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April 04, 2012
comments [1]

The Intersection of Global Health, Gender and Human Rights [2]

Universal Health Coverage [4]
US Global Health Policy [5]
Women & Gender [6]
PAHO/WHO.} [2]Photo credit: PAHO/WHO.

Health is a human right and should not be denied based on any factor, including gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

On March 21 and 22, 2012, law students, global health professionals, and human rights experts gathered at the Inaugural Conference on Global Health, Gender and Human Rights [7] at American University to discuss tackling global health issues from a human rights perspective.

Co-hosted by the American University Washington College of Law [8], the Pan American Health Organization [9] (PAHO), and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Guatemala, the two-day conference focused on six crucial topics: disabilities, women's and adolescent girls’ health, gender identities, older persons, access to medicines, and tobacco control.

Speakers and participants articulated the important role gender and human rights play in the promotion of health around the world.

Read more [2]
April 05, 2012
comments [10]

Providing Essential Health Services in Remote Corners of Haiti [11]

Fragile States [13]
Universal Health Coverage [4]
Gumy Dorvilmar/MSH.} [11]Photo credit: Gumy Dorvilmar/MSH.

It was 11 o’clock one February morning when the Santé pour le Développement et la Stabilité d’Haiti (SDSH) project technical team arrived on site at St. Joseph Health Center.

The center’s activities were well underway. Dozens of people sat on benches or stood in line, waiting for their turn. One person comes to care for her child who has had a high fever. Another comes for contraception. Another just gave birth to a healthy infant.

St. Joseph Health Center is located in Abricots, a remote community in the department of Grande’Anse, Haiti, far from Port-au-Prince. Abricots is nearly inaccessible because of rough terrain and hazardous mountain trails.

Since 2007, with support from the USAID-funded SDSH project, led by Management Sciences for Health (MSH), St. Joseph Health Center has provided a basic package of health services: pediatrics, maternal health, reproductive health, detection and treatment of sexually-transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and family planning.

This free clinic is the only health institution in this hard-to-reach area, serving an estimated 32,000 people.

Read more [11]
April 06, 2012
comments [14]

World Health Day: Meet Okata and His Grandmother [15]

Health Systems Strengthening [17]
Meet Okata and his grandmother, watch the video. [15]Meet Okata and his grandmother, watch the video.

On this World Health Day, we invite you to meet Okata, a 3-year-old orphan living with HIV, and his grandmother, his caretaker. [18]

World Health Day, celebrated April 7th, marks the founding of the World Health Organization [19]. This year's theme, "Good health adds life to years," encourages the global community to rethink what it means to be "old".

Watch the video, Building a Stronger Health System in Uganda [18], and share Okata's story with your network of family and friends.

Read more [15]
April 07, 2012
comments [20]

MSH's Working Principles for Health Development Initiatives in Fragile States [21]

Fragile States [13]
MSH.} [21]Photo credit: MSH.

Nearly 50 countries, including Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Liberia and South Sudan, are considered a fragile or conflict-affected state -- a state that is in conflict, recovering from conflict or crisis, or a state that has collapsed or has a strong and repressive government. Over nearly 40 years of working in fragile states, Management Sciences for Health (MSH) has identified best practices, lessons learned [22], and appropriate interventions for a myriad of situations in fragile states.

MSH takes an integrated approach to building high-impact sustainable public health programs that address critical challenges in leadership, health systems management, health service delivery, human resources, and medicines. Wherever our partnerships succeed, the positive impact of good health has a ripple effect, contributing to the building of healthy nations.

MSH works collaboratively with health care policymakers, managers, providers, and the private sector to increase the efficacy, efficiency, and sustainability of health services by improving management systems, promoting access to services, and influencing public policy.

Read more [21]
April 08, 2012
comments [23]

Rebuilding Health Systems in Fragile States through High-Impact Interventions: Lessons Learned [24]

Fragile States [13]
MSH.} [24]Photo credit: MSH.

