Information and communication technologies have a crucial role to play in the delivery of health care, particularly in developing countries. This document outlines the WHO programme on eHealth for health-care delivery (eHCD), which aims to help decision and policy makers to create the conditions for the integration of eHealth solutions into the health system. Health technologies can be very effective in disease prevention, diagnosis and patient management and care, but the modality of implementation may vary according to the specific needs of a country. The document sets out priorities and operational framework of the programme, and spells out the goals to be achieved by 2007
This annual report takes an overall look at the global AIDS epidemic. It considers the impact of HIV and AIDS on people and societies and includes a particular focus on the orphans and vulnerable children. It takes a further look at scaling up HIV prevention initiatives, with considerations about the threat of HIV to young people. There is a look at treatment, care and support for people living with HIV. It also takes into account the notion of human rights and protection. There are finally some considerations of the financing of responses to the crisis, and the need to coordinate national responses to HIV and AIDS. There is a table fo useful information on country specific estimates and data relating to HIV and AIDS
The last decades saw developing countries taking action to strengthen and modernise their health management information systems (HMIS) using the existing ICT. Due to poor economic and communication infrastructure, the process has been limited to national and provincial/region levels leaving behind majority of health workers living in remote/rural areas. The author notes that strategies to improve data quality and utilisation should be instituted to ensure that HMIS has positive impact on people's health; otherwise, advancement in ICT will continue to marginalise health workers in developing countries especially those living in remote areas
This document focuses on the Community Conversations (CC) process - a component of UNDP's Leadership for Results Programme - in Ethiopia, and outlines both key aspects of the methodology and key results from its implementation in Alaba, SNNPR and Yabelo, Oromiya. The approach, using the expertise of skilled facilitators, aims to encourage people to talk openly to each other about the implications of HIV and AIDS in their communities, and to rethink cultural norms, community values and health behaviours in their relations to the disease. Some early results from Community Conversations include: communities taking responsibility for their own prevention; communities discontinuing traditional practices found to be harmful in the context of HIV and AIDS; communities able to influence local governments; communities using their own social resources to support children affected by AIDS, and orphans in particular; communities sharing their learning with other communities. The document outlines a strategy for upscaling community conversations, and looks in particular at issues around implementation and coordination, funding and mechanisms to address needs that may be identified during the CC process
This policy includes the following sections: a situational analysis of drug selection; drug procurement, storage and distribution; drug financing; quality assurance; local manufacture of pharmaceutical and traditional medicinal products; rational drug use; global trade and pharmaceuticals; emerging diseases and pharmaceuticals; human resource development for drug management; traditional medicinal products; research and development; and implementation of the policy
The purpose of this guide is to provide a ready reference tool for conducting qualitative research and planning a behaviour change communications strategy to improve newborn care practices
These guidelines offer an overview of the general principles and activities necessary for the development of reliable consumer information about traditional, complementary and alternative medicine. Aimed at governments and other stakeholders, they would also be a useful reference on the information consumers need to guide them when seeking a safe and effective therapy
Information and communication technologies are essential to support professional research activities in biomedicine and health. Their adoption and use is linked to efficiency and competitiveness. After needs analysis, ICTs applications whose use is recommended, are identified. Needs refer to activities linked to the execution of research projects but also to teaching, continuous training and professional development. Based on that, it is proposed a formative programme structure with different competence levels and with a combination of horizontal common general skills and vertical specialization areas. Finally, it is highlighted that new technologies facilitate new instruments but also they represent new working cultures and present new ethical and legal dilemmas to the researchers that would need to be educated in new working environments
This annual report takes an overall look at the global AIDS epidemic. It considers the impact of HIV and AIDS on people and societies and includes a particular focus on the orphans and vulnerable children. It takes a further look at scaling up HIV prevention initiatives, with considerations about the threat of HIV to young people. There is a look at treatment, care and support for people living with HIV. It also takes into account the notion of human rights and protection. There are finally some considerations of the financing of responses to the crisis, and the need to coordinate national responses to HIV and AIDS. There is a table fo useful information on country specific estimates and data relating to HIV and AIDS
This article explores the impact of ICTs on health care within developing countries. Topics covered include research and training of health-care workers, achieving health-related MDGs, and storing and disseminating health information. Details are also provided of selected World Bank-funded projects
