Autism in Developing Countries: Lessons from Iran

PubMed Central

Samadi, Sayyed Ali; McConkey, Roy

2011-01-01

Most research into Autism Spectrum Disorders has been conducted in affluent English-speaking countries which have extensive professional support services. This paper describes a series of investigations that was undertaken in Iran, and these findings, together with reviews of research in other low-income countries, are used to identify key lessons in three areas of service provision of particular relevance to developing countries with scarce professional resources: first, the issues to be considered in establishing the prevalence of the condition nationally; second, identification of parental understanding of ASD and the impact it has on them as carers; third, the education and training that could be provided to families when professional supports are sparse. It is concluded that culturally sensitive, parental support strategies must be central to the planning and development of services. Moreover, future research should further elucidate the needs of families and evaluate the impact of culturally tailored interventions designed to promote the children's development and overall family quality of life. PMID:22937242

Can Information and Communications Technology Application Contribute to Poverty Reduction? Lessons from Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toluyemi, Samuel Taiwo; Mejabi, Omenogo Veronica

2011-01-01

There is a growing optimism among international organizations such as United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can transform developing countries such as Nigeria to developed ones in a relatively short time. Experiences from Asian and European countries such as India, Bangladesh, Malaysia,…

Participatory Model of Mental Health Programming: Lessons Learned from Work in a Developing Country.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nastasi, Bonnie K.; Varjas, Kristen; Sarkar, Sreeroopa; Jayasena, Asoka

1998-01-01

Describes application of participatory model for creating school-based mental health services in a developing country. Describes process of identifying individual and cultural factors relevant to mental health. Discusses importance of formative research and collaboration with stakeholders to ensure cultural specificity of interventions, and the…

Lessons learned: Evaluating the program fidelity of UNWomen Partnership for Peace domestic violence diversion program in the Eastern Caribbean.

PubMed

Jeremiah, Rohan D; Quinn, Camille R; Alexis, Jicinta M

2018-08-01

To date, there have been a plethora of punitive and diversion programs to address domestic violence around the world. However, the evaluative scholarship of such programs overwhelmingly reflects studies in developed countries while barely showcasing the realities of addressing domestic violence in developing countries. This paper features a multi-year (2008-2011) evaluation study that measured the fidelity of the United Nations Partnership for Peace (PfP) domestic violence diversion program in the Eastern Caribbean country of Grenada. Our findings illuminate organic engagement strategies that were built within existing multi-sectoral partnerships that included magistrate court judges, law enforcement officials, and social service agencies. Furthermore, we documented how the locally-devised implementation strategies ensured the program's fidelity within a resource-limited context. This paper contributes to the global evaluative scholarship, highlighting the lessons learned about implementing culturally-adapted and theoretically-driven domestic violence diversion within a developing country. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomedical laboratory science education: standardising teaching content in resource-limited countries

PubMed Central

Robinson, Cathy; Nyary, Bryan

2013-01-01

Background There is a worldwide shortage of qualified laboratory personnel to provide adequate testing for the detection and monitoring of diseases. In an effort to increase laboratory capacity in developing countries, new skills have been introduced into laboratory services. Curriculum revision with a focus on good laboratory practice is an important aspect of supplying entry-level graduates with the competencies needed to meet the current needs. Objectives Gaps in application and problem-solving competencies of newly graduated laboratory personnel were discovered in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya. New medical laboratory teaching content was developed in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya using national instructors, tutors, and experts and consulting medical laboratory educators from the United States of America (USA). Method Workshops were held in Ethiopia to create standardised biomedical laboratory science (BMLS) lessons based on recently-revised course objectives with an emphasis on application of skills. In Tanzania, course-module teaching guides with objectives were developed based on established competency outcomes and tasks. In Kenya, example interactive presentations and lesson plans were developed by the USA medical laboratory educators prior to the workshop to serve as resources and templates for the development of lessons within the country itself. Results The new teaching materials were implemented and faculty, students and other stakeholders reported successful outcomes. Conclusions These approaches to updating curricula may be helpful as biomedical laboratory schools in other countries address gaps in the competencies of entry-level graduates. PMID:29043162

Controlling water pollution in developing and transition countries--lessons from three successful cases.

PubMed

Kathuria, Vinish

2006-03-01

The policy prescription for solving environmental problems of developing countries and countries-in-transition (CIT) is slowly getting polarized into two viewpoints. One group of researchers and policy advocates including multilateral organizations upholds extensive use of market based instruments (MBIs) in these countries. The other group argues that institutions need to be built first or the policy makers should select the incremental or tiered approach taking into account the existing capabilities. The group also insists that the financial, institutional and political constraints make environmental regulation in these countries more problematic than in industrialized countries. In the short-run, the immediate needs of the developing countries can be addressed effectively by learning lessons from the difficulties encountered by a few successful cases and accordingly evolving an appropriate policy instrument. In this paper an attempt has been made to highlight three such cases from three different parts of the world--Malaysia (Asia-pacific), Poland (Eastern Europe) and Colombia (Latin America). The paper looks into what policy instruments led to a fall in water pollution levels in these countries and what role did MBIs play in this pollution mitigation? The case studies suggest that it is a combination of instruments--license fee, standards, charge and subsidies--reinforced by active enforcement that led to an overall improvement in environment compliance.

Holding a country countdown to 2015 conference on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - the Zambian experience.

PubMed

Mukonka, Victor M; Malumo, Sarai; Kalesha, Penelope; Nambao, Mary; Mwale, Rodgers; Mwinga, Kasonde; Katepa-Bwalya, Mary; Babaniyi, Olusegan; Mason, Elizabeth; Phiri, Caroline; Wamulume, Pauline K

2014-01-21

Initiatives such as the Country Countdown to 2015 Conference on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have provided countries with high maternal and child deaths like Zambia a platform to assess progress, discuss challenges and share lessons learnt as a conduit for national commitment to reaching and attaining the MDGs four and five. This paper discusses and highlights the process of holding a successful country countdown conference and shares Zambia's experience with other countries planning to organise country countdown to 2015 Conferences on MDGs.

Connecting the Pieces: Building a Better Economics Lesson. Teacher Resource Manual. EconomicsAmerica.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCorkle, Sarapage; Meszaros, Bonnie T.; Morton, John S.; Schug, Mark C.; Suiter, Mary C.

This booklet was developed from a 1996 grant program for international education exchange. U.S. curriculum writers worked with writers in partner countries to design training and create a handbook for curriculum development. The "Train the Writers" program was piloted with 14 educators from 7 countries, and this publication,…

Buyer Beware: Lessons Learned from EdTPA Implementation in New York State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenblatt, Deborah; O'Hara, Kate E.

2015-01-01

As states across the country continue their implementation of the Teacher Performance Assessment Portfolio (edTPA), a complex and high-stakes certification requirement for teacher certification, there are important lessons for educators and education advocates to learn from New York State's implementation. As Linda Darling-Hammond, developer and…

Gapminder: An AP Human Geography Lab Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Kenneth H.

2012-01-01

This lesson is designed as a lab assignment for Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography students wherein they use the popular Gapminder web site to compare levels of development in countries from different world regions. For this lesson, it is important for the teacher to practice with Gapminder before giving the assignment to students. (Contains…

"Health for all" in a least-developed country.

PubMed Central

Shonubi, Aderibigbe M. O.; Odusan, Olatunde; Oloruntoba, David O.; Agbahowe, Solomon A.; Siddique, M. A.

2005-01-01

The World Health Organization's (WHO) concept of primary healthcare as the basis for comprehensive healthcare delivery for developing countries has not been effectively applied in many of these countries. The Kingdom of Lesotho, one of the world's least-developed countries, has been able to provide a fairly comprehensive healthcare system for its citizenry based on prmary healthcare principles and a strong commitment on the part of the government despite severe limitations of finance and human resource capacity as well as difficult mountainous terrains. This paper presents the highlights of this system of healthcare delivery with the hope that other developing countries would draw some lessons from the model. PMID:16080673

Training and Skills Development in the East Asian Newly Industrialised Countries: A Comparison and Lessons for Developing Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tzannatos, Zafiris; Johnes, Geraint

1997-01-01

Review of job training in Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan found no single system appropriate for all. Desirable characteristics included (1) late specialization in school and on-the-job acquisition of specialized skills; (2) private financing; (3) institutional autonomy; (4) high employer involvement; and (5) regular evaluation of training…

Implementing the United Kingdom Government's 10-Year Teenage Pregnancy Strategy for England (1999-2010): Applicable Lessons for Other Countries.

PubMed

Hadley, Alison; Chandra-Mouli, Venkatraman; Ingham, Roger

2016-07-01

Teenage pregnancy is an issue of inequality affecting the health, well-being, and life chances of young women, young men, and their children. Consequently, high levels of teenage pregnancy are of concern to an increasing number of developing and developed countries. The UK Labour Government's Teenage Pregnancy Strategy for England was one of the very few examples of a nationally led, locally implemented evidence-based strategy, resourced over a long duration, with an associated reduction of 51% in the under-18 conception rate. This article seeks to identify the lessons applicable to other countries. The article focuses on the prevention program. Drawing on the detailed documentation of the 10-year strategy, it analyzes the factors that helped and hindered implementation against the World Health Organization (WHO) ExpandNet Framework. The Framework strives to improve the planning and management of the process of scaling-up of successful pilot programs with a focus on sexual and reproductive health, making it particularly suited for an analysis of England's teenage pregnancy strategy. The development and implementation of the strategy matches the Framework's key attributes for successful planning and scaling up of sexual and reproductive health programs. It also matched the attributes identified by the Centre for Global Development for scaled up approaches to complex public health issues. Although the strategy was implemented in a high-income country, analysis against the WHO-ExpandNet Framework identifies many lessons which are transferable to low- and medium-income countries seeking to address high teenage pregnancy rates. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cancer registries in four provinces in Turkey: a case study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The burden of cancer affects all countries; while high-income countries have the capacity and resources to establish comprehensive cancer control programs, low and middle-income countries have limited resources to develop such programs. This paper examines factors associated with the development of cancer registries in four provinces in Turkey. It looks at the progress made by these registries, the challenges they faced, and the lessons learned. Other countries with similar resources can benefit from the lessons identified in this case study. Methods A mix of qualitative case study methods including key informant interviews, document review and questionnaires was used. Results This case study showed that surveillance systems that accurately report current cancer-related data are essential components of a country’s comprehensive cancer control program. At the initial stages, Turkey established one cancer registry with international support, which was used as a model for other registries. The Ministry of Health recognized the value of the registry data and its contribution to the country’s cancer control program and is supporting sustainability of these registries as a result. Conclusions This study demonstrates how Turkey was able to use resources from multiple sources to enhance its population based cancer registry system in four provinces. With renewed international interest in non-communicable diseases and cancer following the 2011 UN high-level meeting on NCDs, low- and middle- income countries can benefit from Turkey’s experience. Other countries can utilize lessons learned from Turkey as they address cancer burden and establish their own registries. PMID:23110989

International nurse migration: lessons from the Philippines.

PubMed

Brush, Barbara L; Sochalski, Julie

2007-02-01

Developed countries facing nursing shortages have increasingly turned to aggressive foreign nurse recruitment, primarily from developing nations, to offset their lagging domestic nurse supplies and meet growing health care demands. Few donor nations are prepared to manage the loss of their nurse workforce to migration. The sole country with an explicit nurse export policy and the world's leading donor of nurse labor - the Philippines - is itself facing serious provider maldistribution and countrywide health disparities. Examining the historical roots of Philippines nurse migration provides lessons from which other nurse exporting countries may learn. The authors discuss factors that have predicated nurse migration and policies that have eased the way. Furthermore, the authors analyze how various stakeholders influence migratory patterns, the implications of migration for nurses and the public in their care, and the challenges that future social policy and political systems face in addressing global health issues engendered by unfettered recruitment of nurses and other health workers.

