MSH's current newsletter (November/December 2013) features stories about the people on the frontlines improving health and saving lives: health workers.

A Note from Dr. Jonathan D. Quick

My MSH colleagues Mary O'Neil and Jonathan Jay blog about what we can learn from the Third Global Forum on Human Resources for Health, held this November in Recife, Brazil:

Recife Top Ten: Together Toward Health for All

The Third Global Forum on Human Resources for Health convened in Recife, Brazil from November 10-13, 2013.Photo credit: MSH

Make Recife Count: Adapt HRH to the UHC Agenda

Photo credit: Todd Shapera

Highlights

Improving Child Nutrition through Mothers' Support Groups in the DRC

Thérèse Ashingo proudly shows off her healthy son after two months of exclusive breastfeeding in the Kole health zone, DRC.Photo credit: MSH.

Community health workers, local NGO leaders, and health care providers are utilizing "education through listening" to "transform mothers' hesitation into motivation to improve how they feed their children".
Read more from Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) >>

Community Health Agents Improve Access to HIV Testing in Angola

A community health agent conducts home-based HIV testing and counseling in Cunene Province, Angola.Photo credit: Jabulani Mavudze/MSH. 

Angola's home-based HIV counseling and testing pilot project is thriving: Community health agents have tested over 13,000 people in a seven-month period and the 3.3 percent with HIV-positive test results have been referred for care. Read more from Angola >>

Kenyan Nurse's Dream Comes True through the Leadership Development Program

Gertrude Kinyua shares her vision at the LDP results workshop in Nairobi in September.

A nurse applies lessons learned through the Leadership Development Program of how to align and mobilize stakeholders and resources to realize her dream of starting a community gender-based violence program.
Read more from Kenya >>

Helping Rwandan Hospitals Allocate Human Resources for Health

Mr. Nkurunziza Justin, human resources manager at Kibungo Provincial Hospital in Rwanda.Photo credit: Candide Tran Ngoc/MSH.

The Rwandan Ministry of Health and partners customized and trained health managers on a software program to help them more efficiently allocate human resources. Read more from Rwanda >>

Investing in People: The Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Association 

Photo credit: Warren Zelman. Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is developing a strong and vibrant professional pharmaceutical association that can own and sustain investments in the pharmaceutical sector. Read more from Ethiopia >>

New Clinical Standards Improve Health Service Quality in Liberia

Photo credit: MSH/Liberia.

More Liberian health workers are using clinical standards developed by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for implementing an essential package of health services. Read more from Liberia >>

Featured Country

Afghanistan

MSH has been an active partner in Afghanistan since 1973.
 
Afghanistan MoPH Approves Pharmaceutical Human Resources Framework

Before the historic approval this September, stateholders met to dicuss the draft national strategic framework for pharmaceutical human resources.Photo credit: MSH

The Executive Board of Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) formally approved the country's first national strategic framework for pharmaceutical human resources to strengthen the pharmaceutical system and health workforce.

VIDEO: Dr. Suraya Dalil: 10 Years of Achievement for Women

Dr. Suraya Dalil, Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan, spoke to MSH about the improvement of health and status of women. Watch video of Dr. Suraya Dalil >>

Profile

Calling for More Community Health Workers: A Conversation with Abiodun Awosusi 

Dr. Abiodun Awosusi "Without health workers, universal health coverage cannot be achieved," says Abiodun Awosusi, MD, campaign coordinator for the Health for All Campaign for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria, led by MSH. Meet Abiodun >>

International Conference Updates

• MSH staff blog at the 17th International Conference on AIDS and STIs (ICASA) in Africa
  Executive Director of UNAIDS Michel Sidibé addresses ICASA 2013 delegates.Photo credit: Johanna Theunissen/MSH.
  
• MSH staff also blogged from global conferences on family planning (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia), tuberculosis (Paris, France), and human resources for health (Recife, Brazil).

More MSH News

• MSH Mourns Death of Mandela, Fearless Advocate for Health and Human Rights
  MSH is deeply saddened by the loss of Nelson Mandela ("Madiba"), South Africa's iconic first black president who fought to overthrow the oppression of apartheid. Mandela became a courageous HIV & AIDS advocate, defying the government's denial of the epidemic. Read MSH statement >>
  
  Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa, accepts the offer to wear an HIV-Positive T-shirt.Photo credit: Eric Miller.
  "I know I speak on behalf of all our staff of MSH South Africa when I say that Madiba's passing has deeply saddened us, but that we will continue to draw inspiration from his life," blogs MSH Country Representative for South Africa Bada Pharasi. Read "Remembering Madiba" >>
  
• An Open Mind and a Hard Back: Conversations with African Women Leaders
  
  
• MSH Authors Contribute to New Book on the Global Health Workforce
  
  
• MSH Co-Edits Featured Supplement on Pediatric HIV in Journal AIDS
  
  
• World Diabetes Day: A Health-Systems Approach to Protect Our Future

Resources

• Human Resources for Health: Fact Sheet
  
  
• Frontline Health Workers Coalition
  

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