This article is printed in the Health and Science Bulletin produced by the Centre for Health and Population Research, based in Bangladesh. It outlines research conducted among parents in Matlab, Bangladesh, revealing how their beliefs affect household treatment of childhood pneumonia and influence delays in seeking care from trained providers. Many indigenous beliefs and social factors prevent primary care providers, particularly mothers, of pneumonia cases from obtaining prompt and appropriate help. For example, in fear of being blamed for poor caring practices, mothers are reluctant to share information about the illness with other family members. Intervention strategies designed to reduce child mortality associated with pneumonia need to address the cultural beliefs and challenges. Efforts should focus on involving family members such as the child's father or grandmother in early recognition of pneumonia cases. It also suggests that health workers use local terminology and cultural knowledge to communicate the need for prompt treatment with a trained provider
Official statistics seem to suggest that in post-communist Europe infant mortality rates have significantly decreased through the 1990s. As infant mortality rate is a key indicator of the Millennium Development Goals, reliable measurement is crucial to assess progress. This paper argues that official counts may understate the gravity of the problem in at least 15 countries in the region. This may be due to unclear definitions of 'live birth' and 'stillbirth', misreporting of infant deaths, nonregistration of births or deaths. The paper also discusses the uncertainties associated with survey based estimates, and call for further work to be done to improve collection of data and effectiveness of surveys
The paper reviews the installation of a new health management system in Uganda. The authors noted that technological issues, rather than wider organisational issues, dominated the planning of the change. The need to consider the organisational context when changing information systems arises because the process is more complex than some practitioners have realised. It is a useful case study of the implementation of information and communication technology
This two-volume set presents a course outline, in modular format, that deals step-by-step with the development of a Health Systems Research (HSR) proposal and field testing (Part 1) and with data analysis and report writing (Part 2)
This policy brief focuses on the outcomes of the Kwale Health Systems Strengthening Project (KHSSP), which aims to improve the quality of health care at the dispensary level. The project increased the participation of the local community in the running of the dispensaries and in the development and operation of the health information system that was used. This brief outlines the projects work and lessons that can be learned from it
Part I, Proposal Development and Fieldwork, contains modules 1-20, of which the first 18 will lead the course participants through all steps that the development of their proposal requires. Modules 19 and 20 guide them through the fieldwork period and preliminary data analysis. Each module contains detailed instructions for group work on the successive steps in the development of the proposal. At the end of each module, facilitators will find Trainer’s Notes, providing guidelines on how to present the modules and how to assist the groups in the writing of their research proposal. After Module 20 an annex has been added with general guidelines for the planning and management of HSR workshops, the training methodology and the supervision of fieldwork. The annex includes an example of a course schedule and guidelines for budgeting an HSR course. Furthermore, an information circular for course participants and a course evaluation form have been added. The course schedule presented applies to a full-time workshop for beginners, lasting just over two weeks. Depending on the level of the participants, the duration of the course can be shortened. The training materials can also be used in university settings, stretched out over a trimester or quarter with weekly sessions
VISION 2020 is a joint initiative by the WHO and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, which intends to eliminate avoidable blindness (eg caused by cataract, refractive errors, trachoma, vitamin deficiencies, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma) by the year 2020. The strategy of VISION 2020 is built upon the foundation of community participation. VISION 2020 has the following objectives: implementation of disease control interventions; development of human resources and development of infrastructure. This CD-ROM serves as a toolkit for countries and organisations that want to enforce a VISION 2020 action plan to combat blindness at the national, provincial and/or district level. Relevant background information for planning exercises are provided in the form of reports from expert committees, scientific articles, manuals, guidelines, software packages, websites, and contact addresses. [Abstract courtesy of CAB International]
In this document indigenous people from different parts of the world describe their beliefs and attitudes to health and well being and what they do when they have problems with their health. It aims to provide further evidence of the health challenges facing indigenous peoples so that policy makers and service providers can work more effectively with them to improve their health and well being
Written for for health professionals in charge of low birth weight (LBW) and preterm newborn infants in first referral hospitals, this document describes the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) method for care of stable preterm or LWT babies (those who can breath air and have no major health problems) who need thermal protection, adequate feeding, frequent observation, and protection from infection. It provides guidance on how to organise services at the referral hospital and on what is needed to introduce and carry out KMC, focusing on settings where resources are limited. Evidence for the recommendations is provided whenever possible