Lessons from Finland: Where the Country's Education System Rose to the Top in Just a Couple Decades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahlberg, Pasi

2011-01-01

Since Finland emerged in 2000 as the top-scoring Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nation on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), researchers have been pouring into the country to study the so-called "Finnish miracle." How did a country with an undistinguished education system in the…

Quality and Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training in the Mediterranean Countries: Lessons from the European Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masson, Jean-Raymond; Baati, Mounir; Seyfried, Erwin

2010-01-01

This article reflects on the development of the European approach towards quality and quality assurance in vocational education and training (VET) and its relevance for VET reforms in the European Training Foundation (ETF) partner countries. The analysis is based on an ETF project conducted in 2007-2008 in the Mediterranean partner countries to…

Multisectoral Approaches in Advancing Girls' Education: Lessons Learned in Five SAGE Countries. SAGE Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rugh, Andrea

Strategies for Advancing Girls' Education (SAGE) is a project of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade/Office of Women in Development (EGAT/WID). Five countries participated in SAGE: Guinea, Mali, Ghana, El Salvador; and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The project started in…

Poverty and Children: Lessons of the 90s for Least Developed Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Children's Fund, New York, NY.

Based on the view that strategies to eradicate poverty must be centered on the realization of children's rights, this report describes the experiences of the 48 least developed countries (LDCs) during the 1990s. The report defines LDCs and provides a rationale for using progress in ensuring children's rights as a yardstick for measuring poverty.…

Student Loans as a Means of Financing Higher Education: Lessons from International Experience. World Bank Staff Working Papers Number 599.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodhall, Maureen

International experience with student loans as a means of financing higher education is examined, with particular reference to developing countries. After summarizing the main purposes and kinds of student loan programs and practices in developed countries, advantages and disadvantages of loans as a means of financing higher education are…

Supporting the Contribution of Higher Education to Regional Development: Lessons Learned from an OECD Review of 14 Regions throughout 12 Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marmolejo, Francisco; Puukka, Jaana

2006-01-01

Following decades of expansion in higher education, policy attention in OECD countries has begun to focus on the outcomes of higher education including how universities and other higher education institutions contribute to regional development. With the processes of globalisation and localisation, the local availability of knowledge and skills and…

Tradition and Modernity: India's Quantum Leap into the 21st Century. Independent Curriculum Project. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad 1998 (India).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Elise

This lesson on India is suggested as a culminating activity to bring together previously taught units about infrastructure, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, ancient India, and contemporary India. The lesson's goals are to examine how a country's cultural background can influence change and to study the development of modern infrastructure. The students…

Integrated management of childhood illness: a summary of first experiences.

PubMed Central

Lambrechts, T.; Bryce, J.; Orinda, V.

1999-01-01

The strategy of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) aims to reduce child mortality and morbidity in developing countries by combining improved management of common childhood illnesses with proper nutrition and immunization. The strategy includes interventions to improve the skills of health workers, the health system, and family and community practices. This article describes the experience of the first countries to adopt and implement the IMCI interventions, the clinical guidelines dealing with the major causes of morbidity and mortality in children, and the training package on these guidelines for health workers in first-level health facilities. The most relevant lessons learned and how these lessons have served as a basis for developing a broader IMCI strategy are described. PMID:10444882

Factors Associated with Discussion of Disasters by Final Year High School Students: An International Cross-sectional Survey.

PubMed

Codreanu, Tudor A; Celenza, Antonio; Alabdulkarim, Ali A Rahman

2015-08-01

Introduction The effect on behavioral change of educational programs developed to reduce the community's disaster informational vulnerability is not known. This study describes the relationship of disaster education, age, sex, and country-specific characteristics with students discussing disasters with friends and family, a measure of proactive behavioral change in disaster preparedness. Three thousand eight hundred twenty-nine final year high school students were enrolled in an international, multi-center prospective, cross-sectional study using a pre-validated written questionnaire. In order to obtain information from different educational systems, from countries with different risk of exposure to disasters, and from countries with varied economic development status, students from Bahrain, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, and Timor-Leste were surveyed. Logistic regression analyses examined the relationship between the likelihood of discussing disasters with friends and family (dependent variable) and a series of independent variables (age, gender, participation in school lessons about disasters, existence of a national disaster educational program, ability to list pertinent example of disasters, country's economic group, and disaster risk index) captured by the questionnaire or available as published data. There was no statistically significant relationship between age, awareness of one's surroundings, planning for the future, and foreseeing consequences of events with discussions about potential hazards and risks with friends and/or family. The national educational budget did not have a statistically significant influence. Participants who lived in a low disaster risk and high income Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country were more likely to discuss disasters. While either school lessons or a national disaster education program had a unique, significant contribution to the model, neither had a better predictive utility. The predictors (national disaster program, school lessons, gender, ability to list examples of disasters, country's disaster risk index, and level of economic development), although significant, were not sufficient in predicting disaster discussions amongst teenagers.

The Professional Educator: Lessons from Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahlberg, Pasi

2011-01-01

Since Finland emerged in 2000 as the top-scoring Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nation on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), researchers have been pouring into the country to study the so-called "Finnish miracle." How did a country with an undistinguished education system in the…

In Context: Multicultural Education in Korea--Lessons for American Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Gilbert C.; Watson, Sunnie Lee

2011-01-01

Today's global community encompasses interconnectivity between societies, where a development in one country affects and informs something similar in other countries. Multicultural education is not exempt from this pattern. Multicultural education was first started by concerned activists and educators in the United States as a way to secure social…

Improving Education in Developing Countries: Lessons From Rigorous Impact Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganimian, Alejandro J.; Murnane, Richard J.

2016-01-01

In this article, we reviewed and interpreted the evidence from 223 rigorous impact evaluations of educational initiatives conducted in 56 low- and middle-income countries. We considered for inclusion in our review all studies in recent syntheses that have reached seemingly conflicting conclusions about which interventions improve educational…

Occupational Safety and Health Systems: A Three-Country Comparison.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singleton, W. T.

1983-01-01

This article compares the occupational safety and health systems of Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, looking at the origins of their legislation and its effects on occupational safety and health, with a view to determining what lessons may emerge, particularly for developing countries. (Author/SSH)

Lessons Learned from Protective Immune Responses to Optimize Vaccines against Cryptosporidiosis.

PubMed

Lemieux, Maxime W; Sonzogni-Desautels, Karine; Ndao, Momar

2017-12-24

In developing countries, cryptosporidiosis causes moderate-to-severe diarrhea and kills thousands of infants and toddlers annually. Drinking and recreational water contaminated with Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts has led to waterborne outbreaks in developed countries. A competent immune system is necessary to clear this parasitic infection. A better understanding of the immune responses required to prevent or limit infection by this protozoan parasite is the cornerstone of development of an effective vaccine. In this light, lessons learned from previously developed vaccines against Cryptosporidium spp. are at the foundation for development of better next-generation vaccines. In this review, we summarize the immune responses elicited by naturally and experimentally-induced Cryptosporidium spp. infection and by several experimental vaccines in various animal models. Our aim is to increase awareness about the immune responses that underlie protection against cryptosporidiosis and to encourage promotion of these immune responses as a key strategy for vaccine development. Innate and mucosal immunity will be addressed as well as adaptive immunity, with an emphasis on the balance between T H 1/T H 2 immune responses. Development of more effective vaccines against cryptosporidiosis is needed to prevent Cryptosporidium spp.-related deaths in infants and toddlers in developing countries.

Lessons Learned from Protective Immune Responses to Optimize Vaccines against Cryptosporidiosis

PubMed Central

Lemieux, Maxime W.; Sonzogni-Desautels, Karine; Ndao, Momar

2017-01-01

In developing countries, cryptosporidiosis causes moderate-to-severe diarrhea and kills thousands of infants and toddlers annually. Drinking and recreational water contaminated with Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts has led to waterborne outbreaks in developed countries. A competent immune system is necessary to clear this parasitic infection. A better understanding of the immune responses required to prevent or limit infection by this protozoan parasite is the cornerstone of development of an effective vaccine. In this light, lessons learned from previously developed vaccines against Cryptosporidium spp. are at the foundation for development of better next-generation vaccines. In this review, we summarize the immune responses elicited by naturally and experimentally-induced Cryptosporidium spp. infection and by several experimental vaccines in various animal models. Our aim is to increase awareness about the immune responses that underlie protection against cryptosporidiosis and to encourage promotion of these immune responses as a key strategy for vaccine development. Innate and mucosal immunity will be addressed as well as adaptive immunity, with an emphasis on the balance between TH1/TH2 immune responses. Development of more effective vaccines against cryptosporidiosis is needed to prevent Cryptosporidium spp.-related deaths in infants and toddlers in developing countries. PMID:29295550

Electronic health records approaches and challenges: a comparison between Malaysia and four East Asian countries.

PubMed

Abd Ghani, Mohd Khanapi; Bali, Rajeev K; Naguib, Raouf N G; Marshall, Ian M

2008-01-01

An integrated Lifetime Health Record (LHR) is fundamental for achieving seamless and continuous access to patient medical information and for the continuum of care. However, the aim has not yet been fully realised. The efforts are actively progressing around the globe. Every stage of the development of the LHR initiatives had presented peculiar challenges. The best lessons in life are those of someone else's experiences. This paper presents an overview of the development approaches undertaken by four East Asian countries in implementing a national Electronic Health Record (EHR) in the public health system. The major challenges elicited from the review including integration efforts, process reengineering, funding, people, and law and regulation will be presented, compared, discussed and used as lessons learned for the further development of the Malaysian integrated LHR.

Problem Solving for Better Health Nursing: a working approach to the development and dissemination of applied research in developing countries.

PubMed

Hoyt, Pamela

2006-05-01

This article describes the international component of the Problem Solving for Better Health Nursing (PSBHN) program initiated by the Dreyfus Health Foundation (DHF) in 2002. PSBHN is operational in 14 countries in addition to the United States. A PSBHN initiative is described, and attention is given to lessons learned and plans for the future.

Lessons learned during the development and transfer of technology related to a new Hib conjugate vaccine to emerging vaccine manufacturers.

