Sub-Saharan Africa

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Africa: Harnessing E-Learning Potentials

This paper explores how e-learning is situated in the drive towards realization of MDGs [Millennium Development Goals] in the African continent.

The Nursing Education Partnership Initiative (NEPI): Innovations in Nursing and Midwifery Education

The Nursing Education Partnership Initiative (NEPI) was established in 2011 by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in response to key capacity-building challenges facing preservice nursing and midwifery education in Sub-Saharan Africa. NEPI has formed partnerships with governments and key stakeholders in Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, and Zambia and supports 19 nursing and midwifery education institutions and 1 nursing council.

Community-Based Education Programs in Africa: Faculty Experience Within the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Network

This paper examines the various models, challenges, and evaluative efforts of community-based education (CBE) programs at Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) schools and makes recommendations to strengthen those programs in the African context. [from abstract]

African Participation and Partnership in Performan-Based Financing: A Case Study in Global Health Policy

Participation is a key policy concept in global health, and relates to the ability of stakeholders to engage with and shape health policy at four intersecting levels: Local, national, regional and global. Such engagement remains the key normative aim behind debates about furthering more equitable health diplomacy and has, as a result, been increasingly integrated into the agenda of global agencies, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and the World Bank. [from executive summary]

Factors that Act as Facilitators and Barriers to Nurse Leaders’ Participation in Health Policy Development

Health policies impact on nursing profession and health care. Nurses’ involvement in health policy development ensures that health care is safe, of a high quality, accessible and affordable. Numerous factors influence nurse leaders’ ability to be politically active in influencing health policy development. These factors can be facilitators or barriers to their participation. There is scant research evidence from Eastern African region that draws
attention to this topic. This paper reports part of the larger study. [from abstract]

An Interventional Model to Develop Health Professionals in West Africa

The health sector is characterized by a human resource base lacking in numbers, specialized skills, and management skills. West African Health Organization (WAHO) recognizes the need within the West Africa sub-region for bilingual professionals who are skilled in public health, management, leadership, and information technology to build human capacity in public health and developed the Young Professionals Internship Program (YPIP). Our study explores the evolution of the programme. [from abstract]

Mobile Health for Non-Communicable Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Strategic Framework for Research

Our rationale for this review is that despite calls for broad implementation of mHealth in [sub-Saharan Africa], no systematic literature review has focused on the use of mHealth for NCDs in the region. [adapted from introduction]

Strategic Human Resources Solutions for Healthcare Systems in Central and Eastern Africa

This article explores the human resources problems along with the health status and services for Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Situational analysis on health status and service delivery is presented via a thorough examination of country specific National Health Sector Strategic Plans. Strategic solutions based on improving the Human Resources for Health are explained and World Health
Organization’s Millennium Development Goals are examined. [from abstract]

Human Resources in Health Research Institutions in Sub-Saharan African Countries: Results of a Questionnaire-Based Survey

To describe human capacity and staff movement in national health research institutions in 42 sub-Saharan African countries. [from abstract]

A Synthesis and Systematic Review of Policies on Training and Deployment of Human Resources for Health in Rural Africa

The primary question guiding the review was: What is known about policies to support training and deployment of nurses, midwives and doctors for maternal-child health care in rural Africa? [from summary]

Addressing the human resources for health crisis through task-shifting and retention: results from the Africa Health Systems Initiative Support to African Research Partnerships program

The task-shifting and retention and recruitment research conducted within the context of the AHSI-RES program has uncovered important areas of focus for refining current human resources for health strategies, and approaches to evaluate whether these are producing the intended results. [from paper]

Accelerating Progress On Maternal Health In Africa: Lessons From Emerging Policy And Institutional Innovations

This paper examines three groups of innovative ideas have been institutionalized in African countries to improve maternal health: policy, institutional and experimental innovations. [adapted from abstract]

Surgical Care in the Developing World-Strategies and Framework for Improvement

The purpose of this study was to identify the various problems with surgical care in the developing world and enumerate identified strategies or propose solutions. We also sought to rank these strategies in order of potential impact. [from abstract]

Physician Tracking in Sub-Saharan Africa: Current Initiatives and Opportunities

The objective of this study is to provide information on the current state of physician tracking systems in the region, highlighting emerging themes and innovative practices. [from abstract]

