Abantu, South Africa, celebrates black intellectual labour and reading cultures. Abantu inter-connects reading and activist work. The third edition of the Abantu Book Festival took place in Soweto in December 2018 adds to a growing collection of images, videos, blog posts, Facebook (Abantu Book Festival) and Twitter updates (@abantu) of a vibrant black literary culture with long histories.
Useful Resources
Abantu Book Festival as an archive of the future
Coetzee C: Africa is a Country, 2019
STAR: supporting authors in emerging regions to access journals for free
Taylor and Francis, 2019
Special Terms for Authors and Researchers (STAR) is a Taylor and Francis initiative developed to provide authors and researchers in emerging regions with free access to articles from their leading international and regional journals across subject areas. Those in eligible countries can register for one voucher, per person, per year. Free access will expire after the fiftieth article or twelve months after registration. It is possible to request more accesses after the fiftieth article
e-Learning Course on Health Financing Policy for universal health coverage (UHC)
Osseiran N: World Health Organisation, Geneva, Switzerland, 2019
The first e-learning course on health financing policy for universal health coverage has now been launched. This e-learning course comprises six modules which cover the core functions of health financing policy. Each module is divided into a number of sub-topics. This is a foundational course which targets participants of various levels of experience and expertise. The course is designed to be used in a variety of ways: as preparation for those who will attend a WHO face-to-face course, for those who are for various reasons unable to attend a face-to-face course, and for those who have already attended courses and wish to refresh their knowledge. Individual modules can also be used as part of a programme of blended capacity building. Module 1 provides an overview. Module 2 addresses revenue raising and policy objectives. Module 3 looks to pooling and policy objectives, while module 4 and 5 address purchasing and benefit package design.
Scholarship updates for African students and researchers
Strohm R, February 2019
This resource provides a list of scholarships for African students, and research funding for African academics. There are three lists of scholarships and grants for African academics: one for MA and PhD study in Anglophone countries, one for Francophone countries, and one for post-doctoral and research funding. In addition, there are resources for research and travel grants for African professors.
Housing impacts health: New WHO Guidelines on Housing and Health
World Health Organisation: WHO, Geneva, 2018
The quality of housing has major implications for people’s health. Poor housing is associated with a wide range of health conditions such as respiratory diseases including asthma, cardiovascular diseases, injuries, mental health and infectious diseases including tuberculosis, influenza and diarrhoea. Housing is becoming increasingly important to public health due to demographic and climate changes, according to the latest WHO Housing and health guidelines re¬leased today. The guidelines provide new evidence-based recommendations on how to reduce major health risks associated with poor housing conditions in 4 areas: Inadequate living space (crowding); low and high indoor temperatures; injury hazards in the home; and accessibility of housing for people with functional impairments.
Free online course: Global Health and Disability: Leaving no one behind
International Centre for Evidence in Disability: UK, 2018
Around 15% of the world’s population, or 1 billion people, live with some form of disability, with numbers continuing to rise over the coming decades. People with disabilities are often overlooked in national and international development, and can face widespread barriers in accessing services, including health and rehabilitation services, even though simple initiatives are available to enable access. This three week course aims to raise awareness about the importance of health and well-being of people with disabilities in the context of the global development agenda: Leaving no one behind.
CATCH
Rees-Roberts D; Cooke P: 2016
CATCH is a fictional short film about a father and daughter quarantined in their home in a post-antibiotic world. CATCH is set in a near future world where antibiotic resistance has made antibiotics useless. Although that is a real potential future, the producers argue that it is possible to work now to stop that future from happening. There are lots of simple things people can all do to try to avoid the post-antibiotic future portrayed in CATCH: Always wash hands when handling and preparing food to avoid cross-contamination, especially between raw and ready-prepared food. Never pressure a doctor for antibiotics, as antibiotics can only treat bacterial infections. Never take unprescribed antibiotics. Always finish a prescribed course of antibiotics. Never stop taking antibiotics before the course is finished as prescribed - even if one starts feel better, see it through to the end. Raise awareness about the issue of antibiotic resistance, and what communities can do to combat it. Talk to friends, family, colleagues, and local politicians!
Toolkit for International Universal Health Coverage Day
UHC2030 & 12.12 Coordination Group: December 2018
Universal health coverage (UHC) ensures all people, everywhere, can access the quality health services they need without suffering financial hardship. World leaders have agreed: every person—no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they have—should be able to access quality health services without suffering financial hardship. To achieve this vision of universal health coverage by 2030, there is a need for collective action now to build strong, equitable health systems in every country. The UHC2030 & 12.12 Coordination Group have built a toolkit to use to promote these goals. It provides actions for policy makers, civil society and individuals, resources to share in communities around the world and key messages to share on social media.
Mental Health Atlas 2017
World Health Organisation: WHO, Geneva, 2018
WHO's Mental Health Atlas 2017 reveals that although some countries have made progress in mental health policy-making and planning, there is a global shortage of health workers trained in mental health and a lack of investment in community-based mental health -based mental health facilities. The inclusion of mental health in the Sustainable Development Agenda, which was adopted at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015, is likely to have a positive impact on communities and countries where millions of people will receive much needed help. Data included in Mental Health Atlas 2017 demonstrates that progressive development is being made in relation to mental health policies, laws, programmes and services across WHO Member States. However extensive efforts, commitment and resources at global and country level are needed to meet the global targets.
Country progress in the implementation of the global action plan on antimicrobial resistance: WHO, FAO and OIE global tripartite database
World Health Organisation: WHO Geneva, 2018
The World Health Organisation hosts this global open-access tripartite antimicrobial resistance database that provides access to information on the status of countries’ regarding the implementation of the global action plan and actions to address antimicrobial resistance across all sectors. Country responses are visualized through maps and can be sorted by regions and by income groups. Information captured in this database is a result of a country self-assessment questionnaire reporting on progress in: developing national antimicrobial resistance action plans; working with multiple sectors; and implementing key actions to address antimicrobial resistance. The database currently contains data for the reporting year 2016-17 and 2017-18.