PubMed

Hamidi, A; Boog, C; Jadhav, S; Kreeftenberg, H

2014-07-16

The incidence of Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib) disease in developed countries has decreased since the introduction of Hib conjugate vaccines in their National Immunization Programs (NIP). In countries where Hib vaccination is not applied routinely, due to limited availability and high cost of the vaccines, invasive Hib disease is still a cause of mortality. Through the development of a production process for a Hib conjugate vaccine and related quality control tests and the transfer of this technology to emerging vaccine manufacturers in developing countries, a substantial contribution was made to the availability and affordability of Hib conjugate vaccines in these countries. Technology transfer is considered to be one of the fastest ways to get access to the technology needed for the production of vaccines. The first Hib conjugate vaccine based on the transferred technology was licensed in 2007, since then more Hib vaccines based on this technology were licensed. This paper describes the successful development and transfer of Hib conjugate vaccine technology to vaccine manufacturers in India, China and Indonesia. By describing the lessons learned in this process, it is hoped that other technology transfer projects can benefit from the knowledge and experience gained. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementing Impact Evaluations of Malaria Control Interventions: Process, Lessons Learned, and Recommendations

PubMed Central

Hershey, Christine L.; Bhattarai, Achuyt; Florey, Lia S.; McElroy, Peter D.; Nielsen, Carrie F.; Yé, Yazoume; Eckert, Erin; Franca-Koh, Ana Cláudia; Shargie, Estifanos; Komatsu, Ryuichi; Smithson, Paul; Thwing, Julie; Mihigo, Jules; Herrera, Samantha; Taylor, Cameron; Shah, Jui; Mouzin, Eric; Yoon, Steven S.; Salgado, S. René

2017-01-01

Abstract. As funding for malaria control increased considerably over the past 10 years resulting in the expanded coverage of malaria control interventions, so did the need to measure the impact of these investments on malaria morbidity and mortality. Members of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership undertook impact evaluations of malaria control programs at a time when there was little guidance in terms of the process for conducting an impact evaluation of a national-level malaria control program. The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), as a member of the RBM Partnership, has provided financial and technical support for impact evaluations in 13 countries to date. On the basis of these experiences, PMI and its partners have developed a streamlined process for conducting the evaluations with a set of lessons learned and recommendations. Chief among these are: to ensure country ownership and involvement in the evaluations; to engage stakeholders throughout the process; to coordinate evaluations among interested partners to avoid duplication of efforts; to tailor the evaluation to the particular country context; to develop a standard methodology for the evaluations and a streamlined process for completion within a reasonable time; and to develop tailored dissemination products on the evaluation for a broad range of stakeholders. These key lessons learned and resulting recommendations will guide future impact evaluations of malaria control programs and other health programs. PMID:28990921

Cooking up an open source EMR for developing countries: OpenMRS - a recipe for successful collaboration.

PubMed

Mamlin, Burke W; Biondich, Paul G; Wolfe, Ben A; Fraser, Hamish; Jazayeri, Darius; Allen, Christian; Miranda, Justin; Tierney, William M

2006-01-01

Millions of people are continue to die each year from HIV/AIDS. The majority of infected persons (>95%) live in the developing world. A worthy response to this pandemic will require coordinated, scalable, and flexible information systems. We describe the OpenMRS system, an open source, collaborative effort that can serve as a foundation for EMR development in developing countries. We report our progress to date, lessons learned, and future directions.

Sadie Cox | NREL

Science.gov Websites

, advancing technical solutions for resilient power systems, and assessing development impacts of clean energy applications in developing countries Distributed generation policies and impacts Education M.A. in global Impacts Associated with Low Emission Development Strategies: Lessons Learned from Pilot Efforts in Kenya

Psychiatric brain collection in Macedonia: general lessons for scientific collaboration among countries of differing wealth.

PubMed

Rosoklija, G; Duma, A; Dwork, A J

2013-01-01

Macedonia is a small country, and the current state has been independent for only 22 years. Medical research, which requires an extensive infrastructure, has been limited. We describe our experience in developing Macedonian research through a mutually beneficial collaboration between institutions in Macedonia and the United States.

Experiences of School Principals with Newcomers from War-Affected Countries in Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okoko, Janet Mola

2011-01-01

This article is based on the results of an exploratory study of experiences of 2 urban school principals about leading schools with immigrants from war-affected countries in Africa. It examines how they perceived their preparation for multicultural leadership, and explores lessons that leadership development institutions can learn from their…

Comparison of U.S. and Chinese High-School Physics Teaching and the Need for Active Learning at the College Level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tosa, Sachiko; Qian, Lingbo

This study examines the extent to which inquiry-based teaching is practiced in Chinese high-school physics in comparison with US high schools. Data were collected through lesson observations and the administration of a teacher survey (N = 19). Results show that both US and Chinese teachers are well aware of the importance of the elements that are associated with inquiry-based teaching. However, in practice, little inquiry-based teaching was observed in either of the countries by different reasons. US physics lessons often lacked rigorous content development to help students understand physics concepts, while many of the Chinese lessons failed to include opportunities for students to present and test their own thoughts. It is advocated that the implementation of active learning strategies at the college level physics would help the situation in both of the countries.

International Assistance for Low-Emission Development Planning: Coordinated Low Emissions Assistance Network (CLEAN) Inventory of Activities and Tools--Preliminary Trends

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cox, S.; Benioff, R.

2011-05-01

The Coordinated Low Emissions Assistance Network (CLEAN) is a voluntary network of international practitioners supporting low-emission planning in developing countries. The network seeks to improve quality of support through sharing project information, tools, best practices and lessons, and by fostering harmonized assistance. CLEAN has developed an inventory to track and analyze international technical support and tools for low-carbon planning activities in developing countries. This paper presents a preliminary analysis of the inventory to help identify trends in assistance activities and tools available to support developing countries with low-emission planning.

The Midwifery Services Framework: Lessons learned from the initial stages of implementation in six countries.

PubMed

Garg, Shantanu; Moyo, Nester T; Nove, Andrea; Bokosi, Martha

2018-07-01

In 2015, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) launched the Midwifery Services Framework (MSF): an evidence-based tool to guide countries through the process of improving their sexual, reproductive, maternal and newborn health services through strengthening and developing the midwifery workforce. The MSF is aligned with key global architecture for sexual, reproductive, maternal and newborn health and human resources for health. This third in a series of three papers describes the experience of starting to implement the MSF in the first six countries that requested ICM support to adopt the tool, and the lessons learned during these early stages of implementation. The early adopting countries selected a variety of priority work areas, but nearly all highlighted the importance of improving the attractiveness of midwifery as a career so as to improve attraction and retention, and several saw the need for improvements to midwifery regulation, pre-service education, availability and/or accessibility of midwives. Key lessons from the early stages of implementation include the need to ensure a broad range of stakeholder involvement from the outset and the need for an in-country lead organisation to maintain the momentum of implementation even when there are changes in political leadership, security concerns or other barriers to progress. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

How to learn and develop from both good and bad lessons- the 2011Tohoku tsunami case -

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugimoto, Megumi; Okazumi, Toshio

2013-04-01

The 2011 Tohoku tsunami revealed Japan has repeated same mistakes in a long tsunami disaster history. After the disaster Japanese remember many old lessons and materials: an oral traditional evacuation method 'Tsunami TENDENKO' which is individual independent quick evacuation, a tsunami historical memorial stone "Don't construct houses below this stone to seaside" in Aneyoshi town Iwate prefecture, Namiwake-shrine naming from the story of protect people from tsunami in Sendai city, and so on. Tohoku area has created various tsunami historical cultures to descendent. Tohoku area had not had a tsunami disaster for 50 years after the 1960 Chilean tsunami. The 2010 Chilean tsunami damaged little fish industry. People gradually lost tsunami disaster awareness. At just the bad time the magnitude (M) 9 scale earthquake attacked Tohoku. It was for our generations an inexperienced scale disaster. People did not make use of the ancestor's lessons to survive. The 2004 Sumatra tsunami attacked just before 7 years ago. The magnitude scale is almost same as M 9 scale. Why didn't Tohoku people and Japanese tsunami experts make use of the lessons? Japanese has a character outside Japan. This lesson shows it is difficult for human being to learn from other countries. As for Three mile island accident case in US, it was same for Japan. To addition to this, there are similar types of living lessons among different hazards. For examples, nuclear power plantations problem occurred both the 2012 Hurricane Sandy in US and the 2011 Tohoku tsunami. Both local people were not informed about the troubles though Oyster creek nuclear power station case in US did not proceed seriously all. Tsunami and Hurricane are different hazard. Each exparts stick to their last. 1. It is difficult for human being to transfer living lessons through next generation over decades. 2. It is difficult for human being to forecast inexperienced events. 3. It is usually underestimated the danger because human being have a tendency to judge based on own experience. 4. It is difficult for human being to make use of lessons from different countries because human being would not like to think own self suffer victim for a self-preservation mind. 5. It is usual for experts not to pay attention to other fields even if similar case occurs in different fields. We started collecting 18 hazards of such historical living lessons all over the world before the 2011 Tohoku tsunami. We adapted to this project collecting lessons from Tohoku tsunami and will publish for small children in developing countries in March 2013. This will be translated in at least 10 languages. This disaster lessons guide books are free. We will introduce some lessons in the presentations. We believe education is one of useful countermeasures to prevent from repeating same mistakes and transfer directly living lessons to new generations.

Evaluation of regional project to strengthen national health research systems in four countries in West Africa: lessons learned.

PubMed

Sombié, Issiaka; Aidam, Jude; Montorzi, Gabriela

2017-07-12

Since the Commission on Health Research for Development (COHRED) published its flagship report, more attention has been focused on strengthening national health research systems (NHRS). This paper evaluates the contribution of a regional project that used a participatory approach to strengthen NHRS in four post-conflict West African countries - Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Mali. The data from the situation analysis conducted at the start of the project was compared to data from the project's final evaluation, using a hybrid conceptual framework built around four key areas identified through the analysis of existing frameworks. The four areas are governance and management, capacities, funding, and dissemination/use of research findings. The project helped improve the countries' governance and management mechanisms without strengthening the entire NHRS. In the four countries, at least one policy, plan or research agenda was developed. One country put in place a national health research ethics committee, while all four countries could adopt a research information management system. The participatory approach and support from the West African Health Organisation and COHRED were all determining factors. The lessons learned from this project show that the fragile context of these countries requires long-term engagement and that support from a regional institution is needed to address existing challenges and successfully strengthen the entire NHRS.

Global Breast Cancer: The Lessons to Bring Home

PubMed Central

Formenti, Silvia C.; Arslan, Alan A.; Love, Susan M.

2012-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women globally. This paper discusses the current progress in breast cancer in Western countries and focuses on important differences of this disease in low- and middle-income countries (LMCs). It introduces several arguments for applying caution before globalizing some of the US-adopted practices in the screening and management of the disease. Finally, it suggests that studies of breast cancer in LMCs might offer important insights for a more effective management of the problem both in developing as well as developed countries. PMID:22295243

Technology development and innovation for the bottom of the economic pyramid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gadgil, Ashok

2015-04-01

Directed development of new technologies to solve specific problems of the poor in the developing world is a daunting task. Developing countries can be a wasteland littered with failed technologies sent there with much goodwill and effort from the industrial countries. Drawing on my team's experience I summarize our answers to some key questions for the technology designer or developer: How might one go about it? What works and what doesn't? What lessons can one draw from an examination of select successes and failures? The key lessons from our experience are: (1) successful technology design and implementation can not be separated from each other - they are tightly intertwined, (2) social factors are as critical for a technology's success as factors based on engineering science, and (3) ignorance of political economy, behavioral economics, organizational behavior, institutional imperatives, cultural norms and social drivers can prove fatal flaws when a new technology leaves the laboratory and meets the real world.

Globalization of the pharmaceutical industry and the growing dependency of developing countries: the case of Turkey.

PubMed

Semin, Semih; Güldal, Dilek

2008-01-01

In developing countries, the effect of globalization on the pharmaceutical sector has resulted in a decrease in exportation and domestic production, accompanied by an increase in importation of pharmaceuticals and a rise in prices and expenditures. As an example of a developing country, Turkey has been facing the long-standing and increasing pressure of global regulations placed on its pharmaceutical sector. This has led to an increasing dependency on multinational companies and a gradual deterioration of an already weakened domestic pharmaceutical sector. This case study of Turkey offers points to consider in the world of increasing globalization, as it offers lessons on ways of examining the effects of globalization on the pharmaceutical industry of developing countries.