Analysis of Human Resources for Health Strategies and Policies in 5 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, in Response to GFATM and PEPFAR-funded HIV-activities

A multi-country study was conducted from 2007 to 2011 in 5 countries (Angola, Burundi, Lesotho, Mozambique and South Africa), to assess the impact of GHIs on the health system, using a mixed methods design. This paper focuses on the impact of GFATM and PEPFAR on HRH policies. [from abstract]

Review of Generalist and Specialist Community Health Workers for Delivering Adolescent Health Services in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper reviews the literature on generalist and specialist community health workers (CHWs) to assess their potential for strengthening the delivery of adolescent health services. [from abstract]

Road Map for Scaling Up the Human Resources for Health for Improved Health Service Delivery in the African Region 2012-2015

The purpose of this document is to introduce the road map and highlight the key issues and challenges hindering the achievement of universal coverage of health care and relating to the human resources component of the health system. The document then sets forth a series of actions to be taken to overcome these challenges. [from author]

Factors Affecting Compliance with Clinical Practice Guidelines for Pap Smear Screening among Healthcare Providers in Africa: Systematic Review and Meta-Summary of 2045 Individuals

The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-summary to identify factors affecting compliance among healthcare providers in Africa with clinical practice guidelines for pap screening to reduce cancer incidence and mortality. [adapted from abstract]

Analysis of Human Resources for Health Strategies and Policies in 5 Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa in Response to GFATM and PEPFAR-Funded HIV Activities

Since the need for additional human resources for health (HRH) was not initially considered by Global Health Initiatives, countries implemented short-term HRH strategies to allow antiretroviral scale-up. Such strategies differed from one country to another and slowly evolved to long-term HRH policies. This study examines the processes and content of the resulting HRH policy shifts in 5 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. [adapted from abstract]

Review of Generalist and Specialist Community Health Workers for Delivering Adolescent Health Services in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper reviews the literature on generalist and specialist community health workers to assess their potential for strengthening the delivery of adolescent health services. [from abstract]

Negotiating Markets for Health: An Exploration of Physicians' Engagement in Dual Practice in Three African Capital Cities

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]

Insights from Community Case Management Data in Six Sub-Saharan African Countries

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]

Community Health Workers Providing Government Community Case Management for Child Survival in Sub-Saharan Africa: Who Are They and What Are They Expected to Do?

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

Physician Emigration from Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States: Analysis of the 2011 AMA Physician Masterfile

The objective of this study was to determine current emigration trends of sub-Saharan African physicians found in the physician workforce of the United States. [from abstract]

Infection Prevention and Control: Training Curriculum for Healthcare Workers

Providing education and training to healthcare staff is an important strategy in implementing a tuberculosis infection prevention program. This manual and training curriculum provide information to begin improving infection prevention practices in health facilities and home based care. [adapted from publisher]

Can Action Research Strengthen District Health Management and Improve Health Workforce Performance? A Research Protocol

The purpose of this paper is to disseminate the protocol for a project designed to identify ways of strengthening district management in order to address health workforce inadequacies by improving health workforce performance in sub-Saharan Africa and reflect on the key challenges encountered during the development of this methodology and how they are being overcome. [adapted from abstract]

Annotated Literature Review: African Actors, Global Health Governance and Performance-Based Funding

This review highlights the key strengths and weaknesses associated with performance-based funding (PBF) schemes in their use in low- and middle-income countries. It illustrates the theoretical thinking behind PBF implementation. It also seeks to draw out analysis of the role of African actors in global health diplomacy and decision-making surrounding PBF. [from summary]

Hotline HRH August 2013

This edition of Hotline, an HRH newletter focused on the needs of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in Africa, highlights resources, trainings and workshops, articles of interest and other information for FBO HRH pracitioners.

Hotline HRH July 2013

This edition of Hotline, an HRH newletter focused on the needs of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in Africa, highlights resources, trainings and workshops, articles of interest and other information for FBO HRH pracitioners.

Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction and Retention of Medical Laboratory Professionals in Seven Countries of Sub-Saharan Africa

This article reports on a survey implemented in seven Sub-Saharan African countries developed to assess the factors responsible for job satisfaction and retention as a key component for tailoring specific interventions aiming at improving the overall impact of health programs. [adapted from abstract]