South Sudan Medical Journal. August 2025 18:3.

Dear Reader,

The full issue of our August 2025 issue is now available online here; the articles are listed below.

Also note that SSMJ is looking for a volunteer with time and interest in South Sudan, and experience in academic editing to join our Editorial team.

Editorial

• One Health: A collaborative approach to health security in South Sudan Edward Kenyi

Research Articles

• Prevalence and predictors of obstetric outcomes among women with multiple caesarean sections at Iringa Regional Referral Hospital, Tanzania Olimpia Bernard Tarimo, Deogratius Bintabara, Athanase Lilungulu, Maria Angelica Rweyemamu, Ipyana Mwampagatwa, Laisson Mwakalebela, John Lawi, Sr. Scholastica Malangalila and Francis Kwetukia
• Reasons and contributing factors for low health facility delivery in Bor, South Sudan Manas James Okony Otien
• Infant oral mutilation at Bor State Referral Hospital, Bor, South Sudan Ngang Nyak Daniel and Shalini Ninan
• Knowledge of diabetes mellitus among adults in Umualika Eberi community, Rivers State, Nigeria Chidinma C. Chukwuemeka, Ifekwe I. Kalu, Milyushina Ya. A.

Review Articles

• A review of recent publications on haematolymphoid neoplasms in the head and neck region Karthik Shunmugavelu and Arun Vijaianandh A.
• Scaling up human resources for health in South Sudan: A strategic imperative for achieving universal health coverage Gabriel Loi
• Eyes in the sky: Considerations for a tele-ophthalmology service in South Sudan Garang M. Dut

Case Reports

• Ectopic gestational-sac encapsulated in an ovarian cyst: A case report  Adam Moyosore Afodun, Alain Jabo, Mecthilde Mukangendo, Akeem Ayodeji Okesina, Olivier Mizero, Emmanuel Adeyemi Odumeru and Khadijah Kofoworola Quadri
• Death due to ruptured tubal pregnancy: A case report P. Vinod Kumar 
• ICU Squad: A possible solution for critical care service in low-resource areas Esraa Suliman Omer Abdelmageed and Ihab B Abdalrahman

Short Communications

• The role of government in advancing private hospitals to improve healthcare services in South Sudan Jok Thikuiy Gang
• 10th East African Health and Scientific Conference
• Letter to the Editor: Self-medication Thomas Akuith Ngong 
• Obituaries: Dr Baba Allan Ngachigoi Lanyanga and Dr Abdu Mohammed Abdudrbo Gilo
• Call for Abstracts: Association of Surgeons of South Sudan First Scientific Conference

We thank the copyeditors and reviewers who helped prepare these papers. 

Articles in SSMJ are indexed by Scopus,  African Journals Online (AJOL), and the  Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and as well as being on our website. SSMJ is included in the EBSCO scientific research collection.
 
Thanks to everyone who supports SSMJ. Invite your colleagues to join our mailing list here.
 
The SSMJ team
Email: southsudanmedicaljournal AT gmail.com 
Website: http://www.southsudanmedicaljournal.com
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SSMJ is published by the Health and Social Science Research Institute of South Sudan (HSSRI-SS)
All links provided at - https://www.southsudanmedicaljournal.com/archive/august-2025/

Coronavirus: Under a conceptual Macroscope

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ----------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group - population

Cognitive access info clarity in communications Motivation Anxiety Isolation Impact upon mental health Psychological Trauma Staff Wellbeing during COVID19 Information Mis-Information Stay HOME [unless: homeLESS?]* Self-isolation Self-exile  Long COVID (My education?) Long COVID (My mental health?) My health literacy: touching my own face 'distance' hand washing  +++ watch the road as a pedestrian too SELF-CARE

Coronavirus transmission Epidemiological Modelling Statistics Triage Duration of Self-Isolation ICU beds Ventilators - INNOVATION Industrial production Excel & NEC [UK] extra beds Recovery - Rehabilitation Physical access info Logistics (transmission) Testing kits Anti-body test PPE Evidence: Face coverings Personal Protection Equipment Vaccine Research Development PHYSICAL DISTANCING 2 metres Long COVID (My physical health?)

SOCIAL DISTANCING DISTANT SOCIALISING^ Staying connected family, friends, community - using social media to reduce - Social Isolation Social Media - Public Protection Role? Community Response Social Care - 'Enforced' PJParalysis? Volunteers Protect Our NHS 'Social' rehearsal? Future preparedness? Public understanding of Science

WHO: Pandemic REPORTING National :: International Consistency - Standards Lockdown Reversing Lockdown: Government Communications: (Mis-)use of media National reporting Emphasis upon economic impact? Response of Businesses Transparency of contracts, 'deals' Definition of 'Key workers' NHS England Law - Policing Policy (distancing#)

*General Population Health Status, Health systems, Healthcare systems, Politics of Health, Socio-Economics - austerity, Inequality, Inequity, Preparedness .. the Collective ...

