Resources

Results 826 - 850 of 1367

Combating Antimicrobial Resistance with Stronger Health Systems

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the world’s most pressing and urgent global health threats —one that could erode gains against tuberculosis (TB), malaria, HIV/AIDS, and many other infectious diseases. While AMR has emerged as a critical issue at the global level, current efforts to address AMR are insufficient to curb its spread.

Evaluating Global Health Partnerships: A Case Study of a Gavi HPV Vaccine Application Process in Uganda

In Gavi-eligible countries partnerships are dynamic networks of immunization actors who work together to support all stages and aspects of Gavi support. This paper describes a conceptual framework--the partnership framework--and analytic approach for evaluating the perceptions of partnerships’ value as well as the results from an application to one case in Uganda. We used a mixed-methods case study design embedded in the Gavi Full Country Evaluations to test the partnership framework on Uganda’s human papillomavirus vaccine application partnership. The partnership was not perceived to have increased the efficiency of the process, perhaps as a result of unclear or absent guidelines around roles and responsibilities. We concluded that the health and functioning of global health partnerships can be evaluated using the framework and approach presented here. Network theory and methods added value to the conceptual and analytic processes, and we recommend applying this approach to other global health partnerships to ensure that they are meeting the complex challenges they were designed to address.

Understanding the Unique Experiences, Perspectives and Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Very Young Adolescents: Somali Refugees in Ethiopia

Kobe Refugee camp hosts roughly 39,000 refugees displaced from Somalia during the 2011–2012 Horn of Africa Crisis. Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues, as well as the greater issues of health and well-being for adolescents displaced from this crisis, remain largely unknown and neglected. In 2013, the Women’s Refugee Commission, Johns Hopkins University, and International Medical Corps in Ethiopia implemented qualitative and quantitative research to explore the factors and risks that impact the health of very young adolescents (VYAs), those 10–14 years of age, in this setting. This research identified several factors that were found to influence the health and well-being of VYAs in Kobe refugee camp, including newfound access to education and security, combined with gender divisions and parental communication around early SRH and puberty that remained intact from traditional Somali culture. Girls were found to face an additional risk of child marriage and early pregnancy since displacement, which significantly limited their ability to access education and achieve future aspirations.

Antimicrobial Resistance: an Online Course

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when disease-causing pathogens are able to withstand the killing or suppressing power of antimicrobial medicines. This phenomenon increases the global burden of infectious diseases and strains health systems. Parts 1 and 2 of the online course are offered at the Global Health Learning Center. Part 1

Operational Aspects of Bedaquiline Implementation in Swaziland: Report from the Field

Bedaquiline (BDQ) has been recommended by the World Health Organization for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) since 2013, but experience using the drug in high-burden, lower-income countries is limited and case studies are needed. Swaziland started using BDQ under national TB programme conditions in 2015 in four pilot sites. As of 1 December 2016, 93 patients had been initiated on BDQ, i.e., 19% of MDR-TB patients treated in the country. Swaziland has developed a systematic and efficient model for BDQ introduction in collaboration with several partners. This model is also being used to introduce other innovations and can serve as an example for other countries facing similar challenges.

HIV-Infected Adolescents Have Low Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy: A Cross-Sectional Study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

We interviewed 273 HIV-infected adolescents receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) from three hospitals in Addis Ababa. The level of self-reported ART adherence among HIV-infected adolescents at the three hospitals was below the recommended threshold. Though earlier presentation of adolescents to care should be encouraged, more targeted adherence support should be planned for those who present at an early stage of their illness.

Family Planning Fact Sheet

Access to safe and effective family planning is a fundamental human right, essential for achieving gender equality, eliminating extreme poverty, and reducing maternal and child deaths.

Pharmaceutical Management Considerations for Expanded Coverage of Essential Health Services and Financial Protection Programs

The UN adoption of the SDGs in 2015 signaled a strong commitment of member countries to the expanded access to essential health service agenda and definitively recognized the critical role of medicines in achieving UHC.

Implementing TB Activities In Emergency Settings: South Sudan

Despite challenges of operating in emergency settings, the South Sudan Challenge TB project has been able to support improvements in case notification and other TB-related indicators. This technical highlight showcases implementation strategies, results, lessons, and reflections on the way forward.

Coordinated Procurement Distribution System News

Inside this issue: Enabling Proper Quantification of Essential Medicines Improved Coordination to Enhance Contraceptive Availability Establishing Common Criteria for Monitoring Supplier Performance Launching a New Pharmaceutical Logistic Information System Technical Sessions Continue to Promote Knowledge Sharing Public Sector Pharmaceutical Services Directory Released

Foreign Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company Registration Guideline for Afghanistan

The safety, efficacy, and quality of pharmaceutical products can be highly affected by the lack of adequate controls on importation. It is therefore imperative that the importation of pharmaceutical products conforms to certain set standards. In this context, the importation of pharmaceutical products should not be treated in the same way as ordinary commodities.

