Sub-Saharan Africa

This analysis seeks to quantify differences in the quality of family planning (FP) services at public and private providers in three representative sub-Saharan African countries (Tanzania, Kenya and Ghana), to assess how these quality differentials impact upon FP clients’ satisfaction, and to suggest how quality improvements can improve contraceptive continuation rates.

This report describes the development of a guideline and training program (PALM PLUS) designed to integrate HIV/AIDS care with other primary care in Malawi. [from abstract]

This study details the perceived benefits, problems, and risks of abuse of per diems and allowances in developing countries. Drawing on 41 interviews with government and nongovernmental officials in Malawi and Uganda the report highlights how practices to maximize per diems have become a defining characteristic of many public institutions and influence how employees carry out their work. As per diems have become de facto top ups of salaries, more fundamental reform of health worker incentives and payment is also needed. [from abstract]

This document outlines the Ministry’s policies regarding the role NGOs play in national health policy and health services, outlines strengths and weaknesses of NGO programs and outlines government standards for integrating and evaluating NGO services. [adapted from author]

This article explores community health worker (CHW) programs and describes their potential use in low- and middle-income countries. It uses South Africa as an example of how CHWs could improve access to breast health care because of its middle-income status, existing cancer centers, and history of CHW programs. [adapated from abstract]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect on perinatal mortality of training birth attendants in a rural area of the Democratic Republic of Congo using two established programs. [from abstract]

This study assessed whether text-message reminders sent to health workers’ mobile phones could improve and maintain their adherence to treatment guidelines for outpatient paediatric malaria in Kenya. [from summary]

This paper assesses the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on willingness to accept postings to deprived areas among medical students in Ghana. [from abstract]

This paper illustrates the process, successes, ongoing challenges and current strategies Liberia has used to increase and improve HRH since the end of a 14-year cival war, particularly the nursing workforce. [adapted from abstract]

This article reexamines a set of study findings that directly relate to the influence of gender on workplace violence, synthesizes these findings with other research from Rwanda, and examines the subsequent impact of the study on Rwanda’s policy environment. [from abstract]

This article and the accompanying video tell the story of a community health worker, Almaz Doiso, in Ethiopia who is responsible for the health needs of more than 500 families in one of the most remote regions of the world - South Omo Ethiopia. [adapted from author]

Task shifting and the integration of HIV care into primary care services have been identified as possible strategies for improving access to antiretroviral treatment. This paper describes the development and content of an intervention involving these two strategies. [from abstract]

There is increasing global emphasis on mentorship of young scientists in order to train and develop the next leaders in global health. However, mentoring efforts are challenged by the high clinical, research and administrative demands. This study evaluated the status and nature of mentoring practices at Makerere College of Health Sciences. [from abstract]

In 2008 the Capacity Project partnered with the Lesotho Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in a study of the gender dynamics of HIV/AIDS caregiving in three districts of Lesotho to account for men’s absence in HIV/AIDS caregiving and investigate ways in which they might be recruited into the community and home-based care workforce. [from abstract]

This article outlines a prospective evaluation of the effectiveness of using community health workers as delivery points for ACT and RDTs in the home management of malaria in two districts in Zambia. [from abstract]

Devolution, as other types of decentralization (e.g. deconcentration, delegation, privatization), profoundly changes governance relations in the health system. This article assesses the key advantages and dilemmas associated with devolution such as responsiveness to local needs, downward accountability and health worker retention. Challenges of politics and capacities are also addressed in relation to human resources for health at the local level. [from abstract]

This pilot-test evaluation looked at feasibility as well as acceptability of structured on the job training as an intervention to improve the performance of providers. [from author]

In Malawi, Doctors without Borders is working with the local health system to shift responsibilities from doctors to nurses and lay workers in order to reduce pressure on qualified health staff. This video, part of a 5-clip series, demonstrates tools and models that could help make improved treatment accessible to many more. [from publisher]

This study in western Kenya aimed to evaluate the impact of providing subsidized artemether–lumefantrine, an antimalarial treatment, for febrile children aged 3–59 months through retail providers. [adapted from abstract]

This study aimed at establishing delivery practices among selected mothers seeking child welfare services at selected health facilities in Nyandarua South district, Kenya, to determine the proportions of deliveries attended by skilled birth attendants as well the factors influencing the mothers’ choices. [from introduction]

This qualitative study was undertaken to understand how practicing doctors and medical leaders in Ghana describe the key factors reducing recruitment and retention of health professionals into remote areas, and to document their proposed policy solutions. [from abstract]

This study evaluates outcomes of a dedicated health care worker HIV clinic in Malawi against the perceptions, levels of awareness and barriers for uptake to care for health care workers attending the general HIV clinic. [from abstract]

The aims of the study were to examine the prevalence and degree of burnout reported by healthcare workers who provide antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal services in a district referral hospital in Malawi; and, to explore factors that may influence the level of burnout healthcare workers experience. [from abstract]

The authors conducted a cluster randomized trial to assess the effect of community-based peer health workers on AIDS care of adults in Rakai, Uganda. [from abstract]

This paper examines the case of South Africa, where there has been rapid growth of a range of lay workers (home-based carers, lay counselor, DOT supporters etc.) principally in response to an expansion in budgets and programmes for HIV, most recently the rollout of antiretroviral therapy. [from author]

This report presents the findings and key messages of rapid situation analysis in Cote d’Ivoire of the human resources for health implications for scaling up to universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support. [from summary]

This report presents the findings and key messages of rapid situation analysis in Ethiopia of the human resources for health implications for scaling up to universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support. [from summary]

This report presents the findings and key messages of rapid situation analysis in Mozambique of the human resources for health implications for scaling up to universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support. [from summary]

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of these adherence support workers in adherence counseling, treatment retention for people on antiretroviral therapy and addressing inadequate human resources at health facilities. [from abstract]

This chapter describes Zimbabwe’s experiences in developing national prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in-service and preservice training materials for facility and community-based health workers. It also discusses the specific challenges associated with training materials development in the context of the Zimbabwean national health system. [from author]