^#Political lack of coherence in policy: Poor integration.

^Thank you @SelfCareWeekEU

21 Aug update: See also -

Sheridan Rains, L., Johnson, S., Barnett, P. et al. Early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health care and on people with mental health conditions: framework synthesis of international experiences and responses. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-01924-7

Image source:
By CDC/ Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAM - This media comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public Health Image Library (PHIL), with identification number #23312.Note: Not all PHIL images are public domain; be sure to check copyright status and credit authors and content providers., Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86444014

To revisit post pandemic? 

There is scope to improve the placement of concepts as per Hodges' model.

Thunderstorm Asthma in Hodges' model

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic -------------------------------------------  mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group-population

anxiety - impact on respiration previous individual experience personal health literacy: "What I need to do when X,Y,Z advanced care plan: staying well, preventive measures (see below)	Breathing, Asthma Climate, Thunderstorms Pollen (rupturing?) 8,500 Hospital Treatment 1,900 Emergency calls in 5 hours Intensive Care at least 8 Deaths Protocols - metrics
Family, carer, community support Social media, warnings Provenance of information provided - community trust.	Health Services Emergency response / resources Disaster Management / Review

Melbourne thunderstorm asthma death toll rises to eight, The Guardian, 29 November 2016.

My source:
Davey, M. (2016). Deadly asthma thunderstorm kills four and leaves Melbourne reeling; &
Sample, I. (2016). Analysis, Doctors agree on why, but are less sure how. The Guardian, 25 November. p.3.

 

Update in italics - June 18th 2022, plus:

Bellomo, R., Gigliotti, P., Treloar, A., Holmes, P., Suphioglu, C., Singh, M.B. and Knox, R.B. (1992) Two consecutive thunderstorm associated epidemics of asthma in the city of Melbourne. The possible role of rye-grass pollen. Med. J. Aust. 156, 834-837.

Suphioglu, C., Singh, M.B., Taylor, P., Bellomo, R., Holmes, P., Puy, R. and Knox, R.B. (1992) Mechanism of grass-pollen-induced asthma. Lancet 339, 569-572. 

Knox, R. B. (1993) Grass pollen, thunderstorms and asthma. Clin. Exp. Allergy. 23, 354–359.

Ong, E.K., Singh, M.B. & Knox, R.B. Aeroallergens of plant origin: Molecular basis and aerobiological significance. Aerobiologia 11, 219–229 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02447202

Nasser, S.M., Pulimood, T.B. Allergens and thunderstorm asthma. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 9, 384 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-009-0056-8

E Andrew, Z Nehme, S Bernard, M J Abramson, E Newbigin, B Piper, J Dunlop, P Holman, and K Smith. Stormy weather: a retrospective analysis of demand for emergency medical services during epidemic thunderstorm asthma. BMJ, 359, 2017.

Rabiee, S., Mousavi, H. & Khafaie, M.A. Thunderstorm asthma outbreak, a rare phenomenon in southwest Iran: patients’ perspectives. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 36158–36162 (2018).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3478-9

Kevat A. Thunderstorm asthma: looking back and looking forward. J Asthma Allergy. 2020;13:293.

Luschkova, D., Traidl-Hoffmann, C. & Ludwig, A. Climate change and allergies. Allergo J Int 31, 114–120 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40629-022-00212-x

 

https://asthma.org.au/blog/tips-to-prepare-for-a-thunderstorm-asthma-event/


 

Ponencia "La revolución de la emoción" | The Revolution of Emotion & Hodges' model

Below I have mapped some of the concepts discussed in the video to Hodges' model plus the 4Ps.

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

HUMANISTIC-------------------------------  mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group-population

emotion  uncertainty  identity individual skills (inner tech) emotional intelligence fear-----terror sadness    stress    anxiety loneliness person centered communication     love PURPOSE "HUMAN	disease technology      devices experience - expertise life  death 'an object' - 'meat' anonomised - aggregated waiting rooms working / caring space PROCESS - PROCEDURE(S) TECHNOLOGY"
love relationships    goodbyes 'life' : the way you/we live patient-family people centered stories - narrative PRACTICE	professionals rules permissions 'restricted' spaces accessibility service centered power Hierarchy (obstructive) 'distance' (protective) POLICY