Journal of Patan Academy of Health Sciences (JPAHS) an official, internationally peer reviewed health science journal of the Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS). It is published three times a year. Articles categories include but not limited to: Original Article, Review Article, Case Report, Viewpoint, Medical education, Rural health, Student Section, Nursing section and Letter to the Editor and others.

The aim of JPAHS is to increase the visibility and ease of use of open access scientific and scholarly articles thereby promoting their increased usage and impact. Hence, JPAHS grant the permission to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles which is available online (www.jpahs.com.np) freely. Authors do not have to pay for submission, processing or publication of articles in JPAHS.

The journal publishes articles related to researches done in the field of biomedical sciences related to all the discipline of the medical sciences, medical education, public health, health policy, health care management, including ethical and social issues pertaining to health. The journal gives preference to good quality research papers with new findings, clinically oriented studies over experimental and animal studies. JPAHS give special attention to the articles providing immediate impact to the health and policy will get preferences through fast track review, as well. The Journal would publish peer-reviewed original research papers, case reports, systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Editorial, Guest Editorial, Viewpoint, letter to the editor are solicited by the editorial board.

Visitors at the display function

May 5, 2013. A “Book Display” was held at the Basic Science Library of PAHS . The major objecctive of the display is to notify the in house faculty and students about the add on in the section and acknowledgement of the kind donation received  a from the British Medical Association (BMA )Information Fund 2012. A total of 152 medical books and 15 CDs worth Sterling Pounds 1876.53 were received from the BMA.

In addition to this the Display also included books received from Steinman, Einstein medical college, USA and  Prof. Jahn Nesland and also from our valued volunteers  Dr. Darren Nichols, Dr. Ted McKinney

It was organized as a regular activity of library to keep users informed of the new add-on  to the resources and was overwhelmingly visited by faculty members and students of PAHS.

19 April 2013. Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) has been honored by visit paid by the pro-chancellor Honorable Minister of Health and Population Mr. Vidyadhar Mallik and his team. He was warmly welcomed by the executives and staffs of the Academy. During the visit he had a brief tour to the Emergency ward, record section, opd’s, dental department, radiology and inpatients surgery wards various other departments of the hospital including newly constructed Influenza  Lab and the school of medicine class rooms in basic science section.  The tour included under construction retrofitted extension of pediatric/orthopedic building. After tour of the hospital and academy,Hon’ble minister with Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Jay N Shah and PAHS executives had extensive interaction in VC’s office about mission, vision and goal of PAHS. Functioning of patan hospital and school of medicine as well as further plan of starting school of public health, school of nursing, etc. were discussed together with continuation of ministry of health/ Government of Nepal’s various programs in health sector including trainings and services to the society and nation.   Hon’ble minister with his team stated to further strengthen and support PAHS/patan hospital to continue to provide quality hospital services and training-academic programs to better serve the marginalized/disadvantaged population and achieve the visionary mission of the academy.

The winners of the annual sports events held on 3,5  and 6 of April were given away the prizes by the executives. Beside six of the staffs who got their retirement and deceased within the year were acknowledged by the Vice Chancellor for their long period of dedicated service to Patan Hospital and the academy. Those who were honored were Ms. Nani Beti Bajracharya (Nursing Department), Ms. Saraswati K.C. (Nursing Department), Mr. Ram Babu Shrestha (Pathology Department),Mr. Govind Gurung (Adminsitrative Department),  Mr. hari Bahadur Rai (Out Patient Department) and Mr. Ram Prasad Prajapati. Also the whole PAHS family mourned for the deceased Late Ms. Manju Pandey and Mr. Deepak Thapa from Nursing and Outpatient Department respectively.

One of the winners of the various sports events receiving prizes from the Dean Dr Rajesh Gongal

Various cultural performances by the students and staffs were the other attraction of the day which was followed by a lunch program.

11 March 2013. Prof Dr Kedar Prasad Baral has been appoineted as the new rector of the Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) by the Honorable Minister of Health and Population (MoHP) at the capacity of the Pro-Chancellor of the academy on the recommendation of Prof Dr Jay N Shah, the Vice Chancellor of PAHS. The position was vacant after Prof Dr Soumya Bhattachharya resigned  from the position.

Prof Baral is the Head of Department of the Community Health Sciences (CHS) Department which has been another strength of the PAHS curriculum to overcome its ambitious mission. Apart from this he is also the chief of the Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project (IPPRP), a research collaboration of the academy with the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA to support Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) for the implementation of a National Avian Influenza and Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plan through developing selected
referral service centers for virological and epidemiological surveillance. We wish him for successful tenure of his new responsibility.

Nepal has created an Influenza Surveillance Network overseen by the National Influenza Centre (NIC) at the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) and the Ministry of Health & Population (MOPH), Nepal.

 PAHS is a collaborative partner and it receives grants from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention(USA) to implement the Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project (IPPRP). Patan Hospital serves as a sentinel site for Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection surveillance. Epidemiological and diagnostic Influenza data from PAHS is shared with the National Public Health Library (NPHL) and the Ministry of Population and Health (MoPH) Epidemiology and Disease Control Division.

