Browse by Geographic Focus

Based on a small inquiry to a number of experienced mental health professionals in sub-Saharan Africa, the authors discuss what a community concept of mental health care might mean in Africa. [from author]

This brief shows that lay health workers can successfully engage significant numbers of consumers in increasing knowledge and reducing barriers to health care quality. It also discusses the fundamental issues of monitoring performance, obtaining recognition and developing an effective training model. [adapted from author]

This case study explores the process between donors and the government of moving pay for performance (P4P) from concept to design to implementation. It describes key areas of disagreement, and highlights the political tensions inherent in translating high-level interest in P4P into on-the-ground action. [from author]

The objective of this study was to assess the use determinants of skilled attendants at delivery in Mtwara rural district. The information obtained will help the district health management team to develop interventions to improve use of delivery care services and ultimately achieve the millennium goal to reduce the high rates of maternal mortality. [from author]

This review examines the use of various categories of community health workers as first line health workers in dealing, for example, with maternal and child health, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria and other issues throughout Africa. [from author]

A community-based project to increase community awareness about primary prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) was implemented in an urban township of Cape Town. The aims of project were to utilise community health workers as change agents in their community and to develop a NCD model for an urban township community. [adapted from author]

The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the quality of nursing service and care in three health districts in the KwaZulu Natal Province and to identify deficiencies which could be addressed by education and training for nurses. [adapted from abstract]

This film tells the story of Mirta Nubia Rosero, the only health worker in a remote village in south-western Colombia. After five decades of conflict, unexploded landmines and remnants of war lie hidden in the ground. [from publisher]

This short film shows the human face of the conflict affected health care. Entire villages have been destroyed and health-care centres looted in western Cote d’Ivoire, and mobile clinics provide the only health care for many villages in the area. [adapted from publisher]

Four decades of conflict in southern Colombia have made health care a rare commodity on the Rio Caguan, a remote tributary of the Amazon. In this video, Abdi Ismail explains his work taking mobile health clinics along the river to thousands of villagers who would otherwise be cut off from medical care. [from publisher]

This unique video footage, shot in Libya, starkly reveals the danger that health-care workers are exposed to as they treat the war-wounded close to the front line. [from publisher]

The authors present data from a nationally representative all-India survey which enumerators physically verify the attendance of providers during unannounced visits, and found that nearly 40% of doctors and medical service providers are absent from work on a typical day. [from abstract]

This edition of Hotline, an HRH newletter focused on the needs of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in Africa, highlights resources, trainings and workshops, articles of interest and other information for FBO HRH pracitioners.

Two studies were conducted to assess modes of male circumcision (MC) service delivery to support the scale-up of MC for HIV prevention in Kenya in the public sector. Both studies examined clinical outcomes of and client satisfaction for MC services provided through task shifting performed by nonphysician clinician and by trained itinerant clinical officers. [adapted from author]

The Federal Ministry of Health, recognizing the complementary role of the market based private sector in the provision of quality health services at competitive price especially in the underserved areas, developed this policy document to define the role of private v/s public sector, to institute mechanisms for the regulation of health services delivery, setting up and monitoring of the minimum standards of care, and bring into fold the private sector in reporting within the defined parameters. [from author]

This paper examined the association of the family planning service delivery environment with contraceptive outcomes among males and females in five states of Nigeria, including the impact of health worker training in family planning, and the effect of the provider-client interaction on uptake of modern methods. [adapted from abstract]

Based on lessons learned from Tanzania, this resource advocates for the integration of community health workers (CHWs) into the revised HRH strategic framework, including the development of new strategies to enable CHWs to contribute more effectively to improved maternal and newborn health outcomes. [adapted from author]

This report details an eLearning intervention for nurses in Kenya to improve the standards of nursing care by equipping enrolled nurses with the skills to manage new and re-emerging diseases, address the shortage of qualified nurses in Kenya, improve quality of care and achieve health-related Millennium Development Goals. [adapted from author]

The overall goal of the post-graduation tracer survey was to determine the proportion of graduates still working in Southern Sudan, where they have been deployed, their specific duties, and the perceptions of the graduates on the effectiveness of the training program in preparing them for their duties. [adapted from author]

The focus of this study has been to identify the most common causes for the health worker high attrition rate and poor motivation within the health sector, and look at the various solutions that are possible. It brings together the findings of many relevant studies by other authors and identifies the most common reasons for high attrition rates. [adapted from summary]

The objectives of the research are to come to a better understanding of why health workers adopt behaviours that impact negatively on patients and to look for solutions in policy and practice to improve staff motivation and morale. [from author]

This report is based on the accounts of 90 Ugandan health workers at the front line. The research explored with them the rewards and the challenges, explanations for perceived poor practices and promising solutions. The interim findings focus on the rewards of being a health worker and how low pay affects them. [from introduction]

This study was undertaken to make a clear needs assessment, define priorities and identify resources to plan appropriate continuing education programs and prepare reference materials for health workers, particularly with the deployment of 30,000 health extension workers which will create additional information access needs in Ethiopia. [adapted from abstract]

The study focuses on the first batch of Ethiopian Health Extension Workers (HEWs) with the overall objective of assessing the working conditions of HEWs and their job satisfaction. [from abstract]

The report takes a look at the haemorrhaging general pracitioner and specialist cadres and the skeletal, ageing and special skills-starved nursing sector in what it describes as South Africa’s “failing health system.” [adapted from abstract]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a quality improvement initiative for reproductive health providers on service qualtiy and related outcomes. [adapted from abstract]

This article discusses the issues facing rural physicians, analyzes efforts to recruit and retain them, and outlines what it will require to increase their numbers.

This article outlines a project and its evaluation that used ICT equipment to increase the uptake of continuing professional development training in Uganda. [adapted from abstract]

These case studies from accross Austraila show how rural and remote health professionals are making a difference locally and give insights, approaches and solutions to similar challenges or problems faced elsewhere. Evaluated solutions for many pressing health issues are presented as well as two big policy issues: building sustainable rural primary health care services, and responding to an ageing health workforce. [adapted from foreword]

This text describes how rural health professionals and rural communities are currently working towards healthy communities. Significant rural issues are analysed with regard to professional practice and personal lifestyles, as well as how these issues could be addressed by innovative future practice or how they present challenges for learning or teaching. [adapted from author]