Need of surveillance response systems to combat Ebola outbreaks and other emerging infectious diseases in African countries

There is growing concern in Sub-Saharan Africa about the spread of the Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, and the public health burden that it ensues. Since 1976, there have been 885,343 suspected and laboratory confirmed cases of EVD and the disease has claimed 2,512 cases and 932 fatality in West Africa. There are certain requirements that must be met when responding to EVD outbreaks and this process could incur certain challenges. For the purposes of this paper, five have been identified: (i) the deficiency in the development and implementation of surveillance response systems against Ebola and others infectious disease outbreaks in Africa; (ii) the lack of education and knowledge resulting in an EVD outbreak triggering panic, anxiety, psychosocial trauma, isolation and dignity impounding, stigmatisation, community ostracism and resistance to associated socio-ecological and public health consequences; (iii) limited financial resources, human technical capacity and weak community and national health system operational plans for prevention and control responses, practices and management; (iv) inadequate leadership and coordination; and (v) the lack of development of new strategies, tools and approaches, such as improved diagnostics and novel therapies including vaccines which can assist in preventing, controlling and containing Ebola outbreaks as well as the spread of the disease. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop and implement an active early warning alert and surveillance response system for outbreak response and control of emerging infectious diseases. Understanding the unending risks of transmission dynamics and resurgence is essential in implementing rapid effective response interventions tailored to specific local settings and contexts. Therefore, the following actions are recommended: (i) national and regional inter-sectorial and trans-disciplinary surveillance response systems that include early warnings, as well as critical human resources development, must be quickly adopted by allied ministries and organisations in African countries in epidemic and pandemic responses; (ii) harnessing all stakeholders commitment and advocacy in sustained funding, collaboration, communication and networking including community participation to enhance a coordinated responses, as well as tracking and prompt case management to combat challenges; (iii) more research and development in new drug discovery and vaccines; and (iv) understanding the involvement of global health to promote the establishment of public health surveillance response systems with functions of early warning, as well as monitoring and evaluation in upholding research-action programmes and innovative interventions

Republic of Ghana Country Strategy Paper 2012-2016

This report aims to propose a Bank Group's strategy for supporting Ghana's development efforts over the period 2012 -- 2016. Several factors make a new Bank country strategy for Ghana particularly timely at this moment. These include the enormous challenges the country still faces in its development trajectory in spite of its impressive growth in the last decade, the recent adoption by the Government of the "Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda" (GSGDA), the promising developments the country is experiencing in its economic prospects, including becoming an oil producer, attracting interest from BRICS, and the recent completion by the Bank and other development partners of a number of key knowledge products. All these combined provides an opportunity for the Bank and Ghana to lay the foundations for a renewed partnership

Improving water management through the IWRM approach in the Mediterranean countries

The paper is aimed to analyze the importance of water reuse within a strategy of integrated water resources management. Using an integrated systemic approach, the role of water in the set of relations which constitute a valuable source for the Mediterranean countries will be analyzed. The paper also aims to demonstrate how a correct management of water resources, have a positive impact on the socio-economic aspects of the area. At the Mediterranean regions the management of water appears to be complex, due to inhomogeneity of water availability. This should prompt to rethink the means of intervention in these countries, considering structural investments in order to ensure a fair exploitation of water resources

Experimenting with the design of policies on sustainable resources management : Phase 1 final report, January 2004 - February 2005

The overall objective of the DMP is to arrest land degradation in Africa's desert margins through demonstration and capacity building activities. The GEF increment to this project will enable the programme to address issues of global environmental importance, in addition to the issues of national economic and environmental importance, and in particular the loss of biological diversity, reduced sequestration of carbon, and increased soil erosion and sedimentation. Key sites harbouring globally significant ecosystems and threatened biodiversity have been selected in each of the nine countries to serve as field laboratories for demonstrations activities related to monitoring and assessment of biodiversity status, testing of most promising natural resource management options, developing sustainable alternative livelihoods and policy guidelines and replicating successful models. The project will make a significant contribution in reducing land degradation in the marginal areas and help conserve biodiversity. Guidelines, recommendations and supportive national policies that address biodiversity concerns are envisaged to be in place in the implementing countries. (Résumé d'auteur

Transforming Health Care in South Africa: A Summary Evaluation of The Atlantic Philanthropies' Nursing Programme

Nursing in South Africa has long been neglected, in part because of the turmoil brought about by apartheid. This lack of attention has had dire implications for the vast majority of South Africans who rely on the public health system for health care.From 2006-2012, The Atlantic Philanthropies invested $32.8 million to revitalise, develop and restore pride in the nursing profession in South Africa.Atlantic's investments focused on strengthening: (1) institutions that train nurses; (2) professional development of nurses; (3) research capacity; and (4) nurse leadership.ImpactA 2012 evaluation by Strategic Evaluation, Advisory & Development Consulting (SEAD) found that Atlantic's investment in the nursing sector has "had a major catalytic and sustainable positive impact." Outcomes include:Increased government funding and commitment to nursingIncreased number of nursesImproved infrastructure for institutions of higher educationStrengthened professional development for nursesStrengthened nurse leadership.Lessons and ChallengesSEAD's report also noted several challenges including: (1) a lack of technical skills from grantees in managing complex programmes; (2) difficulty recruiting appropriately qualified nursing students and filling specialist slots; (3) disappointing graduation rates of nurses from 4-year programmes; (4) delays in government funding and approval; and (5) sustainability of funded programmes.The report concludes with a number of lessons that may be useful to other funders seeking to contribute to the revitalisation of nursing in South Africa and other countries

The Journey to R4D: An institutional history of an Australian Initiative on Food Security in Africa

Internal Revie

WASH in Schools Empowers Girls' Education: Proceedings of the Menstrual Hygiene Management in Schools Virtual Conference 2013

This publication brings together the key elements of the 16 presentations made at the Second Annual Virtual MHM in WinS Conference at UNICEF Headquarters in New York City on 21 November 2013. Building on recommendations from the MHM 2012 virtual conference, the 2013 conference focused on the research tools and instruments being used to explore MHM barriers and practices and to evaluate the interventions being trialed or implemented in various contexts

DroughtScape- Summer 2014

CONTENTS Director’s report...........................1 Outlook ........................................ 2 Drought & climate summary ........ 2 Drought impacts .........................4 International drought monitoring and planning ...............................8 Visiting scholars.........................10 North American Drought Monitor Forum ........................................ 11 New primary Dust Bowl source .............. 12 New additions to online webinar archive ....................................... 14 Community Capitals Framework Institute ...................................... 1