Action Toolkit for Social Determinants of Health (SDH) in the Africa Region

A toolkit aimed at helping both health and non-health professionals to better address the root causes of what makes people sick or healthy has been launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the African Region.

Titled ‘The Action Toolkit for Social Determinants of Health (SDH) in the African Region, the toolkit, is a practical online resource, which aims to strengthen learning and problem-solving skills to address a wide range of public health concerns. It was developed in collaboration with the University of Kansas (USA), a WHO Collaborating Center for Community Health and Development.

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Action Toolkit for Social Determinants of Health (SDH) in the Africa Region

A toolkit aimed at helping both health and non-health professionals to better address the root causes of what makes people sick or healthy has been launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the African Region.

Titled ‘The Action Toolkit for Social Determinants of Health (SDH) in the African Region, the toolkit, is a practical online resource, which aims to strengthen learning and problem-solving skills to address a wide range of public health concerns. It was developed in collaboration with the University of Kansas (USA), a WHO Collaborating Center for Community Health and Development.

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Community-based antiretroviral therapy versus standard clinic-based services for HIV in South Africa and Uganda (DO ART): a randomised trial

Maintaining high levels of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a challenge across settings and populations. Understanding the relative importance of different barriers to adherence will help inform the targeting of different interventions and future research priorities.

Community-based delivery of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV, including ART initiation, clinical and laboratory monitoring, and refills, could reduce barriers to treatment and improve viral suppression, reducing the gap in access to care for individuals who have detectable HIV viral load, including men who are less likely than women to be virally suppressed. The aim to test the effect of community-based ART delivery on viral suppression among people living with HIV not on ART.

An unblinded, home-randomized trial (DO ART) of community-based ART administration compare with the clinic in rural and peri-urban settings in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Sheema District, Uganda.

Estimating the threshold of health workforce densities towards universal health coverage in Africa

There have been past efforts to develop benchmarks for health workforce (HWF) needs across countries which have been helpful for advocacy and planning. Still, they have neither been country-specific nor disaggregated by cadre—primarily due to data inadequacies. This paper presents an analysis to estimate a threshold of 13 cadres of HWF density to support the progressive realisation of universal health coverage (UHC).The analysis found that a unit increase in the HWF density per 10 000 population is positively associated with statistically significant improvements in the UHC SCI of countries (β=0.127, p<0.001). Consistent with current knowledge, the HWF is a significant predictor of the UHC SCI. Attaining at least 70% of the UHC SCI requires about 134.23 health workers (a mix of 13 cadres) per 10 000 population. 

Training course in person-centred care is launched by GPCC researchers in the DR Congo

A training course in person-centred care has been carried out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by researchers at The University of Gothenburg Center for Person-centred Care (GPCC) in Sweden. The course participants had various professions such as midwives, nurses and physicians. The researchers can report on a very positive reception and great commitment, with the potential to have a great future impact.

Models of Integrated Care: The global experience

This Global Experience Paper on Integrated Health Care was developed to provide the Primary Health Care Institute (PHCI) in Libya with insights as it designs and develops its plans to rebuild primary health care (PHC). The findings are informed by a review of recent international literature, and by insights provided by selected international experts. The paper uses the Framework on Integrated, People-Centered Health Services from the World Health Organization to structure the analysis of global experiences. Overall, there is no single model of integration that can or should be adopted in countries seeking to develop primary health care. There is, however, evidence of good practice in designing and developing local, context-specific solutions. Evidence to support effective strategies and policies relevant for conflict-affected situations is scarce. However, there are some common themes and issues relating to the need to rebuild trust in the quality and safety of services; to build from ...

Amref International University 1st Primary Healthcare Congress

It has been 45 years since the landmark 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration, which defined Primary Health Care (PHC) as “essential healthcare based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that the community and country can afford.”

The goal of PHC is to provide better health services for all, making it an integral part of a country’s health system and the central function for the community’s overall social and economic development. The aim is to achieve the highest possible level of health and well-being, ensuring equitable distribution and a sustainable healthy life without financial burden on patients.

Despite the promulgation of the PHC agenda after the Alma-Ata Declaration, its actualization has remained elusive.  The declaration outlined eight key elements and four pillars necessary to support the actualization of the ...