Middle East & North Africa

Using HIS/GIS Data and Tools to Improve Resource Allocation: the Yemen Experience

This presentation for the APHA Annual Meeting illustrates the use of geographic and health information systems to identify gaps in service delivery and vaccination coverage in Yemen in order to assign human and technical resources.

Assessment of Human Resources Management Practices in Lebanese Hospitals

The objective of this study is to assess the perception of HR managers about the challenges they face and the current strategies being adopted. The study also aims at assessing enabling factors including role, education, experience and HR training. [from abstract]

Quality Improvement Handbook for Primary Health Care

This handbook contains the complete set of resources and tools required to introduce and maintain a performance and quality improvement process at primary health care centers in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan including: facilitator’s guide; performance improvement review process and tools; monitoring and support guide; and monitoring tools and forms handbook. [adapted from introduction]

Health Workforce Development Planning in the Sultanate of Oman: a Case Study

This case outlines how Oman is continuing to turn around its excessive dependence on expatriate workforce through strategic workforce development planning. [from abstract]

Supply Side: Training to Work at Home

This presentation describes perspectives on the out-migration of health professionals in Africa.

Africa's Health Worker Crisis: an Interview with Dr Peter Ngatia

An interview with health development expert Dr. Peter Ngatia about 'brain drain' and its impact on health in Africa. [from introduction]

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Men's Partnership in Maternal Health (Jordan)

This video resource shows that despite the awareness advancement regarding reproductive health, women in Jordan still bear the burden of their health alone. This is especially true in rural areas; however, despite social criticism, men have decided to stand by their wives. [adapted from synopsis]

Conflict Among Iranian Hospital Nurses: a Qualitative Study

This study explores the experience of conflict as perceived by Iranian hospital nurses in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Although conflict-control approaches have been extensively researched throughout the world, no research-based data are available on the perception of conflict and effective resolutions among hospital nurses in Iran. [adapted from abstract]

Training Evaluation: a Case Study of Training Iranian Health Managers

The Ministry of Health and Medical Education in the Islamic Republic of Iran has undertaken a reform of its health system, in which-lower level managers are given new roles and responsibilities in a decentralized system. To support these efforts, a series of courses for health managers and trainers was developed. A total of seven short training courses were implemented, and a detailed evaluation of the courses was undertaken to guide future development of the training programs. [adapted from abstract]

Need for National Medical Licensing Examination in Saudi Arabia

Medical education in Saudi Arabia is facing multiple challenges, including the rapid increase in the number of medical schools over a short period of time, the influx of foreign medical graduates to work in Saudi Arabia, the award of scholarships to hundreds of students to study medicine in various countries, and the absence of published national guidelines for minimal acceptable competencies of a medical graduate. We are arguing for the need for a Saudi national medical licensing examination that tests the basic science and clinical knowledge and the clinical skills and attitudes.

Medical Laboratory Sciences Graduates: Are They Satisfied at Work?

In this study, the overall job satisfaction of medical laboratory scientist graduates of one Kuwaiti University was examined in relation to the environment and organizational features of their places of employment. [from abstract]

Practices of Rural Egyptian Birth Attendants During the Antenatal, Intrapartum and Early Neonatal Periods

While previous Egyptian studies have identified provider practices contributing to maternal mortality, none has focused on neonatal care. This report details a survey of reported practices of birth attendants. As well, 217 recently-delivered mothers in rural areas of three governorates were interviewed about antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care they received. [from abstract]

Tuberculosis Suspicion and Knowledge Among Private and Public General Practitioners: Questionnaire Based Study in Oman

Early detection of smear positive tuberculosis (TB) cases by smear microscopy requires a high level of suspicion of TB among primary care physicians. The objective of this study is to measure TB suspicion and knowledge among private and public sector general practitioners using clinical vignette-based survey and structured questionnaire. [from abstract]

Review of the Utilization of HEEPF: Competitive Projects for Educational Enhancement in the Egyptian Medical Sector

The aim of this paper is to review the share of the medical sector in the higher education enhancement project fund (HEEPF), its outcomes, sustainability, and to provide recommendations for keeping the momentum of reform pursuit in the future. [from abstract]

Knowledge of Iraqi Primary Health Care Physicians about Breastfeeding

A questionnaire survey was conducted on 50 primary health care physicians in Iraq to assess their knowledge and identify misperceptions about breastfeeding. Basic knowledge about the main processes of breastfeeding was good (when to start feeding, frequency of feeding, relactation, importance of psychological factors), but there were deficiencies in their ability to deal with some practical problems related to breastfeeding. Steps for improving the knowledge and training are addressed. [from abstract]

Rehabilitation Under Fire: Health Care in Iraq 2003-2007

This report describes how the war in Iraq and its aftermath continue to have a disastrous impact on the physical and mental health of the Iraqi people, and the urgent measures needed to improve health and health services. It assesses the current state of the health system, including the impact of insecurity, and the workforce, supplies, medicines and equipment it lacks. It also looks at health information and health policy in Iraq. The report ends with conclusions and recommendations, exploring what needs to happen now in Iraq and what lessons can be learned. [adapted from author]

Trends, Magnitude, and Reasons of Nurse Migration out of Lebanon

This presentation was given at the First Forum on Human Resources for Health in Kampala. It outlines HRH in the eastern Mediterranean region, trends in international nurse migration, and the Lebanese context. [adapted from author]

Linking Family Planning with Postabortion Services in Egypt: Testing the Feasibility, Acceptability and Effectiveness of Two Models of Integration

This research study was undertaken to test the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of two models of integrating family planning services with postabortion services.

