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HIV/AIDS care and treatment : a clinical course for people caring for people living with HIV/AIDS [facilitator's guide]

IMPLEMENTING AIDS PREVENTION AND CARE PROJECT (IMPACT)
2004

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The "HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment Participant Guide" presents new knowledge and skills for delivering and organising clinical care and treatment services for people living with HIV/AIDS. The course is divided into 7 modules covering HIV prevention and care issues; managing poatients with HIV related diseases; managing women and children with HIV; antiretroviral therapy; supporting people with HIV/AIDS; managing patients on antiretroviral treatment; and TB, women, children and post-exposure prophylaxis. A participant manual accompanies this manual

Palliative care in Sub-Saharan Africa : an appraisal

HARDING, Richard
HIGGINSON, Irene
2004

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This report was written from the belief that palliative care is, and will be for the forseeable future, an essential component in the continuum of managing HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. There is now a wealth of experience in sub-Saharan Africa about the ways in which palliative care can be delivered both affordably and effectively. However, there remains a lack of properly documented evidence and research to demonstrate the importance of this work and promote its development. This report provides a review of existing evaluations of palliative care projects in sub-Saharan Africa with an emphasis on isolating the factors that lead to sustainability, local ownership and scaling up; the role of palliative care in the management of HIV/AIDS and how to integrate palliative care and Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART); primary health based care projects in two countries, Kenya and Malawi, that could provide lessons for the implementation of palliative care; lessons from other parallel programmes which mirror palliative care delivery, for example, tuberculosis programmes, and primary care programmes with good links to local clinics and hospitals, and community mobilization and empowerment projects linked to health facilities. In this way it contributes to the effort of providing an evidence base to demonstrate the importance of palliative care and provides a source of reference for policy makers, practitioners, donors and researchers

Interim policy on collaborative TB/HIV issues

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO). Stop TB Department and Department of HIV/AIDS
2004

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This policy responds to a demand from countries for immediate guidance on which collaborative TB/HIV activities to implement and under what circumstances. It is complementary to and in synergy with the established core activities of tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS prevention and control programmes. Implementing the DOTS strategy is the core activity for tuberculosis control. Similarly, infection and disease prevention and health promotion activities and the provision of treatment and care form the basis for HIV/AIDS control. This policy does not call for the institution of a new specialist or independent disease control programme. It rather promotes enhanced collaboration between tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS programmes in the provision of a continuum of quality care at service-delivery level for people with, or at risk of tuberculosis and people living with HIV/AIDS

Handbook on paediatric AIDS in Africa

TINDYEBWA, Denis
et al
2004

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This handbook intends to provide users in resource-poor countries with a tool that can be adapted to their needs. It follows the four principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and aims to provide a simple, accessible and practical handbook for health workers involved in preventing infection and caring for children infected and affected by HIV. It includes substantial chapters on caring for HIV-exposed and HIV-infected children, infants and orphans; diagnosis and the clinical stages of HIV infection; clinical conditions associated with HIV (diarrhoea, malnutrition, neurological manifestations, skin manifestations and more); pulmonary conditions; anti-retroviral therapy for children; youth issues, long-term and terminal care planning; psychosocial support. The primary targets are medical students and their lecturers, nurses, clinicians, community health workers and other service providers in resource poor settings where there is a significant HIV and AIDS burden

Gender perspectives in malaria management

DUNN, Alison
2004

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Gender roles and relations within the household are of crucial importance to the management of childhood malaria. Women's access to resources and their bargaining power within the household have a significant influence on their treatment seeking behaviour for children with malaria. The Malaria Knowledge Programme (MKP) supported district level government workers to conduct a situation analysis using qualitative and participatory research methods to explore gender perspectives. This contributes to a growing body of knowledge of the importance of using gender analysis in malaria management

Gender mainstreaming in health : the possibilities and constraints of involving district-level field workers

DUNN, Alison
2004

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This policy brief concerns the involvement of district-level workers in local-level practical approaches to mainstreaming gender. This involvement is central to facilitating change and informing health strategies. MKP led a project in Ghana to facilitate district-level health management teams and district-level field workers to conduct qualitative and participatory research on gender aspects of access to health care for malaria. The results have informed strategies to improve gender equity in health at the community level

Communication in participatory approaches to health care

DUNN, Alison
2004

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This policy brief is concerned with the involvement of district-level health workers in participatory approaches at community level. Using participatory approaches improves healthworkers' communication skills and validates community knowledge. This emerged from a study carried out by the Malaria Knowledge Programme (MKP) in Ghana where it was clear that the interaction and communication that took place between health workers and community members provided opportunities for dialogue and building new relationships

Improving the quality of malaria diagnosis and laboratory services in resource-poor countries

DUNN, Alison
2004

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This policy brief is concerned with improving laboratory services and promoting accurate diagnosis of malaria at community level. Such measures would both save lives and prevent wastage of valuable resources. Increasing levels of resistance to cheap, first-line antimalarials means that many poor countries must promote new, more expensive treatment in the form of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs). The need for improved diagnostic tools that can be used at community level has never been greater. Since 1999, the Malaria Knowledge Programme (MKP) has been working in Malawi and Ghana to increase the effectiveness of laboratory systems and diagnostics for malaria and other common health problems

RBM communications assessment : challenges and opportunities in Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda

