International And Humanitarian Medicine

Introduction: Artemisia (armoise) is a plant of the Asteracea family with different species all over the world. The Artemisia annua species of Chinese origin is known for its medicinal properties, mainly antimalarial. We present the case of a 38-year-old patient who suffered from malaria and was treated with Artemisia annua. This plant despite the controversy it creates, proved to be very efficient in the management of the patient from the onset of the symptoms till the recovery, and the patient also used it as a prophylaxis during other travels in an endemic zone. Objective: The objective of this study is to present a case of malaria in a patient considered naïve, who was treated with Artemisia annua. Method: The symptoms and clinical investigations are listed in chronological order of appearance and realization in the patient's consultation book. The tests were done in two different laboratories (one in Africa and the other in Europe), but the interpretation of results are comparable. A reference from the scientific literature on the subject was mentioned. Results: The follow-up of this patient showed a progressive subsidization of the symptoms within three days from the onset of symptoms and normalization of the clinico-biological parameters after ten days of treatment at a dose of 4 g of Artemisia leaves in a liter of water daily and consumed as herbal tea. Conclusion: The use of Artemisia annua as a treatment for malaria in naïve subjects could be effective. Its efficacy and cost-effectiveness need to be investigated in endemic countries, as it may represent an excellent first-line alternative in low-income healthcare systems.

Background
Medical equipment donation to low-resource settings is a frequently used strategy to address existing disparities, but there is a paucity of reported experience and evaluation. Challenges such as infrastructure gaps, lack of technological and maintenance capabilities, and non-prioritisation of essential supplies have previously been highlighted. This pragmatic review summarises existing guidelines and literature relevant to surgical and anaesthesia equipment, with recommendations for future initiatives and research.

Methods
Retrospective literature review including both academic and grey literature from 1980 to 2018. We conducted a narrative synthesis to identify key factors that were condensed thematically.

Results
Thirty-three biomedical equipment donation guidelines were identified from governments, WHO, World Bank, academic colleges and non-governmental organisations, and 36 relevant studies in peer-reviewed literature. These highlighted the need to consider all stages of the donation process, including planning, sourcing, transporting, training, maintaining and evaluating equipment donation. Donors were advised to consult national guidelines to ensure equipment was appropriate, desirable and non-costly to both parties. User training and access to biomechanical engineers were suggested as necessary for long-term sustainability. Finally, equitable partnerships between donors and recipients were integral to reducing inappropriate donations and to improve follow-up and evaluation.

Conclusion
There is a paucity of evidence on the causes of success or failure in medical equipment donation, despite its domination of equipment sourcing across many low-resource settings. Equitable partnerships, consultation of policies and guidelines, and careful planning may improve equipment usability and life span. A concerted effort is required to increase awareness of guidelines among health professionals worldwide.

Right ventricular myocardial infarction (RVMI) most commonly occurs in relation to an inferior myocardial infarction. Patients with this condition where the culprit right coronary artery (RCA) is occluded have a poor prognosis. Early recognition and the specific treatment pathway for RVMI differ from the treatment for general acute coronary syndrome (ACS) which could help the paramedic to treat this condition more appropriately. This article explores current guidelines for the recognition and treatment of RVMI and the possible application of specific guidelines in a prehospital setting with regards to using right-sided precordial ECG, the administration of fluids and potential complications arising from vasodilatory drugs. Furthermore, the purpose of this article is to help educate and develop the understanding of RVMI in this high-risk subgroup who have an increased morbidity and mortality.

This article focuses on the use of Personal Protective Equipment in humanitarianism. It takes the recent Ebola outbreak as a case through which to explore the role of objects in saving individual lives and protecting populations. The argument underlines the importance of PPE in mediating between individual patient care and biosecurity. In addition it questions the preoccupation with technical fixes; challenges dominant perceptions about the subject of humanitarianism being the victims of disaster; traces the production of a particular politics of life; and explores the individualisation of risk and concomitant processes of labour discipline in the everyday lives of humanitarian workers.