Technical Report: Waste Management of Pharmaceuticals in Afghanistan

Afghanistan already has a pharmaceutical product waste disposal operation, and pharmaceutical materials are reviewed for disposal and destruction, but the current operation is generally believed to have many shortfalls. Attempts at estimating the scale of the issue using total throughput volumes of pharmaceuticals have indicated no major issue on waste disposal because not enough volume of ph

Afghanistan National Medicines Policy 2014-2019

The goals of this new edition of the National Medicines Policy are to ensure the continuous development of the pharmaceutical sector and to meet the health care pharmaceutical requirements of all people living in Afghanistan, through the provision and use of safe, efficacious, high quality, cost effective, and affordable medicines and related products.

SPS Afghanistan Leader with Associate: A Retrospective Report

Building and strengthening health systems are difficult and take time.

SPS Afghanistan Associate Award Quarterly Newsletter

Inside this issue: SPS Afghanistan Associate Award Stakeholders Update Pharmacy Curriculum National Food & Medicine Board Hosts Workshop Welcome from the Chief of Party SPS & GDPA Attend International Conference SPS Assists MoPH with Emergency Medicine Order Heath Communications Message Widely Broadcasted Transition of Drug Management Unit Completed

Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting and Management Assessment in Six Hospitals of Kabul, Afghanistan

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), with technical and financial assistance of the Strengthening Pharmaceutical Systems (SPS) project funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), carried out the medicines safety assessment from March to August 2013 in six Kabul hospitals.

Pharmaceutical Logistic Information System (PLIS) Report on the Expansion Testing Phase in all BPHS/EPHS Implementing NGOs

In Afghanistan, 20 non-governmental organizations are contracted by the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) to provide support to the Basic Package for Health Services and Essential Package for Hospital Services (BPHS/EPHS) in all 34 provinces. The Pharmaceutical Logistics Information System (PLIS) was tested in all these NGOs in all the provinces in September 2013.

National Standard Treatment Guidelines for the Primary Level

This national standard treatment guidelines (STGs) manual is designed for use at the first-level (i.e., primary) facilities delivering the Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS).

Functional Analysis of the General Directorate of Pharmaceutical Affairs

The General Directorate of Pharmaceutical Affairs (GDPA) operates within the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) in Afghanistan and is the prime body for managing pharmaceutical activities within the country in both the public and private sectors. MOPH recognizes the current difficulties on essential medicines and wishes to see a harmonized and integrated approach with a nationally coordinated m

Providing Technical Assistance to the National Medicine and Food Board in Afghanistan to Implement Food Regulations

The National Medicine and Food Board (NMFB) was established in 2009, as an advisory board to the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) to advise, coordinate, supervise, and accelerate medicines and food-related activities . . . “to ensure the safety and quality of food products and prevent their unnecessary and unsafe manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, and use”.

Situational Analysis of the Medicine Evaluation and Registration System of Afghanistan

The pharmaceutical regulatory situation in Afghanistan is generally considered to be weak with most of the activities in the private sector and, to a l arge extent, in the public sector largely uncontrolled.

National Pharmaceutical Human Resources Strategic Framework 2013-2017

This framework seeks to outline a national strategy for the development of pharmaceutical HR in the public and private sectors in Afghanistan to produce a stronger pharmaceutical system that responds to the population’s needs.

Competency Framework for Pharmaceutical Services

The pharmaceutical services competency framework defines competencies for core tasks in each area. Expert practitioners in each of the service areas identified the main tasks.

Afghanistan: CPDS, CSC, and ACSS Stakeholder Procurement, Distribution, and Quantification Activities and Functions Review

For largely historical reasons of development in a post- or ongoing conflict situation, the current essential medicines supply mechanisms in Afghanistan are characterized by multiple funding sources and a large number of active players, giving rise to fragmented and, currently, largely uncoordinated service from multiple, vertical supply streams of varying efficiency. This is not to say that

Afghanistan Medicines Sampling and Testing - A Quantitative Survey

The Afghanistan Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), with technical assistance from the Strengthening Pharmaceutical Systems (SPS) Program, carried out a survey of medicines quality in Afghanistan. The survey was conducted for the MoPH to determine whether medicines in the public and private sectors of Afghanistan comply with established international pharmacopeial standards.