Suzanna Ile, a 26-year-old woman from South Sudan, lost her first two babies in childbirth. Suzanna did not have a nurse or midwife to tell her that her pelvis was dangerously small for childbirth; nor was there a safe place for a caesarian section even if she had known the risk.

Suzanna’s experience is typical of what women have faced in South Sudan, the newest country in the world. South Sudan is home to 10 million people, spread across an area about the size of France. The people have experienced civil war off and on for five decades --- hardly anyone remembers a time without conflict. In places like the capital city of Juba, the infrastructure has been seriously damaged. The conflicts have devastated the economy and disrupted the education system.

South Sudan has some of the worst health indicators in the world. Health facilities are grossly understaffed as health workers fled the country: only ten percent of staff positions are appropriately filled. There are less than two doctors for every 100,000 people. A woman in South Sudan is five-hundred-times more likely to lose her life giving birth than a woman in Europe. Forty-five percent of children suffer from physical stunting due to malnutrition.

Read more [24]
April 23, 2012
comments [26]

USAID Launches "5th Birthday" Campaign [27]

Health Systems Strengthening [17]
US Global Health Policy [5]
5thBDay badge in white background. [27]5thBDay badge in white background.

Every child deserves a fifth birthday. It seems simple enough. But for many children in the world — especially in countries with the highest burden of child mortality, such as India, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Pakistan and Ethiopia — preventable deaths will claim their lives, before they reach the age of five.

Today, USAID launched an ongoing child survival awareness campaign, called, “Every Child Deserves a 5th Birthday.”

The “5th Birthday” campaign kicked off with a briefing event at Kaiser Family Foundation [28], featuring USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah and other experts. Dr. Shah and colleagues stressed that reducing the burden of child mortality is critical to our future as a global community.

While the global community has made great strides reducing child mortality, inequality in child mortality remains: several regions and countries continue to shoulder the greatest burden and loss of life.

Read more [27]
April 25, 2012
comments [29]

World Malaria Day 2012: Sustain Gains, Save Lives: Invest in Malaria [30]

Health Systems Strengthening [17]
Women & Gender [6]
Rima Shretta/MSH.} [30]Photo credit: Rima Shretta/MSH.

Today, April 25th, Management Sciences for Health (MSH) joins the global community marking World Malaria Day. "Sustain Gains, Save Lives: Invest in Malaria" -- the theme of this year's World Malaria Day [31] -- recognizes this crucial juncture in the global fight against malaria.

Significant gains have been made in the last ten years; since 2000, malaria mortality rates have decreased 25 percent globally, and 33 percent in Africa. However, progress could be reversed unless malaria continues to be a priority for global, regional, and national decision-makers and donors.

Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), South Sudan, and Uganda are among several MSH countries commemorating World Malaria Day with malaria awareness activities and events, including health talk sessions at football (soccer) games and drama activities with kids.

Read more [30]
April 29, 2012
comments [32]

Village Health Teams: Linking Communities to Care [33]

Health Systems Strengthening [17]
Universal Health Coverage [4]
Women & Gender [6]
Margaret Hartley/MSH.} [33]Photo credit: Margaret Hartley/MSH.

Ezekiel Kyasesa is a village health team coordinator and supervisor in Kasese District, western Uganda. He supports 11 villages, 90 parishes, and 2 health centers.

Ezekiel has been working in community health for a few years, but only on a small scale. A year ago, he was selected to attend a training provided by STRIDES for Family Health [35] to learn new family planning, child survival, and reproductive health information and the skills to become a village health team member. He was then nominated by his peers to become the coordinator and supervisor.

Now Ezekiel is educated and has the skills to go out to the communities and talk to people about the benefits of going to the health center for a range of services. The village health teams are a crucial link to sharing knowledge and information between the clinics and the communities.

