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The state of the world's children 2009

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
December 2008

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The 2009 report ..."examines critical issues in maternal and newborn health, underscoring the need to establish a comprehensive continuum of care for mothers, newborns and children. "The report outlines the latest paradigms in health programming and policies for mothers and newborns, and explores policies, programmes and partnerships aimed at improving maternal and neonatal health. Africa and Asia are a key focus for this report, which complements the previous year's issue on child survival." The report can be downloaded as a PDF or a multi-media version is also available in four languages

Shifting the paradigm in social service provision : making quality services accessible for people with disabilities in south east Europe

CHIRIACESCU, Diana
December 2008

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This report examines the ways in which policies and practices evolve in the social services sector in South East Europe, as well as the impact of this change process on the lives of people with disabilities. It aims to identify the main stakes, priorities and steps forward that should be undertaken in order to modernise this sector in an effective and sustainable way

Hearing community voices : grassroots perceptions of an intervention to support health volunteers in South Africa

CAMPBELL, Catherine
et al
December 2008

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"This paper reports on community perceptions of a three-year project which sought to train and support volunteer health workers in a rural community in South Africa. "With the scarcity of African health professionals, volunteers are earmarked for an increased role in HIV and AIDS management, with a growing number of projects relying on grassroots community members to provide home nursing care to those with AIDS - as part of the wider task-shifting agenda. Yet little is known about how best to facilitate such involvement"

The role of partnerships in health equity

TUTU, Desmond
November 2008

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This commentary sees working in partnership as key to tackling the disparity in access to health care throughout the world. It cites the Medical Knowledge Institute's programmes for addressing HIV in Africa as an example of successful partnerships.

Seizing the opportunity on AIDS and health systems

OOMMAN, Nandini
BERNSTEIN, Michael
ROSENZWEIG, Steven
August 2008

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This is a comparison of donor interactions with national health systems in Mozambique, Uganda, and Zambia - specifically: the health information systems, the supply chain systems for essential medicines, and human resources for health. It focuses on the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the World Bank’s Africa Multi-Country AIDS Program

Annual review of HRH situation in Asia-Pacific region 2006-2007

DING Yang
TIAN Jiang
August 2008

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"This report reviews the Human Resources for Health (HRH) status in the targeted countries by mainly focusing on health education and training, distribution and retention of health workers, community health workers. Eighteen countries have been included in the report: Bangladesh; Cambodia; China; Fiji; India; Indonesia; Lao PDR; Myanmar; Nepal; Philippines; Papua New Guinea; Samoa; Sri Lanka; Thailand; Vietnam; Australia; New Zealand and Mongolia"

Disability among clients attending Taif Rehabilitation Centre, Saudi Arabia

AL-SHEHRI, Abdul-Salam A
ABDEL-FATTAH, Moataz M
2008

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This is a cross-sectional study of hospital records of people who were admitted to Rehab Armed Forces Rehabilitation Center, Taif, Saudi Arabia from 1999- 2005. Eight hundred and fifty records were reviewed. Data were collected on age, sex, nationality, data of admission and discharge and type of disability. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to determine predictors of long stay at the hospital. Trauma as an etiology of disability was more common than non-traumatic incidents among male and middle aged clients (16-45 years). Traumatic accidents mostly result in quadriplegia (72.8%). Male, single, less than 45 years old, people with traumatic accidents and people with paralytic types of disability were significantly more likely to stay longer at the hospital. Home care programme should be expanded to minimize duration of stay at the rehabilitation centres. Health education of the public would help in encouraging disabled people to adapt to daily life activities.

Numbers of women circumcised in Africa : the production of a total

YODER, P Stanley
KHAN, Shane
March 2008

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This paper gives the results of a study to find an estimated figure for the number of women in Africa who have undergone circumcision or female genital cutting (FGC). The study is based on women over the age of 15, although an appendix provides information about girls aged 10-14. A reliable figure helps in assessing the number of women at risk for female genital cutting and its complications in order to raise public awareness of the size and scope of the practice in some countries in Africa. Accurate information about the size and scope of this practice makes it possible to better estimate the need for specialised health care for women and to mobilise resources for advocacy against FGC

Evidence for the effectiveness of rehabilitation-in-the-community programmes

VELEMA, Johan P
EBENSO, Bassey
FUZIKAWA, Priscila L
March 2008

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"The present literature review identified 29 reports from 22 countries in Asia, Africa and Central America reporting on the outcomes of rehabilitation-in-the-community programmes in low and middle income countries published between 1987 and 2007. Interventions included home visits by trained community workers who taught disabled persons skills to carry out activities of daily living, encouraged disabled children to go to school, helped find employment or an income generating activity, often involving vocational training and/or micro-credit. Many programmes had a component of influencing community attitudes towards disabled persons. The information collected shows that such programmes were effective in that they increased independence, mobility and communication skills of disabled persons, helped parents of disabled children to cope better and increased the number of disabled children attending schools. Economic interventions effectively increased the income of disabled persons although they rarely made them financially independent. CBR activities result in social processes that change the way community members view persons with disabilities, increase their level of acceptance and social inclusion and mobilise resources to meet their needs"
Leprosy Review, Vol 79, Issue 1

