More articles from COMMENTARIES
- COVID-19 Pandemic in India: Through the Lens of Modeling
We reflect on and review India's COVID-19 pandemic response through the lens of modeling and data. The lessons learned from the Indian context may be beneficial for other countries.
- How Donors Can Collaborate to Improve Reach, Quality, and Impact in Social and Behavior Change for Health
To enable greater reach, quality, and impact of investments in social and behavior change, donors need to be intentional in building collaborative relationships that apply proven practices. We offer recommendations for maximizing the impact of donors' investments.
- Social Distancing in the Era of COVID-19: A Call for Maintaining Social Support for the Maternal Population
In the era of COVID-19, pregnant and postpartum women, an already vulnerable group, are facing unforeseen and compounding stressful events with reduced social protections. We argue that to prevent harmful consequences that may surpass the effects of the crisis itself for pregnant women and their families, it is imperative to prioritize maintaining formal and informal sources of social support for mothers in proposed infection control policies.
- Issue Analysis: A Use-Driven Approach to Data Governance Can Promote the Quality of Routine Health Data in India
India lacks a functional public policy framework to guide health data use and sharing practices, which stymies data quality. Embedding data governance in health data systems can promote quality and make service delivery more efficient. Much of the discourse on health information systems has focused on technology while the concern of using data for health system management and improving quality of care remains largely unaddressed.
- Faith-Based Advocacy for Family Planning Works: Evidence From Kenya and Zambia
Faith-based organizations and religious leaders can be effective family planning advocates for policy change, funding, and services. To do so, they need evidence-based knowledge, training, support within their faith communities, as well as respect for their beliefs and values.
- 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.
- National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthesia Plans Supporting the Vision of Universal Health Coverage
Developing a national surgical, obstetric, and anesthesia plan is an important first step for countries to strengthen their surgical systems and improve surgical care. Barriers to successful implementation of these plans include data collection, scalability, and financing, yet surgical system strengthening efforts are gaining momentum in achieving universal access to emergency and essential surgical care.
- Insights Into Provider Bias in Family Planning from a Novel Shared Decision Making Based Counseling Initiative in Rural, Indigenous Guatemala
Race, ethnicity, and indigenous status should be considered as potential drivers of provider bias in family planning services globally. Efforts to confront provider bias in family planning counseling should include concrete strategies that promote provider recognition of biases and longitudinal curriculums that allow for sustained feedback and self-reflection.
- The Open Birth Interval: A Resource for Reproductive Health Programs and Women's Empowerment
The open birth interval is the time since a woman's last birth. It reflects not only desire for contraception and child health services but also freedom for outside activities, employment, and personal autonomy. It merits attention from policy makers, program managers, and service providers.
- Health Volunteers Overseas: A Model for Ethical and Effective Short-Term Global Health Training in Low-Resource Countries
Three core attributes enable short-term volunteers to make incremental contributions to long-term outcomes at host institutions: (1) focusing on teaching rather than service delivery, (2) engaging in mutually beneficial and equitable partnerships with host institutions, and (3) operating within a structured management system.