Manal Ghazzawi
I am a doctor of pharmacy and clinical pharmacist with masters in public health. I have keen interest in public health specifically tackling emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.
Location Freetown, Sierra Leone
Activity
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Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
The most challenging in the quiz is area of specific genes involved in conferring resistance. These are very technical.
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Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
It will be nice to explain very technical areas in more details.
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Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
The continuous misuse and overuse of antibiotics has led to this. Apart from this,
- Treatment of certain chronic infections for a prolong period can lead to resistance.
- The incomplete usage of prescribed antibiotics according to standard dose and duration.
- Many people especially in developing countries have easy access to antibiotics which poses one... -
Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Awareness raising against AMR started about 2-3 years ago. The pharmacy board of Sierra Leone is responsible for this in collaboration with the pharmaceutical society. Mass media awareness has been done, so also community awareness. A strategic plan has been formulated but of course not implemented fully.
There is way more that needs to be done especially in... -
That was a good one. Gentamicin and benzathine penicillin are highly misused by nurses in Sierra Leone.
Broad spectrum antibiotics are prescribed leaving the narrow spectrum to manage minor infections. There are lots of research that needs to be done in Africa on AMR. -
Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Thank you for that lecture. However it is sad the prof had to mention that if patients need antibiotics you first ask your doctor or nurse. How about ur pharmacist?
It is sad again that our potential and wealth of knowledge is not being recognised or its underutilised.
Anyway, Pharmacists are custodians of drugs. We are the drug experts and I strongly... -
Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Sepsis contributes to death due to end organ damage. Bacteria on the skin acts as a normal flora but when it gets the opportunity to gain access to the blood stream it can cause sepsis. Sepsis can be the most severe consequence of bacterial infection that's why the answer was chosen.
Antibiotics are also used to treat many bacterial infections that can cause... -
Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Antibiotics can either be bactericidal or bacteriostatic. It either interferes with the genetic material of the bacteria to prevent replication or enzymes required for it to develop to it's full form.
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Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Hello. Thanks for the opportunity. I am a clinical pharmacist.
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Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Factors to consider include:
- whether vaccine will be used for post-exposure prophylaxis or just for uninfected individuals
- Route of administration
- Dose considerations at different ages and schedules
- Will it be given on a seasonal basis? -
Advantages of repurposing medicines instead of new investigations drugs:
If the drug is old and has been used long years back it must have gone through rigorous clinical trials that have shown evidence of safety in humans. However, further investigations will still need to be done for validity of efficacy to manage other microbes and safety in different...
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Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Underreporring of cases can be as a result of:
- fear of stigmatization. Yesterday we had our first case and the guy's picture and his family were all around the country and even abroad. It went to an extend politicise it and said the victim should be killed.
- accessibility to health centre
- lack of enough diagnostic kits will only give opportunity to... -
Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Factors that could influence spread are:
- lack of public education and belief existence of the disease, severity and transmissibility of the infection
- Non-adherence to public health measures to curb spread
- Insufficient PPEs provided or available to health care workers(HCWs)
- Urbanization and immigration through porous land borders.
- Family members... -
@ElaineDew thank u so much. We pray for each other.
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Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
I am glad to see Prof Dan Baush here and I am honoured to have been taught by him last year in Sierra Leone. He had contributed immensely in the fight against Ebola is WA and I am sure in many pandemics and outbreaks across the world. I am one of his biggest fans and it will be a dream come true to be like him one day.
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Ebola is far much more contagious than Covid-19.
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Dear friends, it is sad that we have got our index case today. Our first case of Covid-19 among a quarantined passenger who arrived from France through SN Brussels 2 weeks ago. I know this has nothing to do with physical distancing but we are starting to question the 14 day incubation period which needs to be extended somehow.
Anyway about physical... -
@MERCYNABWIRE I feel u dear. We are in the same boat. Just do what u need to do and stay safe.
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Manal Ghazzawi replied to Sarah Wookey
Can you please explain how can that pose more harm than good?
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Manal Ghazzawi replied to Anna Seale
@AndyHurley well said. Social distancing in Africa can be a big challenge especially for those living in crowded places or houses. Lock down among market women or men that have to work everyday for their daily bread to feed their large families could also pose a socioeconic problem. It's not going to be easy for Africa.
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Manal Ghazzawi replied to Anna Seale
@MERCYNABWIRE I believe these strategies pointed out make sense and is applicable in all settings in Africa. Africa has similar constraints just that the degree differs between each country in the continent.
These 6 pillars mentioned have all being activated in Sierra Leone, one major challenge is our laboratory capacity which needs to be improved and i am... -
Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Prof Teo mentioned 3 major public health measures: intersectoral collaboration and communication to gain public trust, and preparing society to respond to the infection.
My country Sierra Leone is the only country in West Africa that has not got a case of Covid-19. We are in a preparedness stage where the armies are deployed at land borders and porous... -
Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Re-infection can be a concern. A possiblity of someone importing a different strain of the virus can also pose a threat.
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Manal Ghazzawi replied to Manal Ghazzawi
Thank you so much. I would suggest you ask public health specialists interested in mental health, mental health nurses or social activists to provide support and to read around areas that has to do with community engagement and risk communication, and what to do in cases where challenges might arise among vulnerable groups that might need psychosocial support,...
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Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Mental health well being can be supported by the promotion of capacity building among health care workers and social workers. Mental health workers have to have the right skills to deliver appropriate messages that are positive which will in turn boost people's trust and understanding. This will go a long way for communities to work together collaboratively to...
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Manal Ghazzawi replied to Manal Ghazzawi
@AndyHurley
In my country Sierra Leone people lack self discipline and caring for others is not their priority. SL is the only country in West Africa with no COVID-19 and my biggest worry is migration through illegal means through porous borders despite all land borders have been closed. -
Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Syndromic screening at airports can be effective for diseases with longer latentency period( ie the period between acquiring infection and being infectious) and shorter incubation period.
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Manal Ghazzawi replied to Manal Ghazzawi
In my country Sierra Leone people lack self discipline and caring for others is not their priority. SL is the only country in West Africa with no COVID-19 and my biggest worry is migration through illegal means through porous borders despite all land borders have been closed.
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Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
Adhering to qurantining measures in our setting is a big challenge both by authorities and quarantined individuals themselves. There is great risk of transmission which makes self isolation a better strategy as far as I see it.
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Gentamicin and procain penicillin
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Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
I live in a society where there is misuse and overuse of antimicrobial drugs. Lamivudine is one drug that is no longer effective in the treatment of Hepatitis B due to resistance. Hence, Tenofovir has been introduced now in Sierra Leone in the management of HBV infections. Tenofovir is likely to become ineffective in the future due to it being prescribed by...
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Manal Ghazzawi replied to Stephanie Hansen
@AlejandroMotta infection prevention and control. A major strategy to combat infectious diseases at hospital level and facilities with susceptibility for transmission to others.
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Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
We can be pandemic ready to previous re-emerging infections however, when transmissibility and virulence is high containing diseases can be difficult regardless of level of readiness. Microbes especially viruses surprises us in many ways due to their antigens drift and other characteristics, hence handling pandemic diseases of emerging infections can be really...
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Manal Ghazzawi made a comment
I am a clinical pharmacist in Sierra Leone and a public health specialist. I have great interest in infectious diseases. I am grateful that we are offered this great platform to learn from world health experts. Thank you very much and kudos to all the professors.
