1
|
Elnosserry S, Buliva E, Abdalla Elkholy A, Mahboob A, Fazaludeen Koya S, Abubakar A. Rapid response teams in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Results from the baseline survey of country-level capacities, operations and outbreak response capabilities. Glob Public Health 2024; 19:2341404. [PMID: 38628111 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2024.2341404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to assess WHO/Eastern Mediterranean region (WHO/EMR) countries capacities, operations and outbreak response capabilities. Cross-sectional study was conducted targeting 22 WHO/EMR countries from May to June 2021. The survey covers 8 domains related to 15 milstones and key performance indicators (KPIs) for RRT. Responses were received from 14 countries. RRTs are adequately organised in 9 countries (64.3%). The mean retention rate of RRT members was 85.5% ± 22.6. Eight countries (57.1%) reported having standard operating procedures, but only three countries (21.4%) reported an established mechanism of operational fund allocation. In the last 6 months, 10,462 (81.9%) alerts were verified during the first 24 h. Outbreak response was completed by the submission of final RRT response reports in 75% of analysed outbreaks. Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) activities were part of the interventional response in 59.5% of recent outbreaks. Four countries (28.6%) reported an adequate system to assess RRTs operations. The baseline data highlights four areas to focus on: developing and maintaining the multidisciplinary nature of RRTs through training, adequate financing and timely release of funds, capacity and system building for implementing interventions, for instance, RCCE, and establishing national monitoring and evaluation systems for outbreak response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sherein Elnosserry
- World Health Organization Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Evans Buliva
- World Health Organization Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Amira Mahboob
- World Health Organization Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Abdinasir Abubakar
- World Health Organization Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Cairo, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Baličević SA, Elimian KO, King C, Diaconu K, Akande OW, Ihekweazu V, Trolle H, Gaudenzi G, Forsberg B, Alfven T. Influences of community engagement and health system strengthening for cholera control in cholera reporting countries. BMJ Glob Health 2023; 8:e013788. [PMID: 38084475 PMCID: PMC10711916 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-013788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The 2030 Global Task Force on Cholera Control Roadmap hinges on strengthening the implementation of multistranded cholera interventions, including community engagement and health system strengthening. However, a composite picture of specific facilitators and barriers for these interventions and any overlapping factors existing between the two, is lacking. Therefore, this study aims to address this shortcoming, focusing on cholera-reporting countries, which are disproportionately affected by cholera and may be cholera endemic. A scoping methodology was chosen to allow for iterative mapping, synthesis of the available research and to pinpoint research activity for global and local cholera policy-makers and shareholders. Using the Arksey and O'Malley framework for scoping reviews, we searched PubMed, Web of Science and CINAHL. Inclusion criteria included publication in English between 1990 and 2021 and cholera as the primary document focus in an epidemic or endemic setting. Data charting was completed through narrative descriptive and thematic analysis. Forty-four documents were included, with half relating to sub-Saharan African countries, 68% (30/44) to cholera endemic settings and 21% (9/44) to insecure settings. We identified four themes of facilitators and barriers to health systems strengthening: health system cooperation and agreement with external actors; maintaining functional capacity in the face of change; good governance, focused political will and sociopolitical influences on the cholera response and insecurity and targeted destruction. Community engagement had two themes: trust building in the health system and growing social cohesion. Insecurity and the community; cooperation and agreement; and sociopolitical influences on trust building were themes of factors acting at the interface between community engagement and health system. Given the decisive role of the community-health system interface for both sustained health system strengthening and community engagement, there is a need to advocate for conflict resolution, trust building and good governance for long-term cholera prevention and control in cholera reporting countries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kelly Osezele Elimian
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Exhale Health Foundation, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Carina King
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karin Diaconu
- Institute of Global Health, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Oluwatosin Wuraola Akande
- Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | | | - Hanna Trolle
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Giulia Gaudenzi
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Protein Science, SciLifeLab, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Birger Forsberg
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tobias Alfven
