Most read article(s)
- Strength in Diversity: Integrating Community in Primary Health Care to Advance Universal Health Coverage
The supplement highlights a systems approach that recognizes the communities' roles and their interactions with other health system actors to accelerate outcomes and reflect the diversity of the community health ecosystem. Several cross-cutting priorities emerge from the articles, namely coverage, community health financing, policy change, institutionalization, resilience, accountability, community engagement, and whole-of-society efforts.
- 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.
- Pathways to Care for Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and HIV/AIDS Comorbidities in Soweto, South Africa: An Ethnographic Study
Patients with type 2 diabetes are referred to tertiary hospitals in Soweto although their care could be managed at primary health care clinics. Primary health care needs to be strengthened by addressing health systemic challenges to provide integrated care for comorbid type 2 diabetes and HIV/AIDS.
- Test and Prevent: Evaluation of a Pilot Program Linking Clients With Negative HIV Test Results to Pre-exposure Prophylaxis in Zimbabwe
Widespread HIV testing is identifying individuals who are not infected but are at high risk of HIV exposure. These individuals may be good candidates for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). We developed an intervention called Test and Prevent to intentionally link individuals with negative HIV test results to PrEP, which led to high rates of completed PrEP referrals and uptake.
- Using Human-Centered Design to Adapt Supply Chains and Digital Solutions for Community Health Volunteers in Nomadic Communities of Northern Kenya
Investing the time and effort to use human-centered design (HCD) approaches is beneficial to designing supply chains and digital solutions for complex sociocultural settings. HCD enables users to be engaged in cocreating solutions that address their challenges, are appropriate for their context and capacity, and build local ownership.
- Measuring Knowledge of Community Health Workers at the Last Mile in Liberia: Feasibility and Results of Clinical Vignette Assessments
We integrated clinical vignettes into routine programmatic supervision to assess community health worker knowledge of integrated community case management in rural Liberia. Results included higher rates of correct diagnosis and lifesaving treatment for uncomplicated disease than for more severe cases, with accurate recognition of danger signs posing a challenge.
- Implementation of a Community Transport Strategy to Reduce Delays in Seeking Obstetric Care in Rural Mozambique
Encouraging local transport programs and transport infrastructure in poorly-resourced communities can help improve community access and strengthen engagement with health systems. Mobilizing community resources and leadership to implement a community-based transport scheme in rural Mozambique to support referrals to health facilities can help improve maternal and child health outcomes.
- Expanding Contraceptive Method Choice With a Hormonal Intrauterine System: Results From Mixed Methods Studies in Kenya and Zambia
Although the hormonal intrauterine system has limited availability in low- and middle-income countries, this highly effective long-acting reversible contraceptive method has the potential to be an important addition to the method mix. Introduction of the method in the public sector under “real-world” conditions in Kenya and Zambia shows promise to increase contraception use and continuation.
- Liberia's Community Health Assistant Program: Scale, Quality, and Resilience
Liberia's community health program went from concept to nationwide scale in 4 years due to the Liberian Government's vision and its partnership with implementing organizations and donors. The next community health policy will tackle the unfinished agenda related to quality, resilience, and sustainability. Liberia's experience offers valuable lessons for innovating, and institutionalizing a compensated, effective cadre of community health assistants.
- Volunteer Community Health and Agriculture Workers Help Reduce Childhood Malnutrition in Tajikistan
Paired agricultural and health interventions led by volunteer community health workers and community agricultural workers through home visits, community events, and peer support groups proved successful in improving nutrition of children and may be applicable in other contexts.