WHO and IFIC sign Memorandum of Understanding

Building on past and current collaboration efforts between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC), this new agreement aims to support the global implementation of integrated people-centred health services by encouraging discussion and knowledge exchange among international community of policy makers, practitioners, and researchers; by generating experience and evidence around people-centred and integrated models of care; and by fostering engagements across Regions and Members States according to WHO priorities.

Learning from Ireland: expanding the role of nurses and midwives to improve health outcomes

(Originally posted on WHO Regional Office for Europe website: http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Health-systems/health-workforce/news/news/2017/12/learning-from-ireland-expanding-the-role-of-nurses-and-midwives-to-improve-health-outcomes) 

In a move to better meet patient needs and expand access to health services, Ireland has made it possible for nurses and midwives to prescribe medicinal products.

Primary health-care providers across the WHO European Region are under great pressure to provide high-quality, patient-centred care, despite heavy workloads and the ever-growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). In some countries, such as Ireland, these challenges have triggered changes in the health workforce.

As of April 2016, a total of ...

Tokyo Declaration on UHC reiterates importance of people-centred health services

The Tokyo Declaration on Universal Health Coverage was issued at the global forum on UHC held from 12-15 December in Tokyo, Japan. The declaration reiterated the importance of “providing all people with access to high-quality, integrated, people-centred health services”, particularly in supporting target 3.8 of the SDGs. The forum was hosted by the Government of Japan, World Bank, World Health Organization, UNICEF, UHC2030 and JICA.

Read the Tokyo Declaration on Universal Health Coverage: http://www.who.int/universal_health_coverage/tokyo-decleration-uhc.pdf?ua=1  

Global Forum on Universal Health Coverage: http://universalhealthcoverageday.org/forum/  

Call for abstracts: 18th International Conference on Integrated Care (ICIC18)

Abstracts on the science, knowledge and adoption of integrated care are currently being accepted for the 18th International Conference on Integrated Care (ICIC18) taking place 23-25 May 2018 in Urecht, Netherlands.

All accepted abstracts will be published in the International Journal of Integrated Care (Impact Factor 2.230), and will appear in the programme as a formal oral presentation, workshop, oral poster or display poster, as deemed appropriate by the scientific committee. All accepted abstracts will be considered for the annual IFIC Integrated Care Awards. 

Abstract submission should focus on one of the specific thematic areas:

- Value-Based Integrated Care
- Population ...

New online version of the TDR implementation research toolkit now available

(Original news article published by TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases: http://www.who.int/tdr/news/2017/new-online-version-ir-toolkit/en/) 

The second edition of the TDR implementation research toolkit is now available in a new online version. This version goes deeper into the content, incorporates new learning, as well as feedback from the more than 200 researchers, academics, disease control programme managers, policy-makers, health administrators, communication specialists and journalists who have used the original version since 2014.

The toolkit helps people learn a standard process that can lead to results that can be compared across ...

New case studies from the Social Innovation for Health Initiative

(Original news article published by TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases: http://www.who.int/tdr/news/2017/sihi-new-resources/en/) 

The Social Innovation for Health Initiative (SIHI) has published a new report on case studies of social innovations.

Social innovation in health: case studies and lessons learned from low- and middle-income countries, is a publication of collaborative case study research conducted by SIHI partners. The summaries of the 23 case studies display the diversity of approaches social innovations have taken to address grassroots health challenges. The insights and lessons learned cast light on the valuable ...

Launch of WHO Guidelines on Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE)

As people grow older, their health needs are likely to become more complex and chronic. Yet most health systems are better designed to address acute health conditions and often operate independently of long-term-care systems, which can lead to poorer outcomes.

The WHO Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) programme has developed new guidelines on community-level interventions to manage declines in intrinsic capacity (ICOPE) that provide evidence-based recommendations for health care professionals to prevent, slow or reverse declines in the physical and mental capacities of older people. These recommendations require countries to place the needs and preferences of older adults at ...

Blog: Eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV through quality improvement and health systems strengthening

Eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV through quality improvement and health systems strengthening

By Kehinde Balogun  

 “There are four prongs of quality and four ways to improve quality of product and service: innovation in product and service; innovation in process; improvement of existing product and service; improvement of existing process”

– Edwards W. Deming

The context:

I currently work as a Quality Improvement Specialist on the SUSTAIN Project. The main focus of the project is prevention, care and treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. As the implementing body of the SUSTAIN project in Nigeria,   Caritas Nigeria operates with health ...

WHO/Europe call for "Stories from the field"

Stories from the Field is a special news series devoted to profiling innovations in health services delivery across the WHO European Region. The stories recognize the work and achievements of individuals, teams, organizations, patients and health professionals who have found ways to improve services to serve people and populations better.The stories are intended to inspire managers and health professionals to engage in the transformation of health services.

If you have a story you would like to share with us, please contact the WHO European Centre for Primary Health Care at eurocphc@who.int.

Request for proposals: Primary health care research and implementation in low and middle income countries to accelerate improvement

In collaboration with The Primary Health Care Performance Initiative (PHCPI) and the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (“the Alliance”) at the World Health Organization, with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ariadne Labs is developing a Primary Health Care Measurement and Implementation Research Consortium. This Consortium will bring together researchers and policy makers from multiple disciplines representing academic institutions, government agencies, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations to accelerate progress in primary health care (PHC) research in low and middle-income countries (LMIC).

The Research Consortium is issuing a request for proposals (RFP) to develop a report on ...