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Sachs' Children and Youth Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Elimian K, King C, Dewa O, Pembi E, Gandi B, Yennan S, Myles P, Pritchard C, Forsberg BC, Alfvén T. Healthcare workers knowledge of cholera multi-stranded interventions and its determining factors in North-East Nigeria: planning and policy implications. HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH 2023; 21:6. [PMID: 36726147 PMCID: PMC9891191 DOI: 10.1186/s12960-023-00796-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Healthcare workers' (HCWs) knowledge of multi-stranded cholera interventions (including case management, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), surveillance/laboratory methods, coordination, and vaccination) is crucial to the implementation of these interventions in healthcare facilities, especially in conflict-affected settings where cholera burden is particularly high. We aimed to assess Nigerian HCWs' knowledge of cholera interventions and identify the associated factors. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire with HCWs from 120 healthcare facilities in Adamawa and Bauchi States, North-East Nigeria. A knowledge score was created by assigning a point for each correct response. HCWs' knowledge of cholera interventions, calculated as a score, was recoded for ease of interpretation as follows: 0-50 (low); 51-70 (moderate); ≥ 71 (high). Additionally, we defined the inadequacy of HCWs' knowledge of cholera interventions based on a policy-relevant threshold of equal or lesser than 75 scores for an intervention. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with the adequacy of knowledge score. RESULTS Overall, 490 HCWs participated in the study (254 in Adamawa and 236 in Bauchi), with a mean age of 35.5 years. HCWs' knowledge score was high for surveillance/laboratory methods, moderate for case management, WASH, and vaccination, and low for coordination. HCWs' knowledge of coordination improved with higher cadre, working in urban- or peri-urban-based healthcare facilities, and secondary education; cholera case management and vaccination knowledge improved with post-secondary education, working in Bauchi State and urban areas, previous training in cholera case management and response to a cholera outbreak-working in peri-urban areas had a negative effect. HCWs' knowledge of surveillance/laboratory methods improved with a higher cadre, 1-year duration in current position, secondary or post-secondary education, previous training in cholera case management and response to a cholera outbreak. However, HCWs' current position had both positive and negative impacts on their WASH knowledge. CONCLUSIONS HCWs in both study locations recorded a considerable knowledge of multi-stranded cholera interventions. While HCWs' demographic characteristics appeared irrelevant in determining their knowledge of cholera interventions, geographic location and experiences from the current position, training and involvement in cholera outbreak response played a significant role.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Elimian
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Exhale Health Foundation, Abuja, Nigeria.
| | - Carina King
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ozius Dewa
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Emmanuel Pembi
- Adamawa State Ministry of Health, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria
| | - Benjamin Gandi
- Bauchi State Ministry of Health, Yola, Bauchi State, Nigeria
| | | | - Puja Myles
- Clinical Practice Research Datalink, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, London, UK
| | | | | | - Tobias Alfvén
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Sachs' Children and Youth Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Debie A, Khatri RB, Assefa Y. Successes and challenges of health systems governance towards universal health coverage and global health security: a narrative review and synthesis of the literature. Health Res Policy Syst 2022; 20:50. [PMID: 35501898 PMCID: PMC9059443 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-022-00858-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The shift in the global burden of disease from communicable to noncommunicable was a factor in mobilizing support for a broader post-Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) health agenda. To curb these and other global health problems, 193 Member States of the United Nations (UN) became signatories of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and committed to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030. In the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the importance of health systems governance (HSG) is felt now more than ever for addressing the pandemic and continuing to provide essential health services. However, little is known about the successes and challenges of HSG with respect to UHC and health security. This study, therefore, aims to synthesize the evidence and identify successes and challenges of HSG towards UHC and health security. Methods We conducted a structured narrative review of studies published through 28 July 2021. We searched the existing literature using three databases: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Search terms included three themes: HSG, UHC and health security. We synthesized the findings using the five core functions of HSG: policy formulation and strategic plans; intelligence; regulation; collaboration and coalition; and accountability. Results A total of 58 articles were included in the final review. We identified that context-specific health policy and health financing modalities helped to speed up the progress towards UHC and health security. Robust health intelligence, intersectoral collaboration and coalition were also essential to combat the pandemic and ensure the delivery of essential health services. On the contrary, execution of a one-size-fits-all HSG approach, lack of healthcare funding, corruption, inadequate health workforce, and weak regulatory and health government policies were major challenges to achieving UHC and health security. Conclusions Countries, individually and collectively, need strong HSG to speed up the progress towards UHC and health security. Decentralization of health services to grass root levels, support of stakeholders, fair contribution and distribution of resources are essential to support the implementation of programmes towards UHC and health security. It is also vital to ensure independent regulatory accreditation of organizations in the health system and to integrate quality- and equity-related health service indicators into the national social protection monitoring and evaluation system; these will speed up the progress towards UHC and health security. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12961-022-00858-7.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ayal Debie
- Department of Health Systems and Policy, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
| | - Resham B Khatri
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Yibeltal Assefa