SHUFFELL, Sara
2004

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This report is from an assessment carried out between October 2002 and April 2003 in Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda. It was part of a Roll Back Malaria Communications Assessment as an initial stage in the process to develop effective and inclusive national malaria communication strategies in RBM participating countries across Africa. It notes the challenges that are raised in the context of development communications in Africa: the absence of basic malaria communications strategies, poor visibility of National Malaria Control Programmes, and lack of regional coordination and information sharing to name a few. There are, however, many opportunities to develop better malaria communications listed in the report

Malaria control in schools : protecting children and teachers, protecting the next generation

SOUTHERN AFRICA MALARIA CONTROL (SAMC)
2004

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This short paper is aimed at schools, teachers, and pupils. It considers the problem of malaria in schools in southern Africa, how malaria and education are linked and strategies for malaria control in schools. There is a list of tools for schools that want to engage with the problem of malaria, and also a list of partners such as national malaria control programmes, ministries, UN agencies and NGOs that can provide support to school based malaria control. Steps for schools to take are suggested, along with malaria materials that are currently available for southern African schools

Enhancing research uptake through communication, networking and capacity development

DUNN, Alison
2004

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This brief paper describes the research methodology employed by the Malaria Knowledge Programme, and key lessons learned. The programme aimed to enhance the impact of its work through strengthening information and communication flows, involving Southern researchers and institutions and creating international networks for the improvement of research communication throughout its work. Using examples, this paper illustrates how the programme engaged with dynamics of research, policy making and practice, in accordance with DFID recommendations

Involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS in treatment preparedness in Thailand : case study

KUMPHITAK, Aree
KASI-SEDAPAN, Siriras
WILSON, David
et al
2004

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People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in Thailand are increasingly encouraged to work in partnership with NGOs to improve access to disease prevention and treatment provision. This case study outlines the impact of this collaboration over a period of four years. PLHA have been directly involved in lobbying and advocacy, helping make ART more widely available, but also promoting prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections, focusing on the use of co-trimoxazole. Their involvement as co-providers in care has positively changed the attitude of health care staff towards HIV/AIDS patients. The study concludes that a coordinated collaboration between the public health system, NGOs and PLHA would have important spin-offs for both health care providers and PLHA themselves

Liverpool school of tropical medicine : Malaria knowledge programme. Annual report 2003-2004 : reduction in the suffering by improving the management of malaria through better intervention and control of malaria.’

LIVERPOOL SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE (LSTM)
2004

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The report shows the overall activities of the Malaria Knowledge Programme during 2003-2004. It initially outlines the research activities and the new knowledge outputs. Using a framework developed by Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine's Vulnerability and Health Alliance the report contains an evaluation of the implications and effects of the research findings on those most vulnerable to the effects of malaria

Improving management of childhood malaria in Nigeria and Uganda by improving practices of patent medicine vendors

GREER, George
et al
2004

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"A number of studies from Sub-Saharan African (SSA) have shown that between 15 and 82 per cent of the population choose to first consult private drug shops and informal providers for advice about and assistance with treatment of childhood illnesses. It has also been found for private shops that a large percentage of the drugs provided or dosages given, or both, are inappropriate, indicating the need for innovative and effective approaches to achieve rational prescribing practices. The Ministries of Health in Nigeria and Uganda, in collaboration with partners, designed approaches to utilize private providers for delivery of basic child survival strategies and products to those populations less served by the public sector. These two distinct exploratory models built on lessons from similar efforts in SSA and elsewhere to develop approaches suited to the present situations in Nigeria and Uganda. This report describes the design, implementation, and results of those interventions"

Malaria over-diagnosis in Africa

HEALTHLINK WORLDWIDE
2004

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'In Africa, 70 per cent of fever cases in children are diagnosed in the home and treated with traditional remedies or drugs bought from local shops. These fevers are presumed to be due to malaria, but comparison of accurately diagnosed cases of malaria with presumed cases of malaria reveal shockingly high rates of over-diagnosis'

Challenges in leprosy rehabilitation

THOMAS, Maya
THOMAS, MJ
2004

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‘Multiple drug Therapy’ (MDT) has transformed the outcome of leprosy in people affected by it. Leprosy affected persons develop much less disfiguring disabilities after use of MDT. As a result leprosy services are now becoming integrated into general health services. When this integration becomes stronger, leprosy rehabilitation is also likely to adopt methods followed by general health services. Vertical, stand-alone services, based on single aetiology like leprosy, will require some adaptation to fit in with the environment of general health services. The authors speculate that changes in leprosy rehabilitation could make ‘community based rehabilitation’ (CBR) an important method for the vast majority of leprosy patients who need rehabilitation. This paper discusses some of the concerns regarding the suitability of CBR for leprosy rehabilitation.

 

Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, Vol 15, No 1

Surgical reconstruction and rehabilitation in leprosy and other neuropathies

SCHWARZ, R. J.
BRANDSMA, J. W.
Eds
2004

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"This book is designed for those with some training in reconstructive surgery for peripheral neuropathies, but who have not been exposed to all of the procedures presently available...In this field it is absolutely essential that the surgeon works closely with a therapist able to educate the patient following reconstructive surgical procedures. As such the book is also designed for therapists, with chapters covering the principles and techniques of pre- and postoperative therapy for neuropathic limbs. The book also contains sections on orthopaedic appliances and prosthesis, but only in sufficient detail to allow the surgeon to have a reasonable understanding of how to choose an appropriate orthosis/ prosthesis and what can be expected of the same"

Using knowledge management to make health systems work

BAILEY, Christopher
December 2003

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The discipline of knowledge management aims to bridge the gap between information availability and its communication in areas where the it is needed most. This editorial looks at two programmes that demonstrate how knowledge management can work

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