Journal of the International AIDS Society 2017, vol. 20:e25026
In Myanmar, men who have sex with men (MSM) experience high risk of HIV infection. However, access to HIV testing and prevention services remains a challenge among this marginalized population. The objective of this study was to est...imate population prevalence and correlates of prior HIV testing among young MSM (YMSM) and informs the development of HIV testing and intervention programmes that respond to the specific needs of this population.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jia2.25026
more
Journal of the International AIDS Society, vol. 21 Issue no. 6 e 25142
Weaknesses in care programmes providing anti‐retroviral therapy (ART) persist and are often instigated by late HIV diagnosis and poor linkage to care. We investigated the potential for a home‐based counselling and testin...g (HBCT) campaign to be improved through the optimal timing and enhancement of testing rounds to generate greater health outcomes at minimum cost.
Countries implementing HBCT can reduce costs by optimally timing rounds and generate greater health outcomes through improving linkage, coverage, and retention. Tailoring HBCT campaigns to individual settings can enhance patient outcomes for minimal cost.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jia2.25142
more
Arsenic contaminated tube well water was first detected in Bangladesh in early 1990s. The arsenic comes from naturally arsenic-rich material delivered by the region's river systems, deposited over many years to make up the land of Bangladesh. Arsenic contamination is not caused by tube wells, or by ...irrigation or application of fertilizers.
Today, although 98 per cent of the population uses an improved drinking water source the safe water coverage of Bangladesh is 86 per cent because of arsenic contamination.
more
Guidance has been updated on a number of chemicals: asbestos, bentazone, chromium, iodine, manganese, microcystins, nickel, silver, tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene. Guidance has also been added for chemicals not previously assessed in the Guidelines: anatoxin-a and analogues, cylindrospermopsi...ns and saxitoxins. The new guidance on organotins has replaced the prior guidance focused on dialkyltins. With these updates, the guideline values for tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene have been revised while new guideline values for cylindrospermopsins, manganese, microcystins, and saxitoxins have been established .
Updated information on cyanobacteria has been included, introducing an alert level framework for early-warning and to guide short-term management responses. Guidance has also been updated in the sections on adequacy of water supply, climate change, emergencies, food production and processing, and radiological aspects, particularly on managing radionuclides when exceeding WHO screening values and guidance levels.
more
The development of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools guidelines for TimorLeste is a landmark moment in our quest to make every school child-friendly – a place where every child can learn, play and grow with pride and dignity. The overarching goal is to improve health, boost education... achievement and promote gender equity in our schools.
The guidelines set clear levels of acceptable standards for water supply, provision of sanitation facilities and hygiene promotion in schools and provide a common framework and policy direction for all sub-sector actors. Therefore, all implementing agencies, managers, planners, architects, water and sanitation technicians, teaching staff, school directors, school boards, district WASH committees, local authorities and other relevant bodies should consult these guidelines, when making implementation plans.
more
Drinking-water quality regulations and standards developed or revised in accordance with this guidance will reflect the best practices identified in the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality to most effectively protect public health. Moreover, the regulations and standards will consider local ne...eds, priorities and capacities to ensure that they are realistic and appropriate. Topics covered include:
- Guiding principles
- Getting started
- Selecting parameters and parameter limits
- Setting out compliance monitoring requirements
more
Disinfection of drinking-water supplies has been one of the most significant public health advancements of the last century with respect to reducing waterborne disease.
Although chlorine has been used as the disinfectant of choice for public drinking-water supplies for the past century, a numbe...r of emerging or alternative compounds are used or are being considered for the disinfection of drinking-water.
This series reviews the state of the knowledge on the application, efficacy and toxicity of bromine, iodine and silver as drinking-water disinfectants.
more
Every year, around 830 000 children die from unintentional or "accidental" injuries. The vast majority of these injuries occur in low-income and middle-income countries. However, dozens of prevention strategies and programmes exist. If they were integrated into other child survival programmes and im...plemented on a larger scale, many of these deaths and much of the injury-related disability could be prevented.
The report documents the magnitude, risks and prevention measures for child injuries globally –particularly for drowning, burns, road traffic injuries, falls and poisoning.
more
In order to maintain daily operations and patient care services, health care facilities need to develop an Emergency Water Supply Plan (EWSP) to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a total or partial interruption of the facilities’ normal water supply. Water supply interruption can be caused... by several types of events such as natural disaster, a failure of the community water system, construction damage or even an act of terrorism.
The planning guide provides a four step process for the development of an EWSP:
1. Assemble the appropriate EWSP Team and the necessary background documents for your facility;
2. Understand your water usage by performing a water use audit;
3. Analyze your emergency water supply alternatives; and
4. Develop and exercise your EWSP
more
Census Report Volume 4-C
The 2014 Myanmar Census provided the opportunity to measure maternal mortality. The questions on deaths in households during the twelve months prior to the Census were included in the questionnaire, as well as questions necessary to estimate maternal mortality indicator...s.
more
Census Report Volume 4-B
In the 2014 Census, early-age mortality was measured from the responses to two simple retrospective questions on childbearing addressed to ever-married women aged 15 and over. These questions referred to how many live children they had ever given birth to, and how many ...had died (or survived). Adult mortality was measured by using a question on the number of household members who had died during the 12 months preceding the Census.
According to the 2014 Census, infant and child mortality, which comprises under-five mortality, was high compared to other countries in the region. Previous estimates indicated a rapid decline during the 1960s and 1970s, with a substantial deceleration starting in the early 1980s. The decline has accelerated again during recent years.
more
Census Report Volume 4-F (Thematic report on Population Projections for the Union of Myanmar, States/Regions, Rural and Urban Areas, 2014-2050)
Key findings
- The total population of Myanmar is estimated to be 65 million by 2050. The projection is based on steadily declining population grow...th rate over the projection period: from 0.9 per cent in 2015 to 0.3 per cent in 2050.
- The proportion of the urban population rises from 29.3 per cent in 2015 to 34.7 in 2050. The rural and urban crude birth rates both decline between 2015 and 2050, but the difference between them narrows to almost zero by the end of the period.
- The population of Yangon grows more rapidly than any other area, by 39 per cent between 2015 and 2031. Other rapidly growing areas include Kayah (37 per cent), Kachin (32 per cent), Nay Pyi Taw (27 per cent), and Shan (26 per cent). Ayeyawady, Magway and Mon lose population, mostly due to migration.
more
Mapping "Pro Poor" Policy in Aceh Province 2007-2011
Report on Main Findings
The review encompasses three complementary components: 1) a review of published literature 2000-2015 on NCDs and their risk factors; 2) qualitative interviews with key actors engaged in NCD research in Myanmar; and 3) additional reviews of Myanmar ethical committee inqui...ries and postgraduate research on NCDs in Myanmar. This report outlines the key findings from the three components including a synthesis of the key outcomes from the literature review and qualitative interviews, and an assessment of the gaps in the evidence against a framework of evidence needs.
more
The primary objective of the 2015-16 MDHS project is to provide up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators. Specifically, the MDHS collected information on fertility levels, marriage, fertility preferences, awareness and use of family planning methods, breastfeeding practices, n...utrition, maternal and child health and mortality, awareness and behavior regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and other health-related issues such as smoking and knowledge of tuberculosis. As the 2015-16 MDHS is the first DHS survey in the country, trend analysis is not carried out in this report.
more