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Firew T, Gebreyesus A, Woldeyohannes L, Ebrahim F, Patel S. Human resources for emergency care systems in Ethiopia: Challenges and triumphs. Afr J Emerg Med 2020; 10:S50-S55. [PMID: 33318902 PMCID: PMC7723913 DOI: 10.1016/j.afjem.2020.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Emergency care is in its nascency in most of the world and emergency health systems are developing throughout Africa, including Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a LMIC African nation that has committed to strengthening emergency care systems. A historical perspective provides the background of Ethiopian emergency care with the development of an emergency care taskforce to the first residency program and subsequent development of the Emergency and Critical Care Directorate. The goals of the directorate are discussed as well as their role in the development of the national integrated emergency medicine curriculum. Concurrently the development of multiple residencies as well as a nursing emergency and critical care training increased the human resources for emergency medicine. Recently, the WHO and Ministry of Health-Ethiopia have been working together to roll out an integrated emergency care system development agenda throughout the country bolstered by the recent passing of a world health assembly resolution to strengthen emergency care co-led by Ethiopia. With all the successes of Ethiopia in increasing human resources there have been both triumphs and challenges. The development of human resources for emergency care systems in Ethiopia provides insights and lessons learned to other nations on a similar pathway of strengthening emergency care systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tsion Firew
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Columbia University, New York, USA
- Ministry of Health - Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Alegnta Gebreyesus
- Ministry of Health - Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Department of Emergency Medicine and Critical Care, Addis Ababa, Ministry of Health - Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | | | - Shama Patel
- Ministry of Health-Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
- Corresponding author.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Baltazar CS, Rossetto EV. Mozambique Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program as responders workforce during Idai and Kenneth cyclones: a commentary. Pan Afr Med J 2020; 36:264. [PMID: 33088393 PMCID: PMC7545978 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2020.36.264.21087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to rapidly and effectively respond to public health emergencies, including outbreak investigations and natural disasters, is critical in a strengthened health system. In March and April 2019, the impact of tropical cyclones Idai and Kenneth in Southern Africa and subsequent flooding resulted in devastating consequences to the Mozambique health care system. In this article, we highlight the role of Mozambique's Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP) graduates as first responders during one of the most significant natural disasters on the African continent. The FELTP graduates played a key role in conducting risk assessments, active epidemiological surveillance for priority communicable diseases, and outbreak investigations and supporting the laboratory diagnosis system. The cyclone emergencies in Mozambique revealed the vulnerability of the health system. It is vital to continue the investment in increasing epidemiological capacity of health human resources, staff to adequately prepare for and respond to public health emergencies to mitigate the negative health impacts associated with those events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Erika Valeska Rossetto
- MassGenics, Assigned to Mozambique Centers for Disease Control Prevention, Maputo, Mozambique
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Suthar AB, Allen LG, Cifuentes S, Dye C, Nagata JM. Lessons learnt from implementation of the International Health Regulations: a systematic review. Bull World Health Organ 2017; 96:110-121E. [PMID: 29403114 PMCID: PMC5791773 DOI: 10.2471/blt.16.189100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To respond to the World Health Assembly call for dissemination of lessons learnt from countries that have begun implementing the International Health Regulations, 2005 revision; IHR (2005). Methods In November 2015, we conducted a systematic search of the following online databases and sources: PubMed®, Embase®, Global Health, Scopus, World Health Organization (WHO) Global Index Medicus, WHO Bulletin on IHR Implementation and the International Society for Disease Surveillance. We included identified studies and reports summarizing national experience in implementing any of the IHR (2005) core capacities or their components. We excluded studies that were theoretical or referred to IHR (1969). Qualitative systematic review methodology, including meta-ethnography, was used for qualitative synthesis. Findings We analysed 51 articles from 77 countries representing all WHO Regions. The meta-syntheses identified a total of 44 lessons learnt across the eight core capacities of IHR (2005). Major themes included the need to mobilize and sustain political commitment; to adapt global requirements based on local sociocultural, epidemiological, health system and economic contexts; and to conduct baseline and follow-up assessments to monitor the status of IHR (2005) implementation. Conclusion Although experiences of IHR (2005) implementation covered a wide global range, more documentation from Africa and Eastern Europe is needed. We did not find specific areas of weakness in monitoring IHR (2005); sustained monitoring of all core capacities is required to ensure effective systems. These lessons learnt could be adapted by countries in the process of meeting IHR (2005) requirements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amitabh B Suthar
- South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa
| | - Lisa G Allen
- TMF Health Quality Institute, Austin, United States of America (USA)
| | - Sara Cifuentes
- Center for Public Health Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Christopher Dye
- Department of Strategy, Policy and Information, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jason M Nagata
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
|