Automated HIV screening in the emergency department –earlier diagnosis, improved clinical outcomes

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Hepatitis E Virus Antibodies in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease

In the United States, the seroprevalence rate for hepatitis E virus (HEV) is ≈20%. This study examined HEV seroprevalence in persons with and without chronic liver disease. Our data indicate that HEV seropositivity is high in patients with chronic liver disease and that HEV seroprevalence increases significantly with age

Effectiveness of Mechanisms and Models of Coordination between Organizations, Agencies and Bodies Providing or Financing Health Services in Humanitarian Crises: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Effective coordination between organizations, agencies and bodies providing or financing health services in humanitarian crises is required to ensure efficiency of services, avoid duplication, and improve equity. The objective of this review was to assess how, during and after humanitarian crises, different mechanisms and models of coordination between organizations, agencies and bodies providing or financing health services compare in terms of access to health services and health outcomes. METHODS: We registered a protocol for this review in PROSPERO International prospective register of systematic reviews under number PROSPERO2014:CRD42014009267. Eligible studies included randomized and nonrandomized designs, process evaluations and qualitative methods. We electronically searched Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the WHO Global Health Library and websites of relevant organizations. We followed standard systematic review methodology for the selection, data abstraction, and risk of bias assessment. We assessed the quality of evidence using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: Of 14,309 identified citations from databases and organizations' websites, we identified four eligible studies. Two studies used mixed-methods, one used quantitative methods, and one used qualitative methods. The available evidence suggests that information coordination between bodies providing health services in humanitarian crises settings may be effective in improving health systems inputs. There is additional evidence suggesting that management/directive coordination such as the cluster model may improve health system inputs in addition to access to health services. None of the included studies assessed coordination through common representation and framework coordination. The evidence was judged to be of very low quality. CONCLUSION: This systematic review provides evidence of possible effectiveness of information coordination and management/directive coordination between organizations, agencies and bodies providing or financing health services in humanitarian crises. Our findings can inform the research agenda and highlight the need for improving conduct and reporting of research in this field

Using models to inform policies to meet multiple objectives. Sustainable development, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation in Central Africa

Land-use change models can help in developing a holistic understanding of the range of potential impacts of different land-use related policy options, and so strengthen the development and implementation of policies to meet a range of objectives; including sustainable development, climate change mitigation, food security and biodiversity conservation. Member countries of the Central Africa Forest Commission (COMIFAC) have committed to sustainable management of the region’s forests, including under the COMIFAC “Convergence Plan”, and to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Achieving these objectives is dependent on the development, and implementation, of new and existing national policies and approaches. Projections from land-use modelling identify potential trade-offs and synergies in the achievement of the SDGs under different macro-economic and land-use policy related scenarios. In particular they highlight the importance of effective protected areas and forest concessions for the conservation of Great Apes and other threatened species, and show that maintaining these areas has negligible impact on agricultural production in the region. As development continues in the region, further increasing the extent of protected areas could play a role in greatly reducing the number of species losing a large proportion of their habitat. However, protected area expansion needs to be well planned to avoid adverse impacts on particular species and societal challenges such as food security

Creating a National Specimen Referral System in Guinea: Lessons From Initial Development and Implementation

In the wake of the 2014–2016, West Africa Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, the Government of Guinea recognized an opportunity to strengthen its national laboratory system, incorporating capacity and investments developed during the response. The Ministry of Health (MOH) identified creation of a holistic, safe, secure, and timely national specimen referral system as a priority for improved detection and confirmation of priority diseases, in line with national Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response guidelines. The project consisted of two parts, each led by different implementing partners working collaboratively together and with the Ministry of Health: the development and approval of a national specimen referral policy, and pilot implementation of a specimen referral system, modeled on the policy, in three prefectures. This paper describes the successful execution of the project, highlighting the opportunities and challenges of building sustainable health systems capacity during and after public health emergencies, and provides lessons learned for strengthening national capabilities for surveillance and disease diagnosis

Large-scale physical disabilities and their management in the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan ‫عام‬ ‫باكستان‬ ‫زلزال‬ ‫عواقب‬ ‫يف‬ ‫وتدبريها‬ ‫النطاق‬ ‫الواسعة‬ ‫العجز‬ ‫حاالت‬

ABSTRACT The October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan created a new generation of "persons with disabilities" (PWDs) in the affected districts. A total of 741 people suffered spinal injuries while 713 underwent amputations. A comprehensive response was launched jointly by the Ministry of Health, Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority and the World Health Organization involving rescue and recovery, hospitalization, surgical interventions, building of infrastructure, development of technical guidelines to improve quality of care, human resource deployment and training. The first national megaproject for institutional and community-based rehabilitation (CBR) services was launched in the earthquake-affected areas. The institutional management of PWDs is now carried out alongside the CBR programme. This intervention also led to the concept of a national CBR programme. The study aims to identify the post-earthquake situation regarding the magnitude and type of physical disabilities and to highlight the rehabilitative interventions undertaken

Modelling soils, landscapes and waters using the gOcad geomodel : a perspective

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