Documents & Reports

Health Sector Policy: Republic of Rwanda

Rwanda’s Health Sector Policy translates the Government’s overall vision of development in the health sector, as set out in Vision 2020 and the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS II 2013-2018). Since the adoption of the previous Health Sector Policy in 2005, much has changed in terms of national socio-economic development and more specifically in the health sector.

The Invisible Economy and Gender Inequalities: The Importance of Measuring and Valuing Unpaid Work

Unpaid health and child care provided in the household, along with other activities that contribute to the physical, cognitive, and emotional development of members of a household, have a major impact on individual and public well-being, as well as on the human development potential of the countries. These economic activities, performed largely by women, take place outside the market and are therefore invisible in the economic statistics and national accounts systems of most countries. [from abstract]

External evaluation of the Amref Health Africa Project on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights for the Young People (Tuitetee – Lets Fight For It), 2010- 2015

This end-of-project evaluation of the Swedish support to the Amref Health Africa Project on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights for the Young People (Tuitetee–LetsFight For It), 2010-2015 was commissioned by the Embassy of Sweden in Tanzania, through Sida’s framework agreement for reviews and evaluations. [from preface]

Health Supply Chain Case Studies: Initial Results

This report includes the first two of these case studies for Imperial Health Sciences and Central Medical Supplies Public Corporation
(Sudan). PtD intends to continue developing case studies to offer the broader community examples of human capital management that they can adopt to improve supply chain execution. [from introduction]

The Role of Social Service Workforce Development in Care Reforms

This working paper explores the topic of social service workforce strengthening as it relates to child care reform. It is intended to be a useful resource for reform efforts and a practical and accessible overview for use by policy-makers, practitioners, and service providers in contexts that are either considering the implications of care reforms for their social service workforce or are already engaged in the process. The paper illustrates key issues by drawing on the experiences of Indonesia, Moldova, and Rwanda, three countries in the process of reform. [from

Strategic Planning for Health: A Case Study from Turkey

This report explores the role of strategic planning in Turkey’s successful transformation of its health sector since 2002. It analyses the evolution of strategic planning for health from an informal tool to an official and highly structured process that closely follows the steps identified in accepted models of strategic planning. [from abstract]

ASH mHealth Compendium Third Edition

The mHealth Compendiums document a range of mHealth applications being implemented primarily in Africa. This volume was published in November 2013 and is the third edition in the series. It contains twenty-four new case studies which document mHealth innovations, many of which seek to contribute to USAID’s two overarching objectives of eliminating preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths and achieving an AIDS free generation.

ASH mHealth Compendium Fourth Edition

Mobile and wireless technologies assist health projects in accurately assessing the needs of a target population, collecting and disseminating relevant information, and delivering cost effective health services. [from introduction]

Critical Maternal Health Knowledge Gaps in Low- and Middle-Income Countries for Post-2015: Researchers’ Perspectives

Between June and October 2014, the Maternal Health Task Force (MHTF) consulted 26 international maternal health researchers to gather perspectives on the most critical and neglected areas for knowledge generation to improve maternal health in low- and middle-income countries. [from introduction]

Global Governance and the Limits of Health Security

The time has come to move from a focus on health security and international crisis response, to a system of global
governance capable of addressing infectious disease outbreaks in an orderly, organised and sustainable manner. [from abstract]

Quality Assurance of Pharmacy Education: The FIP Global Framework

The Framework is offered primarily as a tool – to be used in whole or in part - to facilitate the establishment of systems of quality assurance in countries where no such formal systems exist or for improvement of existing systems. Where regional similarities and collaborations exist, the Framework may also be applied at a regional rather than national level. [from forward]

Note:This document is an updated and expanded version of the FIP Global Framework for Quality Assurance of Pharmacy Education Version 1, adopted by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) in 2008.

The New HIV/AIDS Program in Peru: The Role of Prioritizing and Budgeting for Results

This study aims to evaluate and develop recommendations on how the HIV/AIDS program in Peru can achieve better Value for Money. [from abstract]

Standard Days Method of Contraception: Evidence on Use, Implementation, and Scale Up

This working paper summarizes the results of a structured review on SDM [Standard Days Method] by the Evidence Project in 2014. This review utilized standardized search strings and systematic screening and abstracting criteria for reviewing available peer-reviewed and grey literature reports on SDM outcomes.

The Free Health Care Initiative: How Has it Affected Health Workers in Sierra Leone

No study to date has focused on how the decisions made, or not made, in the post-conflict
period can affect the longer term pattern of attraction, retention, distribution and
performance of health workers, and thus ultimately the performance of the sector. [from abstract]

Health in Africa and Faith Communities: What Do We Know?

Faith-inspired organizations (FIOs) and communities are important providers of healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa (as in other world regions). Quality can be high and the focus is often on serving the very poor and marginalized, but FIO work is rarely treated as a central part of national and global health strategies and systems.

