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“CBR Perspectives from Latin America” is a critical reflection on the multi-dimensional and changing nature of CBR, the perceived benefits, the conundrum of standardized approaches versus community driven processes, the nature of links between CBR and human rights, the resourcing of CBR and the difficulty inherent in taking a short term view in the evaluation of what is a long term process. Not so often are the experiences and perspectives from Latin America shared to a wider audience, making Dr. Grech’s work a remarkable achievement for the Region.”

"This report analyzes the growth and evolution of applications for mobile phones, focusing on their use in agriculture, health and financial services, as well as their impact on employment and government. It also explores the consequences for development of the emerging "app economy", summarizing current thinking and seeking to inform the debate on the use of mobile phones for development. It’s no longer about the phone itself, but about how it is used, and the content and applications that mobile phones open"

Reproductive health and HIV prevention programmes for youth rarely look at the reallity of coercive sex that so many youth face. Coercive sex is a violation of a person's rights and can have severe mental, physical and reproductive health consequences, including pregnancy and HIV and other STIs. This paper highlights a number of key issues: the range of sexual coercion faced by youth; the impact of gender norms on coercion; the consequences of coercion; and programme approaches to reduce the problem

This report argues that real progress in health depends on strengthening health systems, centred on the principles of primary health care. This requires effective use of existing knowledge and technologies and innovation to create new health tools, along with appropriate structures and strategies to apply them. Success will need new forms of cooperation between international health agencies, national health leaders, health workers and communities, and other relevant sectors. Chapter 1 of the report looks at the current state of global health, highlighting the gap between the poor and better-off everywhere. Chapter 2 reflects on the slow progress towards achieving the Millenium Development Goals. Chapter 3 looks at the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and demonstrates why HIV/AIDS control needs to drive the agenda for the global health community. Chapter 4 looks at the steps needed to achieve polio eradication within the next few years, and chapter 5 concentrates on the lessons learned from the SARS outbreak. The theme of chapter 6 is the the overlap between communicable and non-communicable diseases and injuries occurring throughout the developing world, leading to a crisis of priorities for health systems. The concluding chapter returns to the statement that stronger health systems are necessary, and that strengthening health systems should be based on the principles and practices of primary health care

Hepatitis B is especially dangerous for infants, since they may carry the infection for the rest of their lives without knowing it. Chronic carriers can infect others and are at risk of serious liver disease in later life. However, the hepatitis B vaccine, if provided, helps protect infants against these problems. The vaccine's introduction to developing countries only began in the late 1980s, but many countries still cannot afford to administer the vaccine to all children. This paper summarises the lessons learned about effective advocacy with decision makers, communication with parents and caretakers, and training health staff regarding hepatitis B, gained from over ten years of experience introducing hepatitis B vaccine worldwide. It also includes the WHO 'aide-memoire' on hepatitis B