More articles from COMMENTARY
- 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.
- 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.
- Institutionalizing Community Health Services in Kenya: A Policy and Practice Journey
The process of institutionalizing community health services in Kenya required strong leadership by the Ministry of Health, effective coordination and support of stakeholders, and alignment of community health with the political priorities at the national and decentralized government levels to facilitate adequate prioritization and financing of the community health strategy.
- Mind the Global Community Health Funding Gap
Community health workers play a critical role in providing both essential health services and pandemic response. Community health demonstrates a strong return on investment, but funding for this sector is limited and fragmented. Understanding the underlying costs of a community health system is crucial for both planning and policy; the data demonstrate a strong investment case.
- Capturing Acquired Wisdom, Enabling Healthful Aging, and Building Multinational Partnerships Through Senior Global Health Mentorship
The undeniable benefit of mentorship by experience senior mentors can meaningfully increase the breadth of their experience and contributions to society as well as address the dire inequality in global health. This model captures wisdom lost to retirement, enables opportunities for purposeful lifespan, underpins sustainable health care systems, and has the potential for building multinational partnerships.