Latest Articles
- Health for the People: Past, Current, and Future Contributions of National Community Health Worker Programs to Achieving Global Health Goals
National community health worker programs are at the dawn of a new era, given the growing recognition of their importance for achieving global health goals and for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Now is the time to provide them with the respect and funding that they need and deserve.
- Implementing a Social Accountability Approach for Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health Service Performances in Ethiopia: A Pre-Post Study Design
Implementing a community scorecard approach may help increase utilization of maternal, neonatal, and child health services in primary health care facilities. The results of our study show the importance of engaging both the community and health workers to measure and continuously improve health care processes and improve the health system performance.
- Remote Interviewer Training for COVID-19 Data Collection: Challenges and Lessons Learned From 3 Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Remote training of interviewers in low-resource settings can be an effective approach during the COVID-19 pandemic when data are critically needed and in-person learning is not possible. We demonstrate that remote interviewer training is possible when interviewers: have at least an intermittent Internet connection, have select physical materials available, and are experienced and part of a cohesive team.
- Bugs in the Bed: Addressing the Contradictions of Embedded Science with Agile Implementation Research
Implementation research often fails to have its intended impact on what programs actually do. Embedding research within target organizational systems is an effective response to this problem. We present case examples from Bangladesh, Ghana, and Tanzania that demonstrate challenges associated with embedded science. We propose “agile science” as a means of sustaining scientific rigor while simultaneously catalyzing evidence utilization.
- Curbing the Rise of Noncommunicable Diseases in Uganda: Perspectives of Policy Actors
To respond to the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Uganda, technical, managerial, and financial resources must be increased in the Ministry of Health as well as in primary and secondary health care facilities. This investment would help further Uganda's efforts to achieve sustainable development goals and build the government's capacity to meet the increasing needs for NCD services.
- Economic Evaluation of Provision of Postpartum Intrauterine Device Services in Bangladesh and Tanzania
Provision of a postpartum intrauterine device (PPIUD) within 48 hours of delivery was highly cost-effective compared with standard practice in 2 lower middle-income countries. Policy makers should consider expansion of postpartum family planning counseling and introduction of immediate PPIUD services as an added tool to address the unmet need for contraception.
- Global Access to Technology-Enhanced Medical Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Students in Narrowing the Gap
Althoughsome medical education institutions in high-income countries have the capacity to shift education to eLearning during the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions in low- and middle-income countries might struggle to fully implement it. We argue for medical students to advocate for national and international collaboration in adopting technology-enhanced learning globally.
- Blended Learning Using Peer Mentoring and WhatsApp for Building Capacity of Health Workers for Strengthening Immunization Services in Kenya
Innovative learning strategies are needed to improve frontline health workers' skills for achieving immunization coverage goals—now even more important with COVID-19. Peer mentoring and WhatsApp networking are low-cost and useful blended learning methods for need-based and individualized capacity building of health workers for improving immunization services that don't disrupt the health care workers' regular work.
- Egypt's Ambitious Strategy to Eliminate Hepatitis C Virus: A Case Study
A national hepatitis C virus elimination strategy rooted in mass screening and treatment can be effective in many middle-income countries. A strong public health infrastructure, political commitment, and technological advances are essential to such initiatives.
- The Evolving Landscape of Medical Device Regulation in East, Central, and Southern Africa
Most existing medical devices were not built for the challenges often present in many African countries. Regulatory systems for medical devices are essential to ensuring device safety and efficacy. Yet, currently, most African countries do not have a well-defined regulatory process. This discourages both innovators within Africa and companies outside of Africa from developing quality medical devices suitable for these challenges.