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Guidelines for the prevention, management and care of diabetes mellitus

World Health Organization WHO (2006) C_WHO

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common noncommunicable diseases worldwide. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region there has been a rapid increase in the incidence of diabetes mellitus and it is now the fourth leading cause of death. The increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus, the emergence of ... more

Hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management

the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2023) CC

The NICE guideline "Hypertension in Adults: Diagnosis and Management" outlines recommendations for diagnosing and managing hypertension in adults over 18, including those with type 2 diabetes. It emphasizes accurate blood pressure measurement, recommending ambulatory or home monitoring to confirm di... more

Moving to a strong(er) community health system: analysing the role of community health volunteers in the new national community health strategy in Malawi

Angwenyi, V.; Aantjes, C.; Kondowe, K. et al. BMJ Global Health (2018) CC

Since the Alma Ata Declaration in 1978, community health volunteers (CHVs) have been at the forefront, providing health services, especially to underserved communities, in low-income countries. However, consolidation of CHVs position within formal health systems has proved to be complex and continue... more

Qualitative assessment of community health workers’ perspective on their motivation in community-based primary health care in rural Malawi

Ndambo, M.K.; Munyaneza, F.; Aron, M.B. et al. BMC Health Services Research (2022) CC

Background: Community Health Workers (CHWs) have a positive impact on the provision of community-based primary health care through screening, treatment, referral, psychosocial support, and accompaniment. With a broad scope of work, CHW programs must balance the breadth and depth of tasks to mainta...in CHW motivation for high-quality care delivery. Few studies have described the CHW perspective on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to enhance their programmatic activities. Methods: We utilized an exploratory qualitative study design with CHWs employed in the household model in Neno District, Malawi, to explore their perspectives on intrinsic and extrinsic motivators and dissatisfiers in their work. Data was collected in 8 focus group discussions with 90 CHWs in October 2018 and March–April 2019 in seven purposively selected catchment areas. All interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed using Dedoose. Results: Themes of complex intrinsic and extrinsic factors were generated from the perspectives of the CHWs in the focus group discussions. Study results indicate that enabling factors are primarily intrinsic factors such as positive patient outcomes, community respect, and recognition by the formal health care system but can lead to the chal- lenge of increased scope and workload. Extrinsic factors can provide challenges, including an increased scope and workload from original expectations, lack of resources to utilize in their work, and rugged geography. However, a posi- tive work environment through supportive relationships between CHWs and supervisors enables the CHWs. Conclusion: This study demonstrated enabling factors and challenges for CHW performance from their perspec- tive within the dual-factor theory. We can mitigate challenges through focused efforts to limit geographical distance, manage workload, and strengthen CHW support to reinforce their recognition and trust. Such programmatic empha- sis can focus on enhancing motivational factors found in this study to improve the CHWs’ experience in their role. The engagement of CHWs, the communities, and the formal health care system is critical to improving the care provided to the patients and communities, along with building supportive systems to recognize the work done by CHWs for the primary health care systems. more

Access to health care for people with disabilities in rural Malawi: what are the barriers?

Harrison, J.A.K.; Thomson, R.; Banda, H.T. et al. BMC Public Health (2020) CC

People with disabilities experience significant health inequalities. In Malawi, where most individuals live in low-income rural settings, many of these inequalities are exacerbated by restricted access to health care services. This qualitative study explores the barriers to health care access experi... more

Effectiveness of a diabetes program based on digital health on capacity building and quality of care in type 2 diabetes: a pragmatic quasi-experimental study

Moreas Morelli, D.; Rubinstein, F.; Santero, M.; et al. BMC Health Services Research, part of Springer Nature (2023) CC2

Health systems in Latin America face many challenges in controlling the increasing burden of diabetes. Digital health interventions are a promise for the provision of care, especially in developing countries where mobile technology has a high penetration. This study evaluated the effectiveness of th... more

Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 328 diseases and injuries for 195 countries, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation - University of Washington The Lancet (2017) CC2

The Global Status Report on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) 2014 by the World Health Organization outlines the global impact of NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases, which are responsible for a significant portion of global mortality, particular... more

Strategic Framework for Enhancing Prevention and Control of mpox, 2024-2027

World Health Organization WHO (2024) C_WHO

Mpox continues to affect people around the world. A new framework released today by WHO will guide health authorities, communities and other stakeholders in preventing and controlling mpox outbreaks, eliminating human-to-human transmission of the disease, and reducing spillover of the virus from ani... more

A cross-country qualitative analysis of teachers’ perceptions of asthma care in sub-Saharan Africa

Naidoo, K.L.; Dladla, S.; Mphahlele, R.E. et al. npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine (2023) CC2

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease among school-going adolescents worldwide. However, the burden of severe asthma is highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to explore teachers’ perceptions of asthma care across six African countries. We conducted focus group discussions... more

Achieving Control of Asthma in Children in Africa (ACACIA): protocol of an observational study of children’s lung health in six sub-Saharan African countries

Mosler, G.; Oyenuga, V.; Addo-Yobo, E. et al. BMJ Open (2020) CC

Little is known about asthma control in the rising number of African children who suffer from this condition. The Achieving Control of Asthma in Children in Africa (ACACIA) study is an observational study collecting evidence about paediatric asthma in urban areas of Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, South Afr... more

Asbestos-related diseases in mineworkers: a clinicopathological study

Ndlovu, N.; Rees, D.; Murray, J.; et al. ERJ Open Research, part of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) (2017) CC

This study compared clinical and autopsy findings for three asbestos-related diseases (asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer) in former asbestos mineworkers, and explored factors that influenced agreement between clinical and autopsy findings using data from two compensation systems. In South Afr... more

Barriers to childhood asthma care in sub-Saharan Africa: a multicountry qualitative study with children and their caregivers

Naidoo, K.L.; Dladla, S.; Mphahlele, R.E. et al. BMJ Open (2023) CC

This study identifies barriers and provides recommendations to improve asthma care in children across sub-Saharan Africa, where qualitative data is lacking despite high rates.

