Table of Contents
VIEWPOINTS
- A Cosmopolitan Argument for Temporary “Diagonal” Short-Term Surgical Missions as a Component of Surgical Systems Strengthening
We propose an argument for “diagonal” short-term surgical missions as a stop-gap component of global surgical systems strengthening based upon the political justice theory of moral cosmopolitanism
- Delays in Cardiovascular Emergency Responses in Africa: Health System Failures or Cultural Challenges?
Delays in receiving care for debilitating cardiovascular emergencies, such as myocardial infarction and stroke, are multifaceted and include personal, systemic, and health facility-related factors, which must all be addressed to successfully improve cardiovascular emergency outcomes.
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
- National Politics’ Role in Developing Primary Health Care Policy for Maternal Health in Papua New Guinea: A Qualitative Document Analysis
This article examines the factors and mechanisms that influenced the development of the free primary health care policy for maternal health in Papua New Guinea.
- Capacity-Building Through Digital Approaches: Evaluating the Feasibility and Effectiveness of eLearning to Introduce Subcutaneous DMPA Self-Injection in Senegal and Uganda
This evaluation of online training for health workers to counsel clients wishing to self-inject subcutaneous DMPA suggests that online training can be effective while saving time and money. Further, eLearning courses work best when complemented with supportive supervision to help health workers correctly apply their knowledge through hands-on practice.
- Development and Piloting of Implementation Strategies to Support Delivery of a Clinical Intervention for Postpartum Hemorrhage in Four sub-Saharan Africa Countries
We describe the systematic approach taken to identify areas of suboptimal postpartum hemorrhage detection and management to develop implementation strategies to support the delivery of the E-MOTIVE intervention in 4 countries.
- Documenting the Provision of Emergency Contraceptive Pills Through Youth-Serving Delivery Channels: Exploratory Mixed Methods Research on Malawi’s Emergency Contraception Strategy
Emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) uptake may increase for young people, first-time users, and those living in rural areas of Malawi by offering the method through public, youth-serving channels, especially youth clubs and community health workers. A national strategy focused specifically on this product can help grow ECP demand; however, the supply chain for ECPs must be strengthened to meet the additional demand.
- FP2020 and FP2030 Country Commitments: A Mixed Method Study of Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health Components
While FP2030 commitments better articulate strategies and activities to reach adolescents and youth with family planning (FP) information and services compared to FP2020 commitments, gaps remain. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, countries should continue to invest in creating and funding comprehensive FP commitments that meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents and youth.
FIELD ACTION REPORTS
- Improving Maternity Care Where Home Births Are Still the Norm: Establishing Local Birthing Centers in Guatemala That Incorporate Traditional Midwives
Comadronas (traditional midwives) strongly advocate for and participate in attending their clients’ births in local birthing centers in rural Guatemala, where Indigenous women have previously preferred home births because of geographic, sociocultural, and economic barriers to giving birth at a higher-level health facility.
- Early Lessons From Working With Local Partners to Expand Private-Sector Health Care Networks in Burundi and Mali
Expanding private health care delivery networks is possible through partnerships with local organizations. This article explores how expanded networks differ from traditional social franchise networks and discusses how they can support and steward private health care facilities in contexts like Burundi and Mali.
- Promoting Male Involvement in Family Planning: Insights From the No-Scalpel Vasectomy Program of Davao City, Philippines
The no-scalpel vasectomy program in Davao City, Philippines, serves as a promising model for engaging men in family planning and addressing gender disparities in such initiatives.
PROGRAM CASE STUDIES
- Establishment of the First Institution-Based Poison Information Center in Nepal Through a Multilateral International Partnership
Through an innovative local and international partnership model, the first institution-based poison information center in Nepal was established in response to a mandate from the Nepal government, the high burden of toxicological emergencies in Nepal, and the known economic and health benefits of poison information centers.
- Strengthening Capacity for Tailored Immunization Programs Using Adult Learning Principles: A Case Study from Nigeria
Incorporating participatory approaches such as adult learning principles in training PMs and HCWs improves their knowledge and skills in effectively engaging the communities and co-designing tailored interventions to improve vaccination uptake.
- Learnings From an Innovative Model to Expand Access to a New and Underutilized Nonhormonal Contraceptive Diaphragm
Experiences with early introduction of the contoured Caya diaphragm provide a new model for increasing access to new and underutilized methods, especially through private-sector partners.
- Maturity Assessment of the Health Information System Using Stages of Continuous Improvement Methodology: Results From Serbia
A structural and well-defined approach to the comprehensive assessment of the fragmented health information system points to items that could be improved in future governance efforts.
- Twinning Partnership Network: A Learning and Experience-Sharing Network Among Health Professionals in Rwanda to Improve Health Services
Twinning and peer-to-peer learning networks can play a pivotal role in building strong institutions and improving performance, leveraging both local and external expertise where learning and collaboration occur both within and beyond local contexts.
Reviews
- Antenatal Care Interventions to Increase Contraceptive Use Following Birth in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis
Interventions delivered during the antenatal period that included a multifaceted package of initiatives appeared to be most likely to be effective at increasing voluntary postpartum contraception. By contrast, interventions with minimal counseling did not appear to be effective.
INNOVATIONS
- Innovations in Providing HIV Index Testing Services: A Retrospective Evaluation of Partner Elicitation Models in Southern Nigeria
The implementation of the elicitation box model to elicit sexual partners of HIV-positive index cases resulted in an increase in partner elicitation compared to the conventional model.
METHODOLOGIES
- Adapting the Social Norms Exploration Tool in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Identify Social Norms for Behavior Change
The Social Norms Exploration Tool is a rapid assessment tool for programs that research can adapt to help determine how to explore social norms and identify which norms and population interventions to address to facilitate the behavior of interest.
COMMENTARIES
The International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action and its Cairo Consensus can help ensure that policy responses uphold human rights and gender equality, thereby serving as the singular global reference that could bring opposing voices in the population debate together.
Investing in family planning and reproductive health—broadly defined as the services, policies, information, attitudes, practices, and commodities, including contraceptives, that help individuals achieve their fertility intentions—is integral to attaining many Sustainable Development Goals.
English hegemony in the field of sexual and reproductive health works against efforts to shift power to local communities. To fully embrace locally led development, we must grapple with English language dominance and take actions toward becoming a more linguistically inclusive community.