Securing Medical Personnel: Case Studies of Two Source Countries and Two Destination Countries

In order to highlight the driving forces determining the international allocation of medical personnel, the cases of four countries (the Philippines and South Africa as source countries, and Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom as destination countries) are examined. The paper concludes that changes in demand generated in major destination countries determine the international allocation of medical personnel at least in the short run. [from abstract]

Knowledge about HIV Infection and Attitude of Nursing Staff Toward Patients With AIDS in Iran

Although adequate knowledge about HIV infection and effective antitransmission measures, such as taking universal precautions in the handling of blood and other body fluids, are important factors in minimizing the risk of HIV transmission in the healthcare setting, little has been reported on the knowledge of nurses with regard to HIV infection and their attitude toward patients with AIDS in Iran. The aim of the present study was to assess these matters. [author’s description]

Effectiveness of a Training Programme for Primary Care Physicians Directed at the Enhancement of their Psychiatric Knowledge in Saudi Arabia

A substantial number of patients with psychiatric disorders consult primary care physicians for comprehensive health care; however, the diagnosis and effective treatment of psychiatric disorders are deficient in primary health care. The aim of this intervention study is to assess the pre- and post-psychiatric training knowledge of primary care physicians. [from abstract]

Strategic Health Workforce Projections

This report covers the work done to complete another phase of the Initiatives Inc. program of work in human resource development (HRD) in the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Jordan. The essence and purpose of this assignment was to conduct a workshop and produce as a result the first strategic projection of staff requirements and supply in the health sector as a whole, with particular emphasis on the public sector, over the period 2004 to 2014. [from introduction]

Graduates of Lebanese Medical Schools in the United States: an Observational Study of the International Migration of Physicians

As healthcare systems around the world are facing increasing physician shortages, more physicians are migrating from low to high income countries. As an illustrative case of international migration of physicians, we evaluated the current number and historical trends of Lebanese medical graduates in the US, and compared their characteristics to those of US medical graduates and other international medical graduates. [abstract]

Human Resources for Health Planning and Management in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Facts, Gaps and Forward Thinking for Research and Policy

The objectives of this paper are to: lay out the facts on what we know about the HRH for EMR countries; generate and interpret evidence on the relationship between HRH and health status indicators for LMICs and middle and high income countries (MHICs) in the context of EMR; identify and analyze the information gaps and provide forward thinking by identifying priorities for research and policy. [abstract]

Training Curriculum in Interpersonal Communication, Referral and Follow-up Process, and Selected Practices in Infection Prevention and Control

This training curriculum is a guide to assist trainers in improving health care by training health professionals in: interpersonal communication in information, education, and counseling; referral and follow up processes; and infection prevention and control practices. Materials in this document are designed for training service providers who work at a variety of health facilities in Iraq. The curriculum can be used to train health professionals including physicians, nurses, midwives and other health workers in group training or, with adaptation, as a basis for individualized or self-directed learning. [author’s description]

Workplace Violence in the Health Sector: Lebanon Country Case Study

This case study evaluates workplace violence in the health sector of Lebanon. Information for the study came from focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and a questionnaire.

Growing Management and Leadership for Health in Aswan, Egypt

This short documentary film chronicles the four year journey, initially funded by USAID’s Office of Population, that the governorate of Aswan, Egypt embarked upon to develop greater leadership within all levels of its health care staff. The video shows an innovative process that develops leaders at all levels, including the front lines of health care, to identify challenges and work in teams to overcome obstacles and achieve service improvements.

Health Information System Development Plan for Egypt: Phase 1 HIS 2000

This report was developed to outline broad strategy, create a common vision for developing a new core health information system, and describe specific technical development tasks in detail. The new information system must be designed from the top down based on information demand. This should focus development on clear data collection and processing priorities, eliminate collection of unused data, and produce an efficient and relevant system.

Findings of the Egyptian Health Care Provider Survey

This report presents results from the Egypt Health Care Providers Surveys, the objectives of which were to: provide a comprehensive picture of all sources of health care services; provide policy relevant data on critical issues for health sector reform; and create a database on health care providers for use by the Ministry of Health and Population in developing policy reform proposals. Five separate surveys were conducted on health care institutions, private clinics, pharmacies, dayas (traditional birth attendants), and other practitioners. The sample of 10,048 providers was developed from a complete enumeration of all health care providers in sampling areas and data from the 1986 national census.

Building Health Management Information Systems in Egypt: the Role of USAID Technical Support in Program Assistance

In Egypt there is increasingly strong political support for health sector reform including a widespread recognition that a working information system is necessary to undertake and monitor this reform. This paper assesses the role of USAID technical support to help build health management information systems in Egypt.