The goal of this policy is to help management and staff minimize the risk of TB transmission in health care facilities and other facilities where the risk of transmission of TB may be high due to high prevalence of both diagnosed and undiagnosed TB such as prisons.
Equitable health services
South Africa: The National Infection Prevention and Control Policy for TB, MDRTB and XDRTB
Department of Health, 2007
Africa faces cancer ‘catastrophy’
Thom A: Health-e, 26 October 2007
Experts warn of impending crisis in health systems geared towards epidemics not chronic diseases such as cancer. Unless urgent attention is paid to decreasing the burden of cancer, there are going to be catastrophic results especially in Africa and parts of Asia, experts warned at a gathering in Cape Town in October 2007. Thirty countries in Africa and Asia had no access whatsoever to radiotherapy.
Better breast cancer services urgently needed
Health-e, 31 October 2007
At the close of breast cancer awareness month, cancer organisations say proper testing and treatment services for breat cancer are completely inadequate. Breast cancer organisations are concerned that early detection and treatment services are severely lacking in South Africa where over 3 000 women die from this disease annually. The Breast Cancer Advocacy Coalition have sent a memorandum to the South African health department asking it to improve services. The coalition calls for a comprehensive breast health service that is equitable, available, affordable and accessible to all women in South Africa.
Governments fail to invest adequately in basic health systems, declares WHO Director General
Global Forum for Health Research, 29 October 2007
The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Margaret Chan,
on Monday pointed to the failure of governments around the world to invest adequately in basic health systems that make a life-and-death difference to millions of people.
Public Health Crisis in South Africa is more than just TB and HIV
Pienaar D: Critical Health Perspectives, 3, 2007
South Africa's public health crisis is deep-rooted in systemic problems. Progress will require far-sighted, sustainable solutions. This requires a massive change in national consciousness. The authors suggest that one of the better measures of the state of a nation is its burden of disease. Health statistics are never just reflections of physical health alone. Instead, they also reflect, often quite precisely, issues like regional poverty, national inequity, unsound governmental policies, the fair distribution of resources, the quality of our leadership and the state of health services, amongst other things.
Traditional health practitioner and the scientist: bridging the gap in contemporary health research in Tanzania
Mbwambo ZH, Mahunnah RLH, Kayombo EJ: Tanzania Health Research Bulletin 9(2): 115-120, 2007
Traditional health practitioners (THPs) and their role in traditional medicine health care system are worldwide acknowledged. Trend in the use of Traditional medicine (TRM) and Alternative or Complementary medicine (CAM) is increasing due to epidemics like HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases like cancer. Despite the wide use of TRM, genuine concern from the public and scientists/biomedical heath practitioners (BHP) on efficacy, safety and quality of TRM has been raised. While appreciating and promoting the use of TRM, the World Health Organization (WHO), and WHO/Afro, in response to the registered challenges has worked modalities to be adopted by Member States as a way to addressing these concerns. Gradually, through the WHO strategy, TRM policy and legal framework has been adopted in most of the Member States in order to accommodate sustainable collaboration between THPs and the scientist/BHP. Research protocols on how to evaluate traditional medicines for safety and efficacy for priority diseases in Africa have been formulated. Creation of close working relationship between practitioners of both health care systems is strongly recommended so as to revamp trust among each other and help to access information and knowledge from both sides through appropriate modalities. In Tanzania, gaps that exist between THPs and scientists/BHP in health research have been addressed through recognition of THPs among stakeholders in the country's health sector as stipulated in the National Health Policy, the Policy and Act of TRM and CAM. Parallel to that, several research institutions in TRM collaborating with THPs are operating. Various programmed research projects in TRM that has involved THPs and other stakeholders are ongoing, aiming at complementing the two health care systems. This paper discusses global, regional and national perspectives of TRM development and efforts that have so far been directed towards bridging the gap between THPs and scientist/BHP in contemporary health research in Tanzania.
Mental illness sufferers shunned and isolated
Integrated Regional Information Network, 7 September 2007
Rising rates of mental and emotional illness in Zambia are being met with growing levels of stigma and discrimination, with sufferers often isolated by their communities. Nora Mweemba, a health information promotion officer for the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Zambia, told IRIN, "Mental health problems are on the increase among the population in Zambia, mostly because of the socio-economic difficulties that exist in this country - HIV/AIDS, poverty, joblessness - they all precipitate mental problems."
Mental illness and exclusion: Putting mental health on the development agenda in Uganda
Ssanyu R: Chronic Poverty Research Centre, UK, 2007
This policy brief by the Chronic Poverty Research Centre, examines the link between mental health and chronic poverty in Uganda. It outlines challenges to implementing effective services for people affected by mental disorders and actions that are needed to promote mental health in the country. The paper shows that mental health and chronic poverty are linked in a vicious cycle of exclusion, poor access to services, low productivity, diminished livelihoods and assets depletion. People with mental disorders in Uganda also experience some of the worst forms of stigma and discrimination linked to lack of awareness, misinformation and stereotyping about their condition.
Progress towards the child mortality millennium development goal in urban sub-Saharan Africa: the dynamics of population growth, immunization, and access to clean water
Fotso JC, Ezeh AC, Madise NJ, Ciera J: BMC Public Health, 2007
This paper, published in BMC Public Health, highlights the effects of urban population growth and access to health and social services on progress in achieving Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 – to reduce child mortality by two thirds by 2015. The paper examines trends in childhood mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in relation to urban population growth, vaccination coverage and access to safe drinking water.
We want birth control: reproductive health findings in Northern Uganda
Krause S: Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children, 2007
What does the reproductive health (RH) situation among the conflict-affected populations of northern Uganda look like? The Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children and the United Nations Population Fund assessed this question in February 2007 and visited the districts of Kitgum and Pader and also a youth center and clinic in Gulu.