Lesson Study-Building Communities of Learning Among Pre-Service Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamzeh, Fouada

Lesson Study is a widely used pedagogical approach that has been used for decades in its country of origin, Japan. It is a teacher-led form of professional development that involves the collaborative efforts of teachers in co-planning and observing the teaching of a lesson within a unit for evidence that the teaching practices used help the learning process (Lewis, 2002a). The purpose of this research was to investigate if Lesson Study enables pre-service teachers to improve their own teaching in the area of science inquiry-based approaches. Also explored are the self-efficacy beliefs of one group of science pre-service teachers related to their experiences in Lesson Study. The research investigated four questions: 1) Does Lesson Study influence teacher preparation for inquiry-based instruction? 2) Does Lesson Study improve teacher efficacy? 3) Does Lesson Study impact teachers' aspiration to collaborate with colleagues? 4) What are the attitudes and perceptions of pre-service teachers to the Lesson Study idea in Science? The 12 participants completed two pre- and post-study surveys: STEBI- B, Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (Enochs & Riggs, 1990) and ASTQ, Attitude towards Science Teaching. Data sources included student teaching lesson observations, lesson debriefing notes and focus group interviews. Results from the STEBI-B show that all participants measured an increase in efficacy throughout the study. This study added to the body of research on teaching learning communities, professional development programs and teacher empowerment.

Lessons learned about coordinating academic partnerships from an international network for health education.

PubMed

Luo, Airong; Omollo, Kathleen Ludewig

2013-11-01

There is a growing trend of academic partnerships between U.S., Canadian, and European health science institutions and academic health centers in low- and middle-income countries. These partnerships often encounter challenges such as resource disparities and power differentials, which affect the motivations, expectations, balance of benefits, and results of the joint projects. Little has been discussed in previous literature regarding the communication and project management processes that affect the success of such partnerships. To fill the gap in the literature, the authors present lessons learned from the African Health Open Educational Resources Network, a multicountry, multiorganizational partnership established in May 2008. The authors introduce the history of the network, then discuss actively engaging stakeholders throughout the project's life cycle (design, planning, execution, and closure) through professional development, relationship building, and assessment activities. They focus on communication and management practices used to identify mutually beneficial project goals, ensure timely completion of deliverables, and develop sustainable sociotechnical infrastructure for future collaborative projects. These activities yielded an interactive process of action, assessment, and reflection to ensure that project goals and values were aligned with implementation. The authors conclude with a discussion of lessons learned and how the partnership project may serve as a model for other universities and academic health centers in high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries that are interested in or currently pursuing international academic partnerships.

Financing Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: Some Reflections and Implications for Sustainable Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oketch, Moses

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss how best to finance higher education in low-income countries of sub-Saharan Africa, drawing on benefits and drawbacks of the prevalent models of higher education finance, and lessons to be learned from countries which have seen greater expansion of their higher education systems in recent decades. Two main…

Beyond "Initiate-Build-Operate-Transfer" strategy for creating sustainable telemedicine programs: lesson from the first decade.

PubMed

Latifi, Rifat; Dasho, Erion; Lecaj, Ismet; Latifi, Kalterina; Bekteshi, Flamur; Hadeed, Molly; Doarn, Charles R; Merrell, Ronald C

2012-06-01

December 10, 2012 will mark the 10th anniversary of the implementation of telemedicine in the Balkans. This first decade of development and function is due to the passion, creativity, experience, and implementation know-how of the award-winning concept of the International Virtual e-Hospital (IVeH) Foundation. The objective of this article is to analyze the results of the IVeH's core strategy, "Initiate-Build-Operate-Transfer" (IBOT), which has been instrumental in establishing telemedicine in the Balkans and has been adopted by many other countries worldwide, and to describe the lessons learned that go beyond IBOT. A retrospective review of the results of IVeH engagement in establishing telemedicine in developing countries was conducted. Using IBOT, the IVeH has successfully established two national programs: one in Kosova and one in Albania. Together, they have connected 16 hospitals. Currently IVeH is in the process of creating such programs in many countries around the world. During the analysis of the first decade, we have identified eight factors that should be considered when establishing telemedicine programs. IBOT has been successful, but further studies are needed to demonstrate its effectiveness in countries beyond the Balkans.

Developing Sustainable Farmer-Led Extension Groups: Lessons from a Bangladeshi Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Islam, Md. Mofakkarul; Gray, David; Reid, Janet; Kemp, Peter

2011-01-01

The limited effectiveness and fiscal unsustainability of professional-led public sector extension systems in developing countries have aroused considerable interest in Farmer-led Extension (FLE) approaches in the recent decades. A key challenge facing these initiatives is a lack of sustainability of the farmer groups developed through project or…

Education for Sustainable Development and the Question of Balance: Lessons from the Pacific

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Kathryn A.; Jenkins, Bertram A.

2005-01-01

In this paper, we discuss the challenges for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) with respect to achieving an appropriate balance between the three pillars of sustainable development--economy, society and the environment. In order to do this, we focus on specific concerns confronting a number of developing countries in the Pacific where…

Population Growth and Economic Development: Lessons from Selected Asian Countries. Policy Development Studies, Number 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Andrew; And Others

The major findings of a research project on the relationship between population growth and economic development are summarized in this monograph. The study compares recent demographic and economic trends in Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia to worldwide experience as described by an econometric model of population and development. The study…

Developing Public Health Regulations for Marijuana: Lessons From Alcohol and Tobacco

PubMed Central

Kilmer, Beau; Wagenaar, Alexander C.; Chaloupka, Frank J.; Caulkins, Jonathan P.

2014-01-01

Until November 2012, no modern jurisdiction had removed the prohibition on the commercial production, distribution, and sale of marijuana for nonmedical purposes—not even the Netherlands. Government agencies in Colorado and Washington are now charged with granting production and processing licenses and developing regulations for legal marijuana, and other states and countries may follow. Our goal is not to address whether marijuana legalization is a good or bad idea but, rather, to help policymakers understand the decisions they face and some lessons learned from research on public health approaches to regulating alcohol and tobacco over the past century. PMID:24825201

Putting New Life in an Old Lesson

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veal, William; Sneed, Kevin

2014-01-01

The Next Generation Science Standards ("NGSS") were developed by teachers, scientists, and leaders in science and science education from around the country and are endorsed by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), a partner in the development of the "NGSS." This article presents an example of how to modify a lab to…

Health Education through Interactive Radio: A Child-to-Child Project in Bolivia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fryer, Michelle L.

1991-01-01

Because older children in developing countries often assume responsibility for the care of their younger siblings, health education programs are aimed to these older children. An interactive radio health curriculum was developed in Bolivia that includes lessons on personal hygiene, rehydration, home sanitation, and nutrition. (JOW)

Lessons from New Zealand's introduction of pictorial health warnings on tobacco packaging.

PubMed

Hoek, Janet; Wilson, Nick; Allen, Matthew; Edwards, Richard; Thomson, George; Li, Judy

2010-11-01

While international evidence suggests that featuring pictorial health warnings on tobacco packaging is an effective tobacco control intervention, the process used to introduce these new warnings has not been well documented. We examined relevant documents and interviewed officials responsible for this process in New Zealand. We found that, despite tobacco companies' opposition to pictorial health warnings and the resource constraints facing health authorities, the implementation process was generally robust and successful. Potential lessons for other countries planning to introduce or refresh existing pictorial health warnings include: (i) strengthening the link between image research and policy; (ii) requiring frequent image development and refreshment; (iii) using larger pictures (e.g. 80% of the front of the packet); (iv) developing themes that recognize concerns held by different smoker sub-groups; and (v) running integrated mass media campaigns when the warnings are introduced. All countries could also support moves by the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control's Secretariat to develop an international bank of copyright-free warnings.

Lessons from across the pond: what the US can learn from European immunization programs.

PubMed

Freed, Gary L

2007-08-14

Childhood immunizations are the most effective clinical preventive services ever developed. Western European countries have a variety of governmental and non-governmental agencies involved in the development and operation of their immunization programs. Because of the range of programs in place across the European continent, various components of the US system parallel specific components of a variety of countries. Examining the experiences of other countries which have attempted to address issues now faced by the US can be valuable. However, such examinations are only of value if both the country and the policy itself to be examined are placed within the context of the US health care system and US policy constraints.

International Policies on Sharing Genomic Research Results with Relatives: Approaches to Balancing Privacy with Access

PubMed Central

Branum, Rebecca; Wolf, Susan M.

2015-01-01

Returning genetic research results to raises complex issues. In order to inform the U.S. debate, this paper analyzes international law and policies governing the sharing of genetic research results with relatives and identifies key themes and lessons. The laws and policies from other countries demonstrate a range of approaches to balancing individual privacy and autonomy with family access for health benefit, offering important lessons for further development of approaches in the United States. PMID:26479568

The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

Solomon Islands (RAMSI) or a robust platform for lessons learned. Rather, it offers a general introduction to the country and an overview of a...fragile and conflict- affected countries such as the Solomon Islands are more relevant to future U.S. commitments than the plethora of lessons...New Guinea. With a population of approximately 560,000, the country has a diverse cultural mix across dr. andrew Leith currently resides in the

Interactive radio in the classroom: ten years of proven success.

PubMed

Imhoof, M

1985-01-01

Interactive instructional radio programming is an innovative, inexpensive, and highly effective educational tool. In interactive radio programming, lessons are provided by a radio instructor, but unlike other radio education programs, the instructor prompts responses from the radio audience, provides pauses for audience responses, and then supplies the correct response to the prompt. The lessons are generally supervised by a classroom teacher, and the students respond to the radio prompts either orally or in writing. The lessons encourage student participation, and the programs frequently require more than 100 audience responses for each 1/2 hour of radio programing. The US Agency for International Development's Office of Education in the Bureau for Science and Technology researched and developed the tool during the last 10 years, and conducted highly successful experimental projects with it in Kenya, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. In September 1984 a conference, jointly sponsored by the agency and Kenya's Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, was held in Nairobi to demonstrate the new tool and to encourage other countries to utilize the approach. Participants visited rural classrooms in Kenya where they had an opportunity to observe how the technique was being successfully used in Kenya's Radio Language Arts Project. In view of the successful results attained in the experimental projects of the 3 countries noted above, the conference participants recommended that the technique should immediately be integrated into the national curricula of these countries, and that the approach should be more widely used in other countries. They noted that the technique is especially appropriate for use in primary schools and in nonformal adult education programs and that the tool is especially useful for teaching mathematics and second languages. They recommended that educators in developing countries develop interactive instructional radio programs, evaluate these programs, and then integrate the approach in the school curriculum. The participants noted that the technique can serve to upgrade the quality of classroom teaching and that the approach can be also used to provide teachers with inservice training. They further recommended that administrators and parents should be provided with information about the technique and its advantages, and that efforts should be made to immediately promote its use.

ERP and Four Dimensions of Absorptive Capacity: Lessons from a Developing Country

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gil, María José Álvarez; Aksoy, Dilan; Kulcsar, Borbala

Enterprise resource planning systems can grant crucial strategic, operational and information-based benefits to adopting firms when implemented successfully. However, a failed implementation can often result in financial losses rather than profits. Until now, the research on the failures and successes were focused on implementations in large manufacturing and service organizations firms located in western countries, particularly in USA. Nevertheless, IT has gained intense diffusion to developing countries through declining hardware costs and increasing benefits that merits attention as much as developed countries. The aim of this study is to examine the implications of knowledge transfer in a developing country, Turkey, as a paradigm in the knowledge society with a focus on the implementation activities that foster successful installations. We suggest that absorptive capacity is an important characteristic of a firm that explains the success level of such a knowledge transfer.

Sustainable Development. Teacher's Guide to World Resources. Comprehensive Coursework on the Global Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Sarah A.

