Sub-Saharan Africa

In a context of inadequate human resources for health, this study investigated whether traditional healers have the knowledge and skill base which could be utilized to assist in the scaling up of HIV prevention and treatment services in South Africa. [from abstract]

This study attempts to evaluate if the provider-client experiences, perceptions and client satisfaction with the information provided differs between provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling, which is based on information-giving - and voluntary counselling and testing, which includes individualized client-centered counseling. [adapted from abstract]

This 54 minute video shares a presentation from Uganda’s Dr. Edward Mukooza. Drawing on his first-hand experience of serving as principal of the International Christian Medical Institute and of training and mentoring hundreds of health workers currently working at all levels of Uganda’s health system, Dr. Mukooza addresses the current status of human resources for health in Uganda. [adapted from publisher

This strategy is the result of a task team on nursing education appointed to refine national concerns and recommendations and to develop a plan of action to address both education and practice issues related to the profession. [adapted from author]

This report is the result of research undertaken in South Africa to review community and home-based care, especially in regards to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. The research highlights the important roles played by caregivers in health promotion programs, counselling and testing, client advocacy, stigma mitigation and community mobilization. [adapted from author]

This case study discusses the steps taken to revitalize the Ghana Health Workforce Observatory through the application of fuidelines for forming and sustaining human resources for health (HRH) stakeholder leadership groups. The guidelines are aimed at HRH leaders or practitioners at the country level who see a pressing need for a stakeholder leadership group to address a key HRH problem or set of problems. [adapted from summary]

This article argues that expanding access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa requires implementation of alternative care delivery models to traditional physician-centered approaches. This longitudinal analysis compares outcomes of patients initiated on ART by non-physician and physician providers. [adapted from author]

This study considered dual practice patterns in three African cities and the respective markets for physician services, with the objective of understanding the influence of local determinants on the practice. [from abstract]

This study aimed to explore sources of community health worker motivation to inform programs in Tanzania and similar contexts. [from abstract]

This study analyzed monitoring data from community case management (CCM) programs supported by the International Rescue Committee, covering over 2 million treatments provided from 2004 to 2011 in six countries by 12,181 community health workers to generate evidence on how to implement CCM. [adapted from abstract]

As part of an assessment of quality of community case management services in Malawi, this report examines the bias associated with measuring community health worker performance by using register review, case scenarios, and direct observation only methods compared with direct observation with re-examination by a higher-level clinician, and discusses the relative strengths and weaknesses of the four assessment methods in the Malawi context. [adapted from author]

This article describes community health workers in government community case management programs for child survival across sub-Saharan Africa. [from abstract]

Community case management (CCM) is a promising task-shifting strategy for expanding treatment of childhood illness that is increasingly adopted by low-income countries. This study uses qualitative methods to explore health workers’ and managers’ perceptions about CCM provided by health surveillance assistants during the program’s first year in Malawi. [adapted from abstract]

This paper documents progress in the scale up of a program to train an existing cadre of community based health workers, known as health surveillance assistants, to provide integrated community case management of childhood illness between 2008 and 2011. It describes some critical challenges that affect the effectiveness and sustainability of the program, and proposes solutions. [adapted from introduction]

This article assessed how a program for integrated community case management (iCCM) for children under 5 years addresses newborn care in three mid-western districts through document reviews, structured interviews, and focus group discussions with village health team members trained in iCCM, caregivers, and other stakeholders. [adapted from abstract]

This study compared effectiveness and use of community medicine distributors and drug use under integrated community case management and home-based management strategies in children 6–59 months of age in eastern Uganda. [adapted from abstract]

This study assessed the potential differences between urban and rural areas in the implementation of community case management is implemented for malaria and pneumonia and how community health workers are being used alongside other partners in health care provision. [adapted from introduction]

The main objective of this study was to estimate the risk of HIV transmission and examine the practices for preventing occupational exposures among health care workers at Tumbi and Dodoma Hospitals in Tanzania. [from abstract]

This paper uses focus group methodology to explore health worker perspectives on the challenges posed to integration of mental health into primary care by generic health system weakness. [from abstract]

This paper focuses on maternal “no one present” (NOP) deliveries and aims at using empirical data to describe patterns, levels, and correlates of deliveries with NOP in Nigeria. Findings from this study are expected to contribute to policy and program strategy to better address the delivery needs of women in the community. [adapted from author]

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of AFB microscopy refresher training on the performance of tuberculosis laboratory professionals in Ethiopia. [adapted from author]

The authors explore the different contexts of violence against polio vaccination workers and make policy proposals on how to respond to attacks on vaccination workers and to other factors that are impeding the final push for polio eradication. [adapted from author]

This study examined the coping mechanisms of health workers in the public health sector of Nasarawa and Ondo states in Nigeria to supplement their salaries and benefits; it also estimated the proportionate value of the revenues from those coping mechanisms in relation to the health workers’ official incomes. [from abstract]

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of a national child survival quality improvement project, on key maternal and child health outcomes. [adapted from abstract]

This study assessed the effectiveness, safety, and feasibility of prevention of postpartum hemorrhage using oxytocin injected by peripheral health care providers without midwifery skills at home births. [adapted from abstract]

In this short video, Ugandan health workers, managers, and leaders show how the country’s efforts to strengthen its health workforce and increase access to quality care are paying off—and how service delivery has improved. [adapted from publisher]

This paper presents the standard evaluation results of facilitative supervisory visits, which form an integral part of a new system of management for Ghana’s community-based health planning services. [adapted from abstract]

This directive outlines the systematic organization of the fragmented continuing professional development (CPD) activities of health professionals in Ethiopia and describes the CPD requirements and roles for health workers and the government offices responsible for standardizing and accrediting CPD and health worker licensing. [adapted from author]

With the ultimate aim of improving the health status of Ethiopians through the delivery of quality health services by competent health professionals, this guideline helps to establish a CPD system in the country through outlining the process of accreditation of CPD courses and CPD providers and linking CPD with re-licensure. [from author]

Improving malaria case management is partially dependent on health worker compliance with clinical guidelines. This study assessed health worker factors associated with correct anti-malarial prescribing practices at two sites in rural Tanzania. [from abstract]