Ezekiel and his village health team visit 10 households two days each week (20 visits per team member each week). He explained that they discuss with the mothers --- the key person to a healthy family --- four topics:

Read more [33]
April 30, 2012
comments [36]

A Bus Ride to New Opportunities in Lesotho [37]

Health Systems Strengthening [17]
HIV & AIDS [39]
MSH.} [37]Photo credit: MSH.

Early in the morning of January 31, 2012, caregivers, support group members, village leaders, and the local council secretary gathered to say goodbye to 9 girls and 11 boys, orphaned youth ranging in age from 15 to 17. From 10 different villages in the Mohale’s Hoek district of Lesotho, these teens were headed for new horizons.

The adults wished the youth well, encouraged them to try their very best, and waved them off as they boarded the bus. The early morning air was full of jubilant traditional celebration songs sung in beautiful voices by the community members, and these adventurous youth carried these songs with them during their journey. Although the bus broke down three times on its way to the final destination (approximately 130 kilometers on mountainous, pothole-filled roads), the singing continued; the enthusiasm and excitement of the youth never waned despite the hot sticky weather and the heavy rains.

Read more [37]
Source URL: https://www.msh.org/blog/archive/201204

Links
[1] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/04/the-intersection-of-global-health-gender-and-human-rights#comments
[2] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/04/the-intersection-of-global-health-gender-and-human-rights
[3] https://www.msh.org/users/tstewart
[4] https://www.msh.org/blog-categories/universal-health-coverage
[5] https://www.msh.org/blog-categories/us-global-health-policy
[6] https://www.msh.org/blog-categories/women-gender
[7] http://new.paho.org/wcl/
[8] http://www.wcl.american.edu/
[9] http://new.paho.org/
[10] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/05/providing-essential-health-services-in-remote-corners-of-haiti#comments
[11] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/05/providing-essential-health-services-in-remote-corners-of-haiti
[12] https://www.msh.org/users/gumy-dorvilmar
[13] https://www.msh.org/blog-categories/fragile-states
[14] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/06/world-health-day-meet-okata-and-his-grandmother#comments
[15] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/06/world-health-day-meet-okata-and-his-grandmother
[16] https://www.msh.org/users/management-sciences-for-health
[17] https://www.msh.org/blog-categories/health-systems-strengthening
[18] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LNwwEzcJzc
[19] http://www.who.int/world-health-day/2012/en/index.html
[20] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/07/mshs-working-principles-for-health-development-initiatives-in-fragile-states#comments
[21] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/07/mshs-working-principles-for-health-development-initiatives-in-fragile-states
[22] http://blog.msh.org/2012/04/08/rebuilding-health-systems-in-fragile-states-lessons-learned/
[23] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/08/rebuilding-health-systems-in-fragile-states-through-high-impact-interventions#comments
[24] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/08/rebuilding-health-systems-in-fragile-states-through-high-impact-interventions
[25] https://www.msh.org/users/jonathan-d-quick-md-mph
[26] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/23/usaid-launches-5th-birthday-campaign#comments
[27] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/23/usaid-launches-5th-birthday-campaign
[28] http://globalhealth.kff.org/Multimedia/2012/April/23/gh042312video.aspx
[29] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/25/world-malaria-day-2012-sustain-gains-save-lives-invest-in-malaria#comments
[30] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/25/world-malaria-day-2012-sustain-gains-save-lives-invest-in-malaria
[31] http://www.fightingmalaria.gov/news/wmd_12.html
[32] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/29/village-health-teams-linking-communities-to-care#comments
[33] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/29/village-health-teams-linking-communities-to-care
[34] https://www.msh.org/users/margaret-hartley
[35] http://www.msh.org/global-presence/strides-for-family-health.cfm
[36] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/30/a-bus-ride-to-new-opportunities-in-lesotho#comments
[37] https://www.msh.org/blog/2012/04/30/a-bus-ride-to-new-opportunities-in-lesotho
[38] https://www.msh.org/users/khoeflich
[39] https://www.msh.org/blog-categories/hiv-aids