School-centred HIV and AIDS care and support in Southern Africa : technical consulation report

BOLER, Tania
JOHNSSON, Emily
February 2008

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This report maps out the various activities in school-based HIV treatment, care and support that are being undertaken in Southern Africa, as a response to the changing needs of teachers, students and local communities. It highlights successful factors and common challenges and suggests five broad principles that help provide a comprehensive response to treatment, care and support,and reinforce prevention messages

Sexual and gender based violence in Africa : literature review

RUMBOLD, Victoria
February 2008

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"This literature review is intended to inform partners in the Population Council-coordinated regional network that aims to develop a multi-sectoral and comprehensive response to SGBV (Sexual and Gender Based Violence) in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa. The review is structured around seven components collectively designed to meet the medical, psychological and justice needs of survivors of sexual violence. The components consist of a comprehensive review of region-specific policies, programmatic experiences and best practices relating to the appropriate medical management of sexual violence, enabling effective criminal justice responses to all SGBV cases, and the reduction of levels of violence at the community level"

Local voices : a community perspective on HIV and hunger in Zambia

DUCK, Natalie
HAUENSTEIN SWAN, Samuel
2008

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This report documents the findings of a six month qualitative research project that provided HIV orphans, vulnerable children and their carers, living in the Kitwe district in Zambia, with the opportunity to discuss and document the difficulties they face providing food, water and healthcare for their families. The report shows the direct impact of HIV & AIDS on the economic and social well being of both household and communities

The palliative care toolkit : improving care from the roots up in resource limited settings

BOND, Charlie
LAVY, Vicky
WOOLDRIDGE, Ruth
2008

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"A practical manual to equip, empower and encourage health workers in resource-limited settings to integrate palliative care into their work and their communities. It brings holistic and "can do" approach to delivering care for those suffering with life-limiting diseases and is an important contribution to increasing the spread of palliative care globally"

Task shifting : rational redistribution of tasks among health workforce teams : global recommendations and guidelines

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
2008

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These guidelines and 22 recommendations are designed to support for countries that face a high HIV burden and acute shortages within the health workforce. Task shifting involves the rational redistribution of tasks among health workforce teams. Specific tasks are moved, where appropriate, from highly qualified health workers to health workers with shorter training and fewer qualifications in order to make more efficient use of the available human resources for health. The key elements that must be in place if the approach is to prove safe, efficient, effective, equitable and sustainable, cover the need for consultation, situation analysis and national endorsement, and for an enabling regulatory framework. They specify the quality assurance mechanisms, including standardised training, supportive supervision, and certification and assessment, that will be important to ensure quality of care

Closing the gap in a generation : health equity through action on the social determinants of health|Final report of the Commission on the Social Determinants of Health

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
2008

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This is the final report of the World Health Organization’s Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (2005-2008). The report gives three main recommendations: 1 improve daily living conditions 2. Tackle the inequitable distribution of power, money, and resources 3. Measure and understand the problem and assess the impact of action. The Commission was created to provide evidence on policies that improve health by addressing the social conditions in which people live and work. The report is addressed to WHO, national governments, civil society, and other global organizations

A report card on maternal mortality

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
2008

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‘Progress for Children’ is a series that monitors progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. This edition focuses on maternal health and, in particular, maternal mortality. It considers general progress and then examines particular regions. The report card acknowledges progress in improving maternal health, but argues that it is not sufficient to meet the MDG target of reducing maternal mortality by three quarters between 1990 and 2015

The state of Africa's children 2008 : child survival

ROGERS, Kate
GEBRE-EGZIABHER, Hirut
2008

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This report complements UNICEF’s ‘State of the World’s Children 2008’. It considers progress towards the related Millennium Development Goals in the region and the main causes of child deaths. It considers health-care systems and community-based approaches to providing maternal and child health care and outlines priorities required to accelerate progress

Successful leadership : country actions for maternal, newborn and child health

PARTNERSHIP FOR MATERNAL, NEWBORN AND CHILD HEALTH
2008

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This document provides country-specific summaries of actions taken on a national level to improve maternal and child health. The summaries do not provide a comprehensive assessment of the progress made by individual countries, but demonstrate the importance of five factors: 1. Successful political leadership (Thailand) 2. Sound health policies (Indonesia and Tanzania) 3. Effective financing (Mexico) 4. Strong health systems (Nepal and Senegal) 5. Action to achieve equity (Bangladesh and Chile). Each summary covers: progress on MDGs, supportive policies and interventions, outcome, and key lesson

State of the world’s children 2008 : child survival

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
2008

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This publication provides a wide-ranging assessment of the current state of child survival and primary health care for mothers, newborns and children. It examines lessons learned in child health during the past few decades and outlines the most important emerging precepts and strategies for reducing deaths among children under age five and for providing a continuum of care for mothers, newborns and children

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