MSH supports our partners’ efforts to take effective management action to effectively integrate service-delivery and capacity-building initiatives. Our shared goal is to lower infection rates, improve health, and save lives.
Avian Influenza
Challenge: Transmission of avian influenza to humans is rare, but there is significant cause for concern. Although only an estimated 330 human deaths from avian influenza have occurred to date, public health experts believe that the virus may mutate to allow human-to-human transmission, possibly leading to a pandemic.
MSH Response: MSH helps strengthen preparedness, detect and contain outbreaks in both domestic poultry and humans, decrease high-risk behaviors, and limit the exposure of health workers to the virus. MSH provides capabilities in rapid response, occupational health and safety, referral hospital preparedness, and training of health care providers in infection control.
Family Planning & Reproductive Health
Challenge: Despite the proven impact of healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies on preventing maternal and child mortality, birth spacing has not been widely adopted in many developing countries. In most countries, family planning policies and strategies have not been able to curb high fertility and the devastating effects of short birth intervals.
MSH Response: MSH works with public and private partners to expand access to high-quality, integrated family planning and reproductive health services in 23 countries. We help strengthen health systems and focus on health outcomes to significantly reduce high maternal and child morbidity and mortality—particularly among the poorest and most underserved.
HIV & AIDS
Challenge: Rising rates of HIV highlight the urgent need for expanded and up-to-date prevention methods, strengthened care and support programs, and rapid expansion of antiretroviral treatment. While access to treatment is increasing, it is estimated that only 28% of those who need treatment in low- and middle-income countries are receiving it.
MSH Response: MSH offers management and technical expertise to HIV & AIDS prevention, care, and treatment programs. MSH collaborates with global, regional, national, and local initiatives to upgrade management systems for effective, integrated HIV & AIDS services. MSH also works to strengthen pharmaceutical systems, improve pharmaceutical procurement and supply chain management, and expand public-private partnerships.
Malaria
Challenge: Malaria claims 2 million lives each year—one child every 30 seconds—and the most popular antimalarial treatment is becoming less effective every day. Drug failure rates have reached as high as 80% in parts of Africa, yet only a handful of countries have successfully reviewed treatment options and made appropriate policy changes.
MSH Response: MSH works with public and private partners to improve access to and use of quality services, including medicines and other commodities, for malaria. By strengthening health systems and supporting partnerships at the national, regional, and community levels, MSH improves malaria diagnosis, treatment, and care.
Maternal, Newborn, & Child Health
Challenge: An estimated 6 million children die each year from preventable causes such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrheal disease, AIDS-related disease, malnutrition, and newborn conditions. Maternal mortality is also unacceptably high, largely due to delivery without a trained birth attendant. Although we have the proven preventive and curative interventions to avert these deaths, the challenge is effective delivery of these proven interventions, at scale.
MSH Response: MSH works with the public and private sectors to strengthen the delivery of essential newborn care and maternal-child health services at all levels of the health care system. We advocate for increased funding from governments and donors to support expanded coverage. Programs focus on increased access to skilled care during childbirth, community-based case management of childhood illnesses, and preventive services.
Tuberculosis
Challenge: The global resurgence of TB in the past few decades is being fueled by decreased investments in public health systems, emerging drug resistance, and increased HIV prevalence. New challenges, such as TB/HIV co-infection and multidrug-resistant TB, call for innovative approaches and more efficient and cost-effective programs.
MSH Response: MSH contributes operational expertise and state-of-the art technical competence to TB detection, care, and treatment programs. We collaborate with global, regional, national, and local initiatives to upgrade the management of TB programs. MSH develops management and leadership capacity in the public and private sectors, including planning, financial and human resource management, integration of services, pharmaceutical systems, and laboratory management.