Challenges in the diagnosis of asthma in children, what are the solutions? A scoping review of 3 countries in sub Saharan Africa

Magwenzi, P.; Rusakaniko, S.; Sibanda, E.N. et al. Respiratory Research (2022) CC

The article is a scoping review that explores the challenges in diagnosing asthma in children in three sub-Saharan African countries: Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda. It identifies key barriers, such as a lack of community awareness, inadequate healthcare access, limited diagnostic tools like spir... more

Risk factors for asthma among schoolchildren who participated in a casecontrol study in urban Uganda

Mpairwe, H.; Namutebi, M.; Nkurunungi, G. et al. eLife (2019) CC

Data on asthma aetiology in Africa are scarce. We investigated the risk factors for asthma among schoolchildren (5–17 years) in urban Uganda. We conducted a case-control study, among 555 cases and 1115 controls. Asthma was diagnosed by study clinicians. The main risk factors for asthma were tertia... more

Parental understanding of wheeze and its impact on asthma prevalence estimates

Michel, G.; Silverman, M.; Strippoli, M-P. F. et al. European Respiratory Journal (2006) CC

The epidemiology of wheeze in children, when assessed by questionnaires, is dependent on parents' understanding of the term “wheeze”. In a questionnaire survey of a random population sample of 4,236 children aged 6–10 yrs, parents' definition of wheeze was assessed. Predictors of a correct ... more

Monitoring asthma in children

Pijnenburg, M.W.; Baraldi, E.; Brand, P.L. et al. European Respiratory Journal (2015) CC

The goal of asthma treatment is to obtain clinical control and reduce future risks to the patient. To reach this goal in children with asthma, ongoing monitoring is essential. While all components of asthma, such as symptoms, lung function, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and inflammation, may exist i... more

Mpox Technical Factsheet

Africa CDC (2024) CC

Mpox is a zoonotic disease caused by a double-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family. The disease presents with symptoms similar to smallpox but with a lesser severity. It was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a poxlike disease occurred in co... more

African Union AMR Landmark Report: Voicing African Priorities on the Active Pandemic

Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2024) CC

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a leading cause of death in the African region, surpassing fatalities from malaria, HIV, and TB. In response to this critical threat, the region has adopted the AMR Global Action Plan and the African Union Framework for Antimicrobial Resistance Control 2...020 – 2025, which is tailored to meet the specific needs of African nations through a coordinated approach. While most countries in the region have developed and prioritized National Action Plans (NAPs) to tackle AMR, the overall response remains inadequate given the magnitude of the threat, which endangers human, animal, environmental, aquatic, and plant health. Africa bears a significant burden of infectious diseases, accounting for approximately 95% of malaria deaths, 70% of people living with HIV, and 25% of TB deaths globally. In 2019, AMR was linked to approximately 55,000 deaths from HIV, 30,000 from malaria, and 255,000 overall. Major drivers of AMR in the region include the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in human and food systems, migration, suboptimal vaccination rates, and environmental contamination from hospital and pharmaceutical effluents. Additionally, there is a lack of access to quality-assured antimicrobials and diagnostics, compounded by inadequate knowledge about AMR. Unlike high-income countries, where indiscriminate antimicrobial use is the primary factor driving AMR, African countries face additional challenges, including a lack of access to clean and safe water, poor Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs, inadequate infection prevention measures, and suboptimal vaccinations for preventable diseases. One in three hospitals in the region lacks clean, safe running water, and one in eight people defecate openly due to inadequate sanitation. Investments in WASH, infection prevention, and biosecurity could save approximately 700,000 lives annually. Addressing AMR in Africa requires a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach involving the entire society. Sustainable access to antimicrobials, including antibiotics, vaccines, and therapeutics, is crucial, as lack of access leads to more morbidity and mortality than AMR itself. Support for the region should focus on preventing infections, strengthening health and food systems, developing human resources, ensuring sustainable access to diagnostics and therapeutics, and investing in laboratory infrastructure to support surveillance and data generation. more

Childhood respiratory disease linked to the enviroment

World Health Organization WHO (2009) CC2

Childhood Respiratory Diseases & the Environment learning objectives •To understand how the respiratory tract is affected by the environment •To describe respiratory diseases linked to the environment •To list one population-level intervention and one personal-level intervention for d... more

Ambient air pollution and non-communicable respiratory illness in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of the literature

Glenn, B. E.; Espira, L. M.; Larson, M. C.; Larson, P. S. BMC (2022) CC2

Aerosol pollutants are known to raise the risk of development of non-communicable respiratory diseases (NCRDs) such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and allergic rhinitis. Sub-Saharan Africa’s rapid pace of urbanization, economic expansion, and population growt... more