PEPFAR Human Resources for Health Strategy - PEPFAR 3.0

PEPFAR is pivoting the scale-up of resources and services towards health service delivery sites with moderate and high yield of patients, communities that link patients to those sites, and geographic areas with high burden of HIV. Meeting demand in those settings requires an adequate supply and appropriate skills mix of HRH available to provide quality HIV services along the continuum of care. [from introduction]

Guidance for Establishing a National Health Laboratory System

Establishment of a comprehensive National Health Laboratory System provides the framework for coordinated development and delivery of accessible, quality laboratory services countrywide. This ‘’Guidance for Establishing a National Health Laboratory System‘’ provides technical guidance for the steps required to develop a National Laboratory Policy and National Laboratory Strategic Plan, and effectively implement all the key elements of a comprehensive National Health Laboratory System. [from executive summary]

Rural-Proofing for Health: Guidelines

A guide to accounting for rural contexts in health policy, strategic planning and resourcing. Addressing the
specific rural health context in policy design, budget allocations and implementation plans is not yet a standard process in South Africa. This guide addresses that, to ensure that “the rural health context” is addressed adequately
when new policies and budgets are drawn up and implemented in the beautiful rural parts of our country. [adapted from resource]

Guide for Developing National Patient Safety Policy and Strategic Plan

A national patient safety policy is essential but it must reflect the context and needs of the individual country. To avoid reinventing the wheel, patient safety policy must reference internationally approved and tested guidelines and policy recommendations. Policy-makers require an accessible resource for the task of developing the national patient safety policy and patient safety strategic plan in order that they are comprehensive as well as precise and yet uncomplicated and flexible. [from introduction]

Improving Health Outcomes and Health Care in India

With India’s low life expectancy largely reflecting deaths from preventable diseases, the most significant gains in health would come from population-wide preventive measures. Access to public health care services varies substantially, resulting in many people turning to private-sector providers who mainly serve those who can pay. [from abstract]

Geographic Variations in Health Care: What Do We Know and What Can Be Done to Improve Health System Performance?

This study documents geographic variations for high-cost and high-volume procedures in select OECD countries. It finds that there are wide variations not only across countries, but within them as well. [from abstract]

Wage-Setting in the Hospital Sector

This paper examines wage setting mechanisms for health workers in hospitals across eight different OECD countries. It describes similarities and differences and how fixed or fluid these approaches have been in recent years through health system reforms, labour market dynamics and economic pressures. [from abstract]

Evaluation du Programme d'appui à la Médicalisation des Aires de Santé Rurales au Mali

L’évaluation avait pour but d’apprécier la pertinence, l’efficacité et la viabilité de ce programme de médicalisation, notamment des stratégies développées pour attirer et maintenir les médecins dans les zones rurales. [from resource]

University Education for Nurses: A Response to the Challenges Facing Health Systems / La Formation Universitaire des Infirmières et Infirmiers: Une Réponse Aux Defis des Systèmes de Santé

This dissertation attempts to explain why nurses should have access to university education for 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycles in nursing. Nursing expertise is indeed one of the conditions for an adequate response to the health challenges of the twenty-first century. [from introduction]

Ce mémoire tente d’expliquer pourquoi les infirmières et les infirmiers doivent avoir accès à la formation universitaire de 1er, 2e et 3e cycles en sciences infirmières. L’expertise infirmière est en effet l’une des conditions d’une réponse adéquate aux défis de santé du XXIe siècle.

eLearning for Undergraduate Health Professional Education - A Systematic Review Informing a Radical Transformation of Health Workforce Development

The review is based on a rigorous search, analysis and presentation of data that provides decision-makers with an up-to-date picture of current knowledge on eLearning for undergraduate professional education. It responds to a need at the country level for evidence to inform and guide health professional education as an important vehicle in preparing health professionals to be ‘fit-for-purpose’. [from resource]

Multisectoral Responses to Gender-based Violence in Mozambique

The complex constellation of factors that underlie and reinforce gender-based violence (GBV) warrants a strong multi-level and multisectoral response. This technical brief explores Pathfinder’s experience pioneering a multisectoral approach to GBV prevention and response across two projects in Mozambique, and outlines key lessons learned and next steps. [from abstract]

Adding It Up 2014: The Costs and Benefits of Investing in Sexual and Reproductive Health

The 2014 edition of Adding It Up expands the scope of the report and provides new estimates of the needs for and costs and benefits of sexual and reproductive health interventions in the following key areas: contraceptive services; maternal, newborn and other pregnancy-related care; selected services related to HIV prevention; and treating women for four other common STIs. [from introduction]

Economic Evaluation of Complex Health System Interventions

The discussion paper provides guidance to those tasked with conducting an economic evaluation of complex health system interventions. The guidance will be an elaboration of existing National guidelines for economic evaluation and serve as a discussion paper to aid investigators conducting economic evaluations of complex health interventions. This paper is intended to be a starting point for heatlh system and policy researchers who wish to understand some of the fundamentals of economic evaluation and its application complex interventions. [from abstract]

Factors That Influence the Retention of Rural Health Workers in the Hospitals Within Siaya County

The objective of the study was to investigate the factors that influence retention of rural health workers in hospitals in Siaya County, Kenya. [Adapted from resource]

Factors Influencing Use of Telemedicine in Africa: A Case of School of Medicine University of Nairobi

The purpose of thsi research project is to establish the factors influencing use of telemedicine in Africa: a case of School of Medicine, University of Nairobi.