This teacher's guide presents teaching suggestions and presentation materials about sustainable development, important trends that could lead to human and environmental disasters in the future if they continue unchecked, and how each country has a different path to sustainable development. The lesson is divided into six parts and may be completed…

Strategies for Promoting Gender Equity in Developing Countries: Lessons, Challenges, and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryan, Elizabeth, Ed.

2008-01-01

Over the last several decades a number of strategies have emerged and evolved to promote gender equity in development efforts. Yet debates regarding the relative efficacy of these strategies remain. On Thursday, April 26, 2007, the Woodrow Wilson Center convened a group of experts on gender and development to address the issue of gender inequality…

Telemedicine diffusion in a developing country: The case of India (March 2004)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pal, A.; Mbarika, V.W.A.; Cobb-Payton, F.; Datta, P.; McCoy, S.

2005-01-01

Telemedicine (health-care delivery where physicians examine distant patients using telecommunications technologies) has been heralded as one of several possible solutions to some of the medical dilemmas that face many developing countries. In this study, we examine the current state of telemedicine in a developing country, India. Telemedicine has brought a plethora of benefits to the populace of India, especially those living in rural and remote areas (constituting about 70% of India's population). We discuss three Indian telemedicine implementation cases, consolidate lessons learned from the cases, and culminate with potential researchable critical success factors that account for the growth and modest successes of telemedicine in India. ?? 2005 IEEE.

Health lessons learned from the recent earthquakes and Tsunami in Asia.

PubMed

de Ville de Goyet, Claudele

2007-01-01

The evaluations following the Tsunami that affected 12 countries (December 2004) and the earthquakes in Bam, Iran (2003), and in Pakistan (2005) offered valuable lessons for public health preparedness against all types of risks (natural, complex, or technological) in all countries (regardless their level of development). The lessons learned, needs assessments, effectiveness of external life-saving assistance, disease surveillance and control, as well as donations management, were reviewed. Although hundreds of surveys or studies were conducted, the needs assessments were partial and uncoordinated. The findings often were not shared by individual agencies. The evaluations in each of the three disasters point to some additional issues: 1. Foreign mobile hospitals rarely arrived in time for immediate trauma care. Existing international guidelines for the use of field hospitals often were ignored and must be updated and promoted. Local and neighboring facilities are best at providing immediate, life-saving care; 2. Occassionally, the risk of epidemics was grossly overestimated by the agencies and the mass media. Surveillance and improved routine control programs work without resorting to costly, improvised immunization campaigns of doubtless value. Improving or re-establishing water and sanitation must be the first priority; 3. Health donations were not always appropriate, nor did they follow the World Health Organization guidelines. The costly destruction of inappropriate donations was a recurrent problem; and 4. Medical volunteers from within the affected country were abounding, but did not benefit from the external logistical and material support. The international community should provide logistical and material support before sending expatriate teams that are unfamiliar with the area and its alth problems. Investing in the preparedness of the national health services and communities should become a priority for disaster-prone countries and those assisting them in their development.

Development of the National Health Information Systems in Botswana: Pitfalls, prospects and lessons.

PubMed

Seitio-Kgokgwe, Onalenna; Gauld, Robin D C; Hill, Philip C; Barnett, Pauline

2015-01-01

Studies evaluating development of health information systems in developing countries are limited. Most of the available studies are based on pilot projects or cross-sectional studies. We took a longitudinal approach to analysing the development of Botswana's health information systems. We aimed to: (i) trace the development of the national health information systems in Botswana (ii) identify pitfalls during development and prospects that could be maximized to strengthen the system; and (iii) draw lessons for Botswana and other countries working on establishing or improving their health information systems. This article is based on data collected through document analysis and key informant interviews with policy makers, senior managers and staff of the Ministry of Health and senior officers from various stakeholder organizations. Lack of central coordination, weak leadership, weak policy and regulatory frameworks, and inadequate resources limited development of the national health information systems in Botswana. Lack of attention to issues of organizational structure is one of the major pitfalls. The ongoing reorganization of the Ministry of Health provides opportunity to reposition the health information system function. The current efforts including development of the health information management policy and plan could enhance the health information management system.

German experience in managing stormwater with green infrastructure

EPA Science Inventory

This paper identifies and describes experience with ‘green’ stormwater management practices in Germany. It provides the context in which developments took place and extracts lessons learned to inform efforts of other countries in confronting urban stormwater challenges. Our findi...

National Communicable Disease Surveillance System: A review on Information and Organizational Structures in Developed Countries.

PubMed

Bagherian, Hossein; Farahbakhsh, Mohammad; Rabiei, Reza; Moghaddasi, Hamid; Asadi, Farkhondeh

2017-12-01

To obtain necessary information for managing communicable diseases, different countries have developed national communicable diseases surveillance systems (NCDSS). Exploiting the lesson learned from the leading countries in development of surveillance systems provides the foundation for developing these systems in other countries. In this study, the information and organizational structure of NCDSS in developed countries were reviewed. The study reviewed publications found on the organizational structure, content and data flow of NCDSS in the United States of America (USA), Australia and Germany that were published in English between 2000 and 2016. The publications were identified by searching the CINAHL, Science Direct, ProQuest, PubMed, Google Scholar databases and the related databases in selected countries. Thirty-four studies were investigated. All of the reviewed countries have implemented the NCDSS. In majority of countries the department of health (DoH) is responsible for managing this system. The reviewed countries have created a minimum data set for reporting communicable diseases data and information. For developing NCDSS, establishing coordinator centers, setting the effective policies and procedures, providing appropriate communication infrastructures for data exchange and defining a communicable diseases minimum data set are essential.

Developing a Systemic Approach to Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: Emerging Lessons from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardman, Frank; Ackers, Jim; Abrishamian, Niki; O'Sullivan, Margo

2011-01-01

While many countries in Eastern and Southern Africa are on track for meeting the Education for All targets, there is a growing recognition of the need to improve the quality of basic education and that a focus on pedagogy and its training implications needs to be at the heart of this commitment. By drawing on three East African countries, Kenya,…

Achieving Universal Health Coverage by Focusing on Primary Care in Japan: Lessons for Low- and Middle-Income Countries

PubMed Central

Ikegami, Naoki

2016-01-01

When the Japanese government adopted Western medicine in the late nineteenth century, it left intact the infrastructure of primary care by giving licenses to the existing practitioners and by initially setting the hurdle for entry into medical school low. Public financing of hospitals was kept minimal so that almost all of their revenue came from patient charges. When social health insurance (SHI) was introduced in 1927, benefits were focused on primary care services delivered by physicians in clinics, and not on hospital services. This was reflected in the development and subsequent revisions of the fee schedule. The policy decisions which have helped to retain primary care services might provide lessons for achieving universal health coverage in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). PMID:27239877

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine introduction in Latin America and the Caribbean: progress and lessons learned.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Lucia Helena; Trumbo, Silas Pierson; Ruiz Matus, Cuauhtémoc; Sanwogou, N Jennifer; Toscano, Cristiana M

2016-10-01

In Latin America and the Caribbean, pneumococcus has been estimated to cause 12,000-28,000 deaths, 182,000 hospitalizations, and 1.4 million clinic visits annually. Countries in the Americas have been among the first developing nations to introduce pneumococcal conjugate vaccines into their Expanded Programs on Immunization, with 34 countries and territories having introduced these vaccines as of September 2015. Lessons learned for successful vaccine introduction include the importance of coordination between political and technical decision makers, adjustments to the cold chain prior to vaccine introduction, and the need for detailed plans addressing the financial and technical sustainability of introduction. Though many questions on the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine remain unanswered, the experience of the Americas suggests that the vaccines can be introduced quickly and effectively.

The role of global public health strategy in non-profit organisational change at country level: lessons from the joining of Save the Children and Merlin in Myanmar.

PubMed

Campbell, Fiona M; Balabanova, Dina; Howard, Natasha

2018-01-01

The paper presents a case study that critically assesses the role of global strategy 'Public Health on the Frontline 2014-2015' ('the Strategy') in supporting Merlin and Save the Children's organisational change and future programme of the combined organisation in Myanmar. Research was undertaken in 2014 in Myanmar. Twenty-six individual and three group interviews were conducted with stakeholders, and 10 meetings relevant to the country organisational transition process were observed. A conceptual framework was developed to assess the role of the global strategy in supporting the country change process. Several positive aspects of the global strategy were found, as well as critical shortcomings in its support to the organisational change process at country level. The strategy was useful in signalling Save the Children's intention to scale up humanitarian health provision. However, it had only limited influence on the early change process and outcomes in Myanmar. Results highlight several aspects that would enhance the role of a global strategy at country level. Lessons can be applied by organisations undertaking a similar process. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Local Alliances for Girls' Education Guinea, 1997-2005: Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Jennifer

2005-01-01

Countless studies over the past decade and more all point to a single, undeniable conclusion: educating girls is imperative to the development of nations. Increasingly, data suggest that educating girls is not only beneficial to developing countries but that it has a greater impact than educating boys. Better educated women have smaller,…

Scouts Serving the Cause of Literacy. Literacy Lessons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreillon, Jacques

Scouting is an expanding worldwide youth movement, with more than 16 million members in 169 countries and territories. Its goal is to contribute to the physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual development of young people. Since participation in development is one of the cornerstones of their program, scouts cannot ignore the challenge that…

The North American Career Development Partnership: Experiment in International Collaboration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carslon, Burton L.; Goguen, Robert A.; Jarvis, Phillip S.; Lester, Juliette N.

2000-01-01

Describes how career development programs became the focus of an international partnership between the United States and Canada. Traces the history of each country's efforts, beginning in the 1970s, which led to this significant international collaboration. Concludes with a discussion of the lessons learned from these experiences. (Author/JDM)

Developing, Approving and Maintaining Qualifications: Selected International Approaches. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Misko, Josie

2015-01-01

There are lessons for Australia in the key approaches to the development, approval, maintenance and quality assurance of qualifications adopted in countries overseas. This research takes into account a range of approaches used in selected European Union (EU) member states (Germany, Finland and Sweden), the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland…

Learning from Japanese Approach to Teachers' Professional Development: Can "Jugyou Kenkyu" Work in Other Countries?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masami, Matoba; Reza, Sarkar Arani M.

2005-01-01

This paper tries to present a careful analysis of current trends and challenges to importing Japanese model of teachers' professional development. The objective is to examine what "we" can learn from Japanese approach to improving instruction, especially "Jugyou Kenkyu" (Lesson Study) as a collaborative research on the…

Lessons from Bhutan: Embrace Cultural Differences to Effect Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levine, Laurie; Telsey, Alison; McCormack, Kim

2011-01-01

Nestled in the Himalayan Mountains, Bhutan, a Buddhist country, is one of the most isolated nations in the world. After spending a month there, the authors all agreed it deserved its title of "The Last Shangri-La." Their team of professional development specialists spent the summer of 2010 providing professional development in the basic…

Creating sustainable financing and support for immunization programs in fifteen developing countries.

PubMed

McQuestion, Michael; Gnawali, Devendra; Kamara, Clifford; Kizza, Diana; Mambu-Ma-Disu, Helene; Mbwangue, Jonas; de Quadros, Ciro

2011-06-01

Immunization programs are important tools for reducing child mortality, and they need to be in place for each new generation. However, most national immunization programs in developing countries are financially and organizationally weak, in part because they depend heavily on funding from foreign sources. Through its Sustainable Immunization Financing Program, launched in 2007, the Sabin Vaccine Institute is working with fifteen African and Asian countries to establish stable internal funding for their immunization programs. The Sabin program advocates strengthening immunization programs through budget reforms, decentralization, and legislation. Six of the fifteen countries have increased their national immunization budgets, and nine are preparing legislation to finance immunization sustainably. Lessons from this work with immunization programs may be applicable in other countries as well as to other health programs.