 The over arching goal of the IPPRP is to support the MOPH (the apex body for Influenza and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response under the National Disaster Relief Co-ordination Committee) for the implementation of a National Avian Influenza and Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plan through developing selected referral service centers for virological and epidemiological surveillance.

 The sub goals of IPPRP:

•  To support MOHP and service provider institutions for outbreak management and prepare other agencies and communities at large to protect themselves and provide needed support during an outbreak.
•  To develop a mechanism for regular virological and epidemiological surveillance in selected hospitals and districts to monitor the pattern of respiratory illness and characterize influenza viruses.
•  To prepare three hospitals across Nepal for response to an outbreak of Avian Influenza and Influenza pandemic with the capacity of mobilizing technical teams for outreach services to districts.

Routine collection of specimens for ILI was established in January, 2011 at Patan Hospital. The operational definition for surveillance of ILI is defined as sudden onset of fever >38°C and either cough or sore throat in the absence of another diagnosis. At Patan Hospital, patients are triaged upon arrival to the appropriate clinic for services (male, female, under 14 years).  The attending physician diagnoses patients meeting the ILI case definition and sends them to the specimen collection room for throat swab collection.

 The graph is a summary of select indicators monitoring Influenza activity at Patan Hospitalin 2011. Notifications for ILI constituted less than 1% of all Out Patient Department visits in 2011. The surveillance closely monitors the circulating Influenza activity and severity on a weekly basis.

 Nepal has created an Influenza Surveillance Network overseen by the National Influenza Centre (NIC, www.nphl.gov.np/index.php?obj=content&id=172) at the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) and the Ministry of Health & Population (MOPH), Nepal.

 PAHS is a collaborative partner and it receives grants from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention(USA) to implement the Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project (IPPRP). Patan Hospital serves as a sentinel site for Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection surveillance. Epidemiological and diagnostic Influenza data from PAHS is shared with the National Public Health Library (NPHL) and the Ministry of Population and Health (MoPH) Epidemiology and Disease Control Division.

 The over arching goal of the IPPRP is to support the MOPH (the apex body for Influenza and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response under the National Disaster Relief Co-ordination Committee) for the implementation of a National Avian Influenza and Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plan through developing selected referral service centers for virological and epidemiological surveillance.

 The sub goals of IPPRP:

•  To support MOHP and service provider institutions for outbreak management and prepare other agencies and communities at large to protect themselves and provide needed support during an outbreak.
•  To develop a mechanism for regular virological and epidemiological surveillance in selected hospitals and districts to monitor the pattern of respiratory illness and characterize influenza viruses.
•  To prepare three hospitals across Nepal for response to an outbreak of Avian Influenza and Influenza pandemic with the capacity of mobilizing technical teams for outreach services to districts.

Routine collection of specimens for ILI was established in January, 2011 at Patan Hospital. The operational definition for surveillance of ILI is defined as sudden onset of fever >38°C and either cough or sore throat in the absence of another diagnosis. At Patan Hospital, patients are triaged upon arrival to the appropriate clinic for services (male, female, under 14 years).  The attending physician diagnoses patients meeting the ILI case definition and sends them to the specimen collection room for throat swab collection.

The graph is a summary of select indicators monitoring Influenza activity at Patan Hospitalin 2011. Notifications for ILI constituted less than 1% of all Out Patient Department visits in 2011. The surveillance closely monitors the circulating Influenza activity and severity on a weekly basis.

The in house Sr. surgeon Prof. Dr. Jay Narayan Shah of the Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) has been appointed as new Vice Chancellor of the academy by the Rt. Honorable Prime minister Dr. Baburam Bhattrai as the Chancellor of the academy. Dr. Shah is nominated by the three member committee formed by the chancellor to submit the prospective candidates for the position. The committee was led by Health Minister Rajendra Mahato, the Pro-chancellor with two other senate member sof the academy -Secretary at the Education Ministry, Som Lal Subedi, and Chairman of the Nepal Medical Council, Dr Damodar Gajurel.

Dr Shah has been with the Patan Academy opf Health Sciences and Patan Hospital for more than 17 years. Dr. Shah is associated with various medical societies and is actively involved in various medical researches and publications with the following accreditation to enlist a few.

•     Member Academic Council PAHS, Surgical Clinical Curriculum Coordinator PAHS
•     Vice President, Society of Surgeons of Nepal
•     Jt. Secretary, Nepalese Society of Gastroenterologists
•     Exec Member, Nepalese Society of Urosurgeons
•     Editorial adviser- JSSN, Journal of Society of Surgeons of Nepal- JSSN
•     Editor Journal of Nepal Medical Association -JNMA
•     Editorial Board Member, Chinese Medical Journal-CMJ, Chinese Medical Association
•     Vice President, NAME – Nepal Association of Medical Editors
•     Member Secretory IRC-PAHS (PAHS ethical committee), Memeber IRB-NAMS (NAMS ethical committee),
•     Member, Subject Committee – MS Surgery (NAMS), Guide NAMS MS rresidents
•     Member WAME (World Association of Medical Editors)