Response to the Periodic Epidemic
World Health Organization. Country Office for Timor-Leste. (2020). National strategic plan for ending TB 2020--2024. World Health Organization. Country Office for Timor-Leste.
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste has the highest TB incidence rate in the South East Asian Region - 498 per 100,000, which is the seventh highest in the world. In Timor-Leste TB is the eighth most common cause of death.
The salient observations are as follows:
In 2018, 487 (12.5%) of the... 3906 notified TB patients were tested for RR-TB and only 12 lab confirmed RR-TB patients were initiated on standard MDR-TB treatment of 20-months duration, (a 3-fold increase in RR-TB detection compared with 2017). This amounts to treatment coverage of only 17% of 72 estimated MDR/RR-TB among notified TB patients (3906) and 5% of 240 estimated incident MDR-TB patients as compared to 62% treatment coverage of 6300 incident drug sensitive TB patients estimated in TLS. The treatment success in the 2016 annual cohort of 6 MDR-TB patients has been reported at 83%. 80% of TB patients know their HIV Status with around 1% TB-HIV co-infection, 37/ 77 (48%) TB-HIV Co-infection Detected. Of the 387 PLHIV currently alive on ART, exact status on TB screening and testing is unknown. % of PLHIV newly enrolled in HIV care who received IPT is not known.
In 2018, the mortality rate for TB was 94 deaths per 100,000 people (1200 per annum) in TL with an increasing mortality trend (Figure 1), despite TB services being available for nearly two decades.
A survey of catastrophic costs due to TB (2016) highlights that 83% of TB patients are reported to be facing catastrophic costs due to the disease. This is the highest rate in the world.
more
Tanzania, like other developing countries, is facing a higher burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The country is experiencing rapid growth of modifiable and intermediate risk factors that accelerate CVD mortality and morbidity rates. In rural and urban settings, cardiovascular risk factors suc...h as tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, overweight, and obesity, are documented to be higher in this review. Increased urbanization, lifestyle changes, lack of awareness and rural to urban movement have been found to increase CVD risk factors in Tanzania. Despite the identification of modifiable risk factors for CVDs, there is still limited information on physical inactivity and eating habits among Tanzanian population that needs to be addressed. Conclusively, primary prevention, improved healthcare system, which include affordable health services, availability of trained health care providers, improved screening and diagnostic equipment, adequate guidelines, and essential drugs for CVDs are the key actions that need to be implemented for cost effective control and management of CVDs. Effective policy for control and management of CVDs should also properly be employed to ensure fruitful implementation of different interventions.
more
Polio Bulletin
2024 Issue No. 1 - Week 1 (as of 2 January 2024)
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is impacting our health, economies and development. Up to 5.2 million people may die because of resistant bacterial infections across the Western Pacific Region from 2020-2030. Childbirth, surgery, cancer treatment and other interventions will become impossibly d...angerous if bacterial infections no longer respond to available antibiotics.
more
Strategic communication is at the heart of public health and more important than ever in the digital age. Using communication strategically requires expertise, skills and resources to plan, implement and evaluate interventions that encourage governments to implement policies that improve people’s ...lives and well-being, that empower health workers to deliver the best care possible, and that encourage people to take actions that protect and improve their health and that of their family and community. This Regional Action Framework on Communication for Health (C4H) aims to support Member States in implementing the C4H approach. It outlines steps to be taken by WHO and Member States to use C4H to achieve shared public health goals in the Western Pacific.
more
The document systematically examines dietary and lifestyle factors influencing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Western Pacific region. It highlights regional nutrition transitions, including dietary improvements like increased fruit and vegetable consumption and reduced salt intake, alongsid...e challenges like rising ultra-processed food consumption. The findings stress the need for stronger national policies, tailored interventions, and international collaboration to reduce NCD risks and improve public health outcomes.
more
Similar to other parts of the world, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the Asia-Pacific Region has rapidly increased during the last few decades. The purposes of this pilot study were to determine the feasibility and the effects of a capacity building program for Village Health Vo...lunteers (VHVs) to support self-management in a T2DM high risk population from a rural subdistrict in Northeast Thailand. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using surveys, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed and used to develop a 12-week capacity building program for VHVs. This program was then implemented on 60 subjects at high risk of T2DM in the selected community. According to the paired t-test and Wilcoxon-signed rank test, VHVs had higher scores on knowledge and self-efficacy of T2DM prevention after a 12 week intervention (p =.03 and p =.02, respectively). Study participants at risk for T2DM also had a significant increase in T2DM knowledge and self-management (p <.001). Implementation of the capacity building program for VHVs in Northeast Thailand was feasible. The key successes were strong community bonding, community empowerment, and support from family and public health nurses. Effects of the program should be examined with those in other Asia-Pacific countries.
more
PLoS Med 16(3): e1002768. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002768
Home delivery and late and infrequent attendance at antenatal care (ANC) are responsible for substantial avoidable maternal and pediatric morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. This cluster-randomized trial aimed to de...termine the impact of a community health worker (CHW) intervention on the proportion of women who visit ANC fewer than 4 times during their pregnancy and deliver at home.
more
An interdisciplinary approach to address global health challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, loss of biodiversity, human migration has been framed by the One Health approach. This approach is promoted at global level by the Tripartite of the World Health Organisation, the World A...nimal Health Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, recently joint by the United National Environment Program to form the Quadripartite. The German government through its Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development supports this approach with its One Health strategy and investment in several technical cooperation projects.
more
Globally, there is increased advocacy for community-based health insurance (CBHI) schemes. Like other low and middle-income countries (LMICs), Tanzania officially established the Community Health Fund (CHF) in 2001 for rural areas; and Tiba Kwa Kadi (TIKA) for urban population since 2009. This study... investigated the implementation of TIKA scheme in urban districts of Tanzania.
more
Towards Sustainable Community Health and Social Welfare Services
Leaving No One Behind. This Operational Guideline for Community-Based Health Services (CBHS)
in line with the CBHS Policy Guideline map an integrated and coordinated
national approach to community-based health services in Tanzania. ...The
approach builds on and furthers national priorities for decentralization,
community empowerment and strengthened systems for expansion of
access to essential health services at the village level and below.
more
This leaflet aims at guiding health workers though the very first days of an outbreak. It addresses the following questions:
Is this the beginning of an outbreak?
Is the patient suffering from cholera or shigella?
The leaflet also has sections on how to protect the community, how to t...reat patients and what to do if an outbreak is suspected.
more
The first clinical series is on newborn care and will consist of brief vignettes that “bring to life” internationally accepted newborn care guidelines
Available in different languages
For full publication visit: http://hesperian.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/sw_hmx/sw_denguefeverrflyer_HelenMtui_2014.pdf
Accessed October 2014
Full document available at: http://hesperian.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/sw_hmx/sw_condomuse_JosephineKayungilizi_2014.pdf
Accessed October 2014