The Relationship between Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers' Focus on Student Thinking in Lesson Analysis and Lesson Planning Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylan, Rukiye Didem

2018-01-01

This study explored whether pre-service teachers' (PSTs') lesson analysis skills during a teacher education course in the country of Turkey were related to their skills of lesson planning. PSTs' lesson analysis skills during fieldwork were assessed by their attention to and interpretation of student thinking and learning, and how it is influenced…

The process of changing national malaria treatment policy: lessons from country-level studies.

PubMed

Williams, Holly Ann; Durrheim, David; Shretta, Rima

2004-11-01

Widespread resistance of Plasmodium falciparum parasites to commonly used antimalarials, such as chloroquine, has resulted in many endemic countries considering changing their malaria treatment policy. Identifying and understanding the key influences that affect decision-making, and factors that facilitate or undermine policy implementation, is critical for improving the policy process and guiding resource allocation during this process. A historical review of archival documents from Malaŵi and data obtained from in-depth policy studies in four countries (Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya and Peru) that have changed malaria treatment policy provides important lessons about decision-making, the policy cycle and complex policy environment, while specifically identifying strategies successfully employed to facilitate policy-making and implementation. Findings from these country-level studies indicate that the process of malaria drug policy review should be institutionalized in endemic countries and based on systematically collected data. Key stakeholders need to be identified early and engaged in the process, while improved communication is needed on all levels. Although malaria drug policy change is often perceived to be a daunting task, using these and other proven strategies should assist endemic countries to tackle this challenge in a systematic fashion that ensures the development and implementation of the rational malaria drug policy.

Lessons Learned from Twelve Years of Partnered Tobacco Cessation Research in the Dominican Republic

PubMed Central

Ossip, Deborah J.; Diaz, Sergio; Quiñones, Zahira; McIntosh, Scott; Dozier, Ann; Chin, Nancy; Weber, Emily; Holderness, Heather; Torres, Essie; Bautista, Arisleyda; Sanchez, Jose Javier; Avendaño, Esteban; De Ver Dye, Timothy; McDonald, Paul; Bianco, Eduardo

2017-01-01

Engaging partners for tobacco control within low and middle income countries (LMICs) at early stages of tobacco control presents both challenges and opportunities in the global effort to avert the one billion premature tobacco caused deaths projected for this century. The Dominican Republic (DR) is one such early stage country. The current paper reports on lessons learned from 12 years of partnered United States (US)-DR tobacco cessation research conducted through two NIH trials (Proyecto Doble T, PDT1 and 2). The projects began with a grassroots approach of working with interested communities to develop and test interventions for cessation and secondhand smoke reduction that could benefit the communities, while concurrently building local capacity and providing resources, data, and models of implementation that could be used to ripple upward to expand partnerships and tobacco intervention efforts nationally. Lessons learned are discussed in four key areas: partnering for research, logistical issues in setting up the research project, disseminating and national networking, and mentoring. Effectively addressing the global tobacco epidemic will require sustained focus on supporting LMIC infrastructures for tobacco control, drawing on lessons learned across partnered trials such as those reported here, to provide feasible and innovative approaches for addressing this modifiable public health crisis. PMID:29104673

Lessons Learned from Twelve Years of Partnered Tobacco Cessation Research in the Dominican Republic.

PubMed

Ossip, Deborah J; Diaz, Sergio; Quiñones, Zahira; McIntosh, Scott; Dozier, Ann; Chin, Nancy; Weber, Emily; Holderness, Heather; Torres, Essie; Bautista, Arisleyda; Sanchez, Jose Javier; Avendaño, Esteban; De Ver Dye, Timothy; McDonald, Paul; Bianco, Eduardo

2016-06-01

Engaging partners for tobacco control within low and middle income countries (LMICs) at early stages of tobacco control presents both challenges and opportunities in the global effort to avert the one billion premature tobacco caused deaths projected for this century. The Dominican Republic (DR) is one such early stage country. The current paper reports on lessons learned from 12 years of partnered United States (US)-DR tobacco cessation research conducted through two NIH trials (Proyecto Doble T, PDT1 and 2). The projects began with a grassroots approach of working with interested communities to develop and test interventions for cessation and secondhand smoke reduction that could benefit the communities, while concurrently building local capacity and providing resources, data, and models of implementation that could be used to ripple upward to expand partnerships and tobacco intervention efforts nationally. Lessons learned are discussed in four key areas: partnering for research, logistical issues in setting up the research project, disseminating and national networking, and mentoring. Effectively addressing the global tobacco epidemic will require sustained focus on supporting LMIC infrastructures for tobacco control, drawing on lessons learned across partnered trials such as those reported here, to provide feasible and innovative approaches for addressing this modifiable public health crisis.

Family planning and sexual health organizations: management lessons for health system reform.

PubMed

Ambegaokar, Maia; Lush, Louisiana

2004-10-01

Advocates of health system reform are calling for, among other things, decentralized, autonomous managerial and financial control, use of contracting and incentives, and a greater reliance on market mechanisms in the delivery of health services. The family planning and sexual health (FP&SH) sector already has experience of these. In this paper, we set forth three typical means of service provision within the FP&SH sector since the mid-1900s: independent not-for-profit providers, vertical government programmes and social marketing programmes. In each case, we present the context within which the service delivery mechanism evolved, the management techniques that characterize it and the lessons learned in FP&SH that are applicable to the wider debate about improving health sector management. We conclude that the FP&SH sector can provide both positive and negative lessons in the areas of autonomous management, use of incentives to providers and acceptors, balancing of centralization against decentralization, and employing private sector marketing and distribution techniques for delivering health services. This experience has not been adequately acknowledged in the debates about how to improve the quality and quantity of health services for the poor in developing countries. Health sector reform advocates and FP&SH advocates should collaborate within countries and regions to apply these management lessons. Copyright 2004 Oxford University Press

Building capacity for implementation of the framework convention for tobacco control in Vietnam: lessons for developing countries

PubMed Central

Stillman, Frances A.; David, Annette M.; Kibria, Naseeb; Phan, Hai Thi

2014-01-01

Effective implementation of the WHO international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is the key to controlling the tobacco epidemic. Within countries, strong national tobacco control capacity is the primary determinant for successful implementation of the FCTC. This case study of tobacco control policy describes the experience of building national tobacco control capacity in Vietnam under the Reduce Smoking in Vietnam Partnership project within a national capacity-building framework. In the Vietnam experience, four components of tobacco control capacity emerged as especially important to achieve ‘quality’ outputs and measurable outcomes at the implementation level: (i) organizational structure/infrastructure; (ii) leadership and expertise; (iii) partnerships and networks and (iv) data and evidence from research. The experience gained in this project helps in adapting our tobacco control capacity-building model, and the lessons that emerged from this country case study can provide guidance to global funders, tobacco control technical assistance providers and nations as governments endeavor to meet their commitment to the FCTC. PMID:23411160

Capacity Building through Operational Research Training in Tobacco Control: Experiences and Lesson Learned.

PubMed

Goel, Sonu; V Kumar, Ajay M; Aggarwal, Arun Kumar; Singh, Rana J; Lal, Pranay; Kumar, Ravinder; Gupta, Madhu; Dogra, Vishal; Gupta, Deepti

2018-01-01

Several competing priorities with health and development sector currently deter research, and as a result of which evidence does not drive policy- or decision-making. There is limited operational research (OR) within the India's National Tobacco Control Programme, as it is in other middle- and low-income countries, primarily due to limited capacity and skills in undertaking OR and lack of dedicated funding. Few models of OR have been developed to meet the needs of different settings; however, they were found to be costly and time-consuming. To elucidate a cost-effective and less resource arduous training model for building capacity in OR focused on tobacco control. This 5½-day partly funded course enrolled 15 participants across the country and nine facilitators. The facilitator-participants interactions were initiated 2 weeks before the course, which enabled them to develop possible research questions and a plan for data analysis. This article presents the new OR model along with experiences of the participants which will provide useful insights on lessons learned for planning similar courses in the future. While we faced several challenges in the process and the outputs were modest, several lessons were learned which will be instrumental in the future courses that we are planning to conduct. This low cost and less time intensive model can be applied in similar settings across range of public health issues.

Contrasting Urban Lifestyles in Brazil. A Precollegiate Curriculum Unit: Grades Six-Twelve.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanford Univ., CA. Stanford Program on International and Cross Cultural Education.

This unit, designed for use with students in grades 6-12, concerns the diverse and unifying forces that characterize life in Brazil's urban centers. Comprised of seven lessons and used with a set of slides, lesson 1, "Geography," distinguishes Brazil from other South American countries through an examination of the country's geographic…

Lessons Learned from Arsenic Mitigation among Private Well Households.

PubMed

Zheng, Yan

2017-09-01

Many thousands of research papers have been published on the occurrence, health effects, and mitigation of arsenic in drinking water sourced from groundwater around the world. Here, an attempt is made to summarize this large body of knowledge into a small number of lessons. This is an opinion paper reflecting on why we are far from the goal of eliminating this silent and widespread poison to protect the health of many millions. The lessons are drawn from research in countries representing a range of economic development and cultural contexts. The replacement of household wells with centralized water supplies has reduced population level exposure to moderate (50-100 μg/L) and high (>100 μg/L) levels of arsenic in drinking water in some countries as they become wealthier. However, there remains a very large rural population in all countries where the exposure to low levels (10-50 μg/L) of arsenic continues due to its dispersed occurrence in the environment and frequent reliance on private well. A set of natural (geological and biological), socioeconomic, and behavioral barriers to progress are summarized as lessons. They range from challenges in identifying the exposed households due to spatially heterogeneous arsenic distribution in groundwater, difficulties in quantifying the exposure let alone reducing the exposure, failures in maintaining compliance to arsenic drinking water standards, to misplaced risk perceptions and environmental justice issues. Environmental health professionals have an ethical obligation to help As mitigation among private well water households, along with physicians, hydrogeologists, water treatment specialists, community organizations, and government.

Lessons Learned from Arsenic Mitigation among Private Well Households

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Purpose of Review Many thousands of research papers have been published on the occurrence, health effects, and mitigation of arsenic in drinking water sourced from groundwater around the world. Here, an attempt is made to summarize this large body of knowledge into a small number of lessons. Recent Findings This is an opinion paper reflecting on why we are far from the goal of eliminating this silent and widespread poison to protect the health of many millions. The lessons are drawn from research in countries representing a range of economic development and cultural contexts. The replacement of household wells with centralized water supplies has reduced population level exposure to moderate (50–100 μg/L) and high (>100 μg/L) levels of arsenic in drinking water in some countries as they become wealthier. However, there remains a very large rural population in all countries where the exposure to low levels (10–50 μg/L) of arsenic continues due to its dispersed occurrence in the environment and frequent reliance on private well. A set of natural (geological and biological), socioeconomic, and behavioral barriers to progress are summarized as lessons. They range from challenges in identifying the exposed households due to spatially heterogeneous arsenic distribution in groundwater, difficulties in quantifying the exposure let alone reducing the exposure, failures in maintaining compliance to arsenic drinking water standards, to misplaced risk perceptions and environmental justice issues. Summary Environmental health professionals have an ethical obligationtohelpAsmitigationamongprivatewellwaterhouse-holds, along with physicians, hydrogeologists, water treatment specialists, community organizations, and government. PMID:28741248

Strategic management of the health workforce in developing countries: what have we learned?

