHO) Singapore Emergency Medical Team (SGEMT) for a Type 1 Fixed Facility Deployment

Introduction: The World Health Organisation (WHO) Emergency Medical Team (EMT) initiative was formed in 2010 and is part of the United Nations’ (UN) international disaster management and response ecosystem. To date, WHO has verified more than 35 EMTs internationally. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Capacity on Disaster Health Management (ARCH) project was established in 2016 and is the collaboration mechanism for comprehensive capacity strengthening on disaster health management within ASEAN. In 2018, ASEAN member states accepted WHO’s call for accredited EMTs and adoption of WHO standards. Within ASEAN, Thailand was the first to set up a WHO-EMT in 2019. In partnership with Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH), Singapore Health Services (SingHealth), the largest public healthcare cluster, was tasked to help set up Singapore’s in inaugural overseas emergency medical team under the WHO framework – the Singapore Emergency Medical Team (SGEMT) in 2023. Objective: This paper documents and shares key milestones during the creation of SGEMT. Methods: This is a qualitative study based on open-ended interviews with eight core members of the SGEMT planning committee and review of the relevant documents and processes pertaining to the overall disaster health response of the WHO EMT system and how SGEMT was developed by MOH and its public healthcare sector. A deductive approach to thematic analysis of the materials was performed. Results: Several themes were identified in the process of SGEMT formation. In chronological order, they were the whole-of-government approach, selecting the most suitable EMT typology, creating the EMT organizational structure, division of labour through creation of different working groups for different core technical standards and choosing the commercial tendering process for WASH and logistics. This process was augmented by guidance from WHO and regional partners through a mentorship programme. Conclusion: The process of creating SGEMT required strong political and organizational will. It was thematically sequenced into several crucial steps and required effective project management at various levels of labour division and invaluable input from WHO mentors. More academic papers should be written on the set-up of the WHO EMT, comparing experiences to obtain best practices and encouraging more teams to get accredited. This will greatly boost the international disaster response capabilities.

Modelling Euphrates river water quality index based on field measured data in Al-Diwaniyah City, Iraq

Pollution monitoring in surface water using field observational procedure is a challenging matter as it is time consuming, and needs a lot of efforts. This study addresses the challenge of efficiently monitoring and predicting water pollution using a GIS-based artificial neural network (ANN) to detect heavy metal (HM) pollution in surface water and effect of wastewater required discharge on the Euphrates River in Al-Diwaniyah City, Iraq. The study established using 40 water sampling stations and incorporates Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) to assess HM levels. An ANN model suggested to estimate Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) considering physiological and chemical factors. It formulates six scenarios to enhance HPI prediction accuracy, utilizing ANN in MATLAB for modeling and GIS statistical tools with inverse distance weighted (IDW) methods for a comprehensive assessment. The developed approach predicted HP concentration in the Euphrates River basin in an actual case study. The validation of the predictive maps between the theoretical and practical part is performed by monitoring 16 stations and conducting laboratory analyses, resulting in acceptable coefficients of determination (R2), observations standard deviation ratio (RSR), and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficients of 0.999, 1, and 0.99, respectively indicates that reliable forecast results closely match observed data from monitoring stations. The study identifies that nickel, iron, and cadmium concentrations exceeded Iraqi and World Health Organization (WHO) standards, leading to a heavy pollution index peak of 150.38 in the Euphrates River branch. In this study, the HPI is used to identify areas with high pollution levels, validate the accuracy of the ANN model for prediction, and generate a pollution map to visualize pollution levels.

China's municipal wastewater policies enhanced seafood safety and offset health risks from atmospheric mercury emissions in the past four decades.

The neurotoxin methylmercury in seafood threatens food safety worldwide. China has implemented stringent wastewater policies, established numerous treatment facilities and enforced rigorous water quality standards to address pollution in its waterways. However, the impact of these policies on seafood safety and methylmercury exposure remains unknown. Here we developed a process-based model showing that, although mercury reductions from municipal wastewater policies accounted for only 9% of atmospheric mercury emissions during 1980-2022, these measures unexpectedly prevented mercury-related deaths and counteracted nearly two thirds of potential deaths from those emissions. Furthermore, these policies ensured that megatonnes of freshwater seafood met the World Health Organization and China's mercury-safety standards, preventing billion in economic losses. Finally, we explore how China, as the primary global seafood producer and exporter, could develop municipal wastewater policies at the regional level to reduce aquatic pollutants and unlock the health benefits of seafood consumption.