PubMed

Fritzen, Scott A

2007-02-26

The study of the health workforce has gained in prominence in recent years, as the dynamic interconnections between human resource issues and health system effectiveness have come into sharper focus. This paper reviews lessons relating to strategic management challenges emerging from the growing literature in this area. Workforce issues are strategic: they affect overall system performance as well as the feasibility and sustainability of health reforms. Viewing workforce issues strategically forces health authorities to confront the yawning gaps between policy and implementation in many developing countries. Lessons emerge in four areas. One concerns imbalances in workforce structure, whether from a functional specialization, geographical or facility lens. These imbalances pose a strategic challenge in that authorities must attempt to steer workforce distribution over time using a limited range of policy tools. A second group of lessons concerns the difficulties of central-level steering of the health workforce, often critically weak due to the lack of proper information systems and the complexities of public sector decentralization and service commercialization trends affecting the grassroots.A third cluster examines worker capacity and motivation, often shaped in developing countries as much by the informal norms and incentives as by formal attempts to support workers or to hold them accountable. Finally, a range of reforms centering on service contracting and improvements to human resource management are emerging. Since these have as a necessary (but not sufficient) condition some flexibility in personnel practices, recent trends towards the sharing of such functions with local authorities are promising. The paper identifies a number of current lines of productive research, focusing on the relationship between health policy reforms and the local institutional environments in which the workforce, both public and private, is deployed.

How to Improve the ROK and U.S. Military Alliance Against North Korea’s Threats to Cyberspace: Lessons From NATO’s Defense Cooperation

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

For instance, when Unit 121 created a supercomputer for decryption and encryption efforts by combining imported high -end qualified computers, Kim...developed and undeveloped countries, but the cyber-attacks by North Korea can double the effect by inflaming psychological fears when combined with other...lessons that the ROK and U.S. alliance can glean from NATO’s cyber cooperation. To maintain the balance of power with the ROK, North Korea has

International Policies on Sharing Genomic Research Results with Relatives: Approaches to Balancing Privacy with Access.

PubMed

Branum, Rebecca; Wolf, Susan M

2015-01-01

Returning genetic research results to relatives raises complex issues. In order to inform the U.S. debate, this paper analyzes international law and policies governing the sharing of genetic research results with relatives and identifies key themes and lessons. The laws and policies from other countries demonstrate a range of approaches to balancing individual privacy and autonomy with family access for health benefit, offering important lessons for further development of approaches in the United States. © 2015 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

Pedal Power Goes Global. Twelfth Grade Economics Lesson Plan. Schools of California Online Resources for Education (SCORE): Connecting California's Classrooms to the World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antillas, Madeline

Many factors must be considered when a company decides to market its product in another country. It must research the targeted country to determine if there is a demand for the product, decide on product modifications needed to match the new market, and develop a plan to market and distribute the product in this new business environment. In this…

A data infrastructure for the assessment of health care performance: lessons from the BRIDGE-health project.

PubMed

Bernal-Delgado, Enrique; Estupiñán-Romero, Francisco

2018-01-01

The integration of different administrative data sources from a number of European countries has been shown useful in the assessment of unwarranted variations in health care performance. This essay describes the procedures used to set up a data infrastructure (e.g., data access and exchange, definition of the minimum common wealth of data required, and the development of the relational logic data model) and, the methods to produce trustworthy healthcare performance measurements (e.g., ontologies standardisation and quality assurance analysis). The paper ends providing some hints on how to use these lessons in an eventual European infrastructure on public health research and monitoring. Although the relational data infrastructure developed has been proven accurate, effective to compare health system performance across different countries, and efficient enough to deal with hundred of millions of episodes, the logic data model might not be responsive if the European infrastructure aims at including electronic health records and carrying out multi-cohort multi-intervention comparative effectiveness research. The deployment of a distributed infrastructure based on semantic interoperability, where individual data remain in-country and open-access scripts for data management and analysis travel around the hubs composing the infrastructure, might be a sensible way forward.

Global Warming on the International Agenda. Teaching Strategy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keenan-Byrne, Patricia; Malkasian, Mark

1997-01-01

Presents a lesson plan that teaches students the links between industrialization and global warming, and analyzes the conflicting values and priorities involved in the debate between economic development and environmental concerns. Students role play delegates from countries attending an environmental conference. Handouts provide background…

Fast Track Initiative: Building a Global Compact for Education. Education Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Human Development Network Education, 2005

2005-01-01

This note series is intended to summarize lessons learned and key policy findings on the World Bank's work in education. "Fast Track Initiative" ("FTI") was launched in 2002 as a partnership between donor and developing countries to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of universal primary education. "FTI" is built on…

Lessons from the Field: Developing and Implementing the Qatar Student Assessment System, 2002-2006. Technical Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, Gabriella; Le, Vi-Nhuan; Broer, Markus; Mariano, Louis T.; Froemel, J. Enrique; Goldman, Charles A.; DaVanzo, Julie

2009-01-01

Qatar has recently positioned itself to be a leader in education. Central to the country's efforts is the implementation of reforms to its K-12 education system. Central to the reform initiatives was the development of internationally benchmarked curriculum standards in four subjects: Arabic, English as a foreign language, mathematics, and…

Strengthening monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and building sustainable health information systems in resource limited countries: lessons learned from an M&E task-shifting initiative in Botswana.

PubMed

Mpofu, Mulamuli; Semo, Bazghina-Werq; Grignon, Jessica; Lebelonyane, Refeletswe; Ludick, Steven; Matshediso, Ellah; Sento, Baraedi; Ledikwe, Jenny H

2014-10-03

The demand for quality data and the interest in health information systems has increased due to the need for country-level progress reporting towards attainment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and global health initiatives. To improve monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of health programs in Botswana, 51 recent university graduates with no experience in M&E were recruited and provided with on-the-job training and mentoring to develop a new cadre of health worker: the district M&E officer. Three years after establishment of the cadre, an assessment was conducted to document achievements and lessons learnt. This qualitative assessment included in-depth interviews at the national level (n = 12) with officers from government institutions, donor agencies, and technical organizations; and six focus group discussions separately with district M&E officers, district managers, and program officers coordinating different district health programs. Reported achievements of the cadre included improved health worker capacity to monitor and evaluate programs within the districts; improved data quality, management, and reporting; increased use of health data for disease surveillance, operational research, and planning purposes; and increased availability of time for nurses and other health workers to concentrate on core clinical duties. Lessons learnt from the assessment included: the importance of clarifying roles for newly established cadres, aligning resources and equipment to expectations, importance of stakeholder collaboration in implementation of sustainable programs, and ensuring retention of new cadres. The development of a dedicated M&E cadre at the district level contributed positively to health information systems in Botswana by helping build M&E capacity and improving data quality, management, and data use. This assessment has shown that such cadres can be developed sustainably if the initiative is country-led, focusing on recruitment and capacity-development of local counterparts, with a clear government retention plan.

A Critical Analysis of the Brazilian Response to HIV/AIDS: Lessons Learned for Controlling and Mitigating the Epidemic in Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Berkman, Alan; Garcia, Jonathan; Muñoz-Laboy, Miguel; Paiva, Vera; Parker, Richard

2005-01-01

The Brazilian National AIDS Program is widely recognized as the leading example of an integrated HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment program in a developing country. We critically analyze the Brazilian experience, distinguishing those elements that are unique to Brazil from the programmatic and policy decisions that can aid the development of similar programs in other low- and middle-income and developing countries. Among the critical issues that are discussed are human rights and solidarity, the interface of politics and public health, sexuality and culture, the integration of prevention and treatment, the transition from an epidemic rooted among men who have sex with men to one that increasingly affects women, and special prevention and treatment programs for injection drug users. PMID:15933232

Development and Implementation of Culturally Tailored Offline Mobile Health Surveys.

PubMed

McIntosh, Scott; Pérez-Ramos, José; Demment, Margaret M; Vélez Vega, Carmen; Avendaño, Esteban; Ossip, Deborah J; Dye, Timothy D

2016-06-02

In low and middle income countries (LMICs), and other areas with low resources and unreliable access to the Internet, understanding the emerging best practices for the implementation of new mobile health (mHealth) technologies is needed for efficient and secure data management and for informing public health researchers. Innovations in mHealth technology can improve on previous methods, and dissemination of project development details and lessons learned during implementation are needed to provide lessons learned to stakeholders in both the United States and LMIC settings. The aims of this paper are to share implementation strategies and lessons learned from the development and implementation stages of two survey research projects using offline mobile technology, and to inform and prepare public health researchers and practitioners to implement new mobile technologies in survey research projects in LMICs. In 2015, two survey research projects were developed and piloted in Puerto Rico and pre-tested in Costa Rica to collect face-to-face data, get formative evaluation feedback, and to test the feasibility of an offline mobile data collection process. Fieldwork in each setting involved survey development, back translation with cultural tailoring, ethical review and approvals, data collector training, and piloting survey implementation on mobile tablets. Critical processes and workflows for survey research projects in low resource settings were identified and implemented. This included developing a secure mobile data platform tailored to each survey, establishing user accessibility, and training and eliciting feedback from data collectors and on-site LMIC project partners. Formative and process evaluation strategies are necessary and useful for the development and implementation of survey research projects using emerging mHealth technologies in LMICs and other low resource settings. Lessons learned include: (1) plan institutional review board (IRB) approvals in multiple countries carefully to allow for development, implementation, and feedback, (2) in addition to testing the content of survey instruments, allow time and consideration for testing the use of novel mHealth technology (hardware and software), (3) incorporate training for and feedback from project staff, LMIC partner staff, and research participants, and (4) change methods accordingly, including content, as mHealth technology usage influences and is influenced by the content and structure of the survey instrument. Lessons learned from early phases of LMIC research projects using emerging mHealth technologies are critical for informing subsequent research methods and study designs.

Lessons from the history of the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic among Spanish drug injectors.

PubMed

De La Fuente, L; Bravo, M J; Barrio, G; Parras, F; Suárez, M; Rodés, A; Noguer, I

2003-12-15

In Spain, approximately 10 years passed between the time when human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) harm-reduction programs should have been developed with sufficient coverage to have an optimum impact on public health (before the HIV/AIDS epidemic's explosion in 1984) and the date of their actual implementation. This delay yielded an enormous cost for the country. The introduction of the virus in drug injector networks during a period of widespread diffusion of heroin injection and the lack of political awareness of the growing problem were 2 important factors that contributed to the important diffusion of the HIV infection among Spanish injection drug users. Lessons can be learned that may be of great interest in countries or territories facing similar challenges now and in the future.

Achieving Universal Health Coverage by Focusing on Primary Care in Japan: Lessons for Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

PubMed

Ikegami, Naoki

2016-02-25

When the Japanese government adopted Western medicine in the late nineteenth century, it left intact the infrastructure of primary care by giving licenses to the existing practitioners and by initially setting the hurdle for entry into medical school low. Public financing of hospitals was kept minimal so that almost all of their revenue came from patient charges. When social health insurance (SHI) was introduced in 1927, benefits were focused on primary care services delivered by physicians in clinics, and not on hospital services. This was reflected in the development and subsequent revisions of the fee schedule. The policy decisions which have helped to retain primary care services might provide lessons for achieving universal health coverage in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Interdisciplinary Student/Teacher Materials in Energy, the Environment, and the Economy: Agriculture, Energy, and Society, Grades 10, 11, 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brock, Phyllis; And Others

This interdisciplinary instructional unit contains eleven lessons for grades 10-12 which focus on the energy component of food production. There are lessons which contrast food production systems in various cultures and also lessons which look at different systems and techniques in use in this country. There are lessons dealing with organic…

The Geography of Germany, Lessons for Teaching the Five Themes of Geography. Social Studies Grades 9-12. Update 1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blankenship, Glen; Tinkler, D. William

These lessons, designed for high school classrooms, focus on the country of Germany in teaching the five themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, and region). The lessons can be used individually via integration into the curriculum or collectively used as a complete stand-alone unit. The lessons are desigend…

Health Care for Older Adults in Uganda: Lessons for the Developing World.

PubMed

Tam, Wai Jia; Yap, Philip

2017-06-01

Approximately two-thirds of the world's older adults live in developing nations. By 2050, as many as 80% of such older people will live in low- and middle-income countries. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, the number of individuals aged 60 and older is projected to reach 163 million. Despite this demographic wave, the majority of Africa has limited access to qualified geriatric health care. 3 Although foreign aid and capacity-building efforts can help to close this gap over time, it is likely that failure to understand the unique context of Africa's older adults, many of whom are marginalized, will lead to inadequacies in service delivery and poor health outcomes. 4 As the need for culturally competent care of older adults gains recognition in the developed world, research in geriatric care in developing countries should progress in tandem. 4 By examining the multidimensional challenges that an older woman with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in rural Uganda faces, this article makes contextualized policy recommendations for older adults in Africa and provides lessons for the developing world. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

Prayer Lessons to Promote Happiness among Kindergarten School Children: A Cross-Country Experimental Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pandya, Samta P.

2018-01-01

Based on a one-year longitudinal experimental study with 3,782 kindergarten school children across 15 countries, this article examines the association between prayer and happiness. Results show that the post-test scores on the faces scale were higher for the participant group who had taken the prayer lessons vis-à-vis the comparison group.…

1981 LTA technology assessment - Past and present

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashford, R. L.; Levitt, B. B.; Mayer, N. J.; Vocar, J. M.; Woodward, D. E.

1981-01-01

A four-part presentation is made of (1) lessons learned from the design and operation of the 'classic' airships of the 1920s and 30s, with respect to such issues as construction, propulsion, control, instrumentation, ground handling, habitability, aerodynamics, and structure and construction; (2) lessons learned from the development of such specialized lighter-than-air (LTA) concepts as metal-clad airships, semi-buoyant lifting bodies, experimental, sport and commercial free balloons, high-altitude platforms, and tethered aerostats; (3) the current status of LTA technology in various countries, with emphasis on significant developments in configuration, dynamics, control, structures, materials, and propulsion; and (4) a projection of future trends. It is concluded that socio-economic factors will strongly influence and encourage LTA development in the 1990s.

Sharing the Benefits of Research Fairly: Two Approaches

PubMed Central

Millum, Joseph

2016-01-01

Research projects sponsored by rich countries or companies and carried out in developing countries are frequently described as exploitative. One important debate about the prevention of exploitation in research centers on whether and how clinical research in developing countries should be responsive to local health problems. This paper analyses the responsiveness debate and draws out more general lessons for how policy makers can prevent exploitation in various research contexts. There are two independent ways to do this in the face of entrenched power differences: to impose restrictions on the content of benefit-sharing arrangements, and to institute independent effective oversight. Which method should be chosen is highly dependent on context. PMID:21947808

Lessons for health care reform from the less developed world: the case of the Philippines.

PubMed

Obermann, Konrad; Jowett, Matthew R; Taleon, Juanito D; Mercado, Melinda C

2008-11-01

International technical and financial cooperation for health-sector reform is usually a one-way street: concepts, tools and experiences are transferred from more to less developed countries. Seldom, if ever, are experiences from less developed countries used to inform discussions on reforms in the developed world. There is, however, a case to be made for considering experiences in less developed countries. We report from the Philippines, a country with high population growth, slow economic development, a still immature democracy and alleged large-scale corruption, which has embarked on a long-term path of health care and health financing reforms. Based on qualitative health-related action research between 2002 and 2005, we have identified three crucial factors for achieving progress on reforms in a challenging political environment: (1) strive for local solutions, (2) make use of available technology and (3) work on the margins towards pragmatic solutions whilst having your ethical goals in mind. Some reflection on these factors might stimulate and inform the debate on how health care reforms could be pursued in developed countries.

Science Education in Global Perspective: Lessons from Five Countries. Selected Papers Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (Washington, D.C., January 3-8, 1982). AAAS Selected Symposium 100.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Margrete Siebert, Ed.; Rutherford, F. James, Ed.

Designed to provide an international cross-section of data on science and mathematics education, this document describes the educational systems of countries that developed innovative approaches to science education. The science-centered systems of Japan, People's Republic of China, East Germany, West Germany, and the Soviet Union are featured in…

Green Power Marketing Abroad: Recent Experience and Trends

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bird, L.; Wustenhagen, R.; Aabakken, J.

Green power marketing--the act of differentially selling electricity generated wholly or in part from renewable sources--has emerged in more than a dozen countries around the world. This report reviews green power marketing activity abroad to gain additional perspective on consumer demand and to discern key factors or policies that affect the development of green power markets. The objective is to draw lessons from experience in other countries that could be applicable to the U.S. market.

Population Education in Mathematics: Some Sample Lessons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and Oceania.

This mathematics teacher's manual contains ten sample lessons on population growth and demography that were adapted from materials produced in several countries in Asia and Oceania. Among the mathematics concepts and skills students apply during these lessons are set theory, cardinal and ordinal numbers, frequency tallies, percentages, ratios,…

Higher Education and Economic Development in the OECD: Policy Lessons for Other Countries and Regions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinheiro, Rómulo; Pillay, Pundy

2016-01-01

This paper sheds light on the role of tertiary or higher education in economic development across two successful OECD case studies: Finland and South Korea. A number of key aspects are discussed, from the nature of the social contract between higher education and the economy to the endogenous characteristics of domestic higher education to the…

Improving Learning in Rural Lower Primary School through Provision of Informal ECD: Lessons from an NGO Model in Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ezati, Betty Akullu; Madanda, Aramanzan; Ahikire, Josephine

2018-01-01

Despite the importance of early childhood education in improving academic achievements in subsequent years and also in social development, it remains out of reach for majority of children in developing countries. This leaves informal education as the main preparation children in rural areas receive before entry into primary schools. This paper…

Lessons Learned While Developing, Adapting and Implementing a Pilot Parent-Mediated Behavioural Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Rural Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blake, Jasmine M.; Rubenstein, Eric; Tsai, Peng-Chou; Rahman, Hafizur; Rieth, Sarah R.; Ali, Hasmot; Lee, Li-Ching

2017-01-01

Low- and middle-income countries often have limited resources, underdeveloped health systems and scarce knowledge of autism spectrum disorder. The objectives of this preliminary study were to develop and adapt intervention materials and to train a native clinician to implement a community-based parent-mediated behavioural intervention in rural…

The Experimental World Literacy Programme: A Critical Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

In 1964, Unesco, the United Nations Development Programme, and the governments of 11 countries agreed to evolve an effective approach to the problem of world illiteracy, which included the implementation and testing of functional literacy activities. This report of the pilot projects and microexperiments attempts to present the lessons learned by…

Promoting Girls' and Women's Education: Lessons from the Past. Working Paper Series 715.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellew, Rosemary; King, Elizabeth M.

Expanding education, especially basic education, has been an object of education policy in developing countries over the past two decades. Identifying approaches undertaken by governments, non-governmental organizations, donor agencies, and communities to raise girls' and women's attendance in educational programs, this paper discusses the…

A framework for revising preservice curriculum for nonphysician clinicians: The mozambique experience.

PubMed

Freistadt, Fernanda; Branigan, Erin; Pupp, Chris; Stefanutto, Marzio; Bambo, Carlos; Alexandre, Maria; Pinheiro, Sandro O; Ballweg, Ruth; Dgedge, Martinho; O'Malley, Gabrielle; de Oliveira, Justine Strand

2014-01-01

Mozambique, with approximately 0.4 physicians and 4.1 nurses per 10,000 people, has one of the lowest ratios of health care providers to population in the world. To rapidly scale up health care coverage, the Mozambique Ministry of Health has pushed for greater investment in training nonphysician clinicians, Tιcnicos de Medicina (TM). Based on identified gaps in TM clinical performance, the Ministry of Health requested technical assistance from the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) to revise the two-and-a-half-year preservice curriculum. A six-step process was used to revise the curriculum: (i) Conducting a task analysis, (ii) defining a new curriculum approach and selecting an integrated model of subject and competency-based education, (iii) revising and restructuring the 30-month course schedule to emphasize clinical skills, (iv) developing a detailed syllabus for each course, (v) developing content for each lesson, and (vi) evaluating implementation and integrating feedback for ongoing improvement. In May 2010, the Mozambique Minister of Health approved the revised curriculum, which is currently being implemented in 10 training institutions around the country. Key lessons learned: (i) Detailed assessment of training institutions' strengths and weaknesses should inform curriculum revision. (ii) Establishing a Technical Working Group with respected and motivated clinicians is key to promoting local buy-in and ownership. (iii) Providing ready-to-use didactic material helps to address some challenges commonly found in resource-limited settings. (iv) Comprehensive curriculum revision is an important first step toward improving the quality of training provided to health care providers in developing countries. Other aspects of implementation at training institutions and health care facilities must also be addressed to ensure that providers are adequately trained and equipped to provide quality health care services. This approach to curriculum revision and implementation teaches several key lessons, which may be applicable to preservice training programs in other less developed countries.

Practical experience from the Office of Adolescent Health's large scale implementation of an evidence-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program.

PubMed

Margolis, Amy Lynn; Roper, Allison Yvonne

2014-03-01

After 3 years of experience overseeing the implementation and evaluation of evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs in a diversity of populations and settings across the country, the Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) has learned numerous lessons through practical application and new experiences. These lessons and experiences are applicable to those working to implement evidence-based programs on a large scale. The lessons described in this paper focus on what it means for a program to be implementation ready, the role of the program developer in replicating evidence-based programs, the importance of a planning period to ensure quality implementation, the need to define and measure fidelity, and the conditions necessary to support rigorous grantee-level evaluation. Published by Elsevier Inc.

An appraisal of China's progress toward the Millennium Development Goals as they relate to children.

PubMed

Strand, Mark A; Fischer, Philip R

2014-08-01

Since their inception in 2000, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have improved understanding of the global development process. Although the goals will not be significantly achieved on a global scale, each country has had accomplishments deserving of attention and analysis. With regard to the MDGs as they relate to children, China has made significant achievements, the deeper understanding of which might help in the process of refreshing the MDGs beyond 2015. China's accomplishments in economic development and human welfare, and the benefits this has brought to its children potentially teach lessons that can be modelled by other countries moving from low- to middle-income status.

Building capacity for implementation of the framework convention for tobacco control in Vietnam: lessons for developing countries.

PubMed

Stillman, Frances A; David, Annette M; Kibria, Naseeb; Phan, Hai Thi

2014-09-01

Effective implementation of the WHO international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is the key to controlling the tobacco epidemic. Within countries, strong national tobacco control capacity is the primary determinant for successful implementation of the FCTC. This case study of tobacco control policy describes the experience of building national tobacco control capacity in Vietnam under the Reduce Smoking in Vietnam Partnership project within a national capacity-building framework. In the Vietnam experience, four components of tobacco control capacity emerged as especially important to achieve 'quality' outputs and measurable outcomes at the implementation level: (i) organizational structure/infrastructure; (ii) leadership and expertise; (iii) partnerships and networks and (iv) data and evidence from research. The experience gained in this project helps in adapting our tobacco control capacity-building model, and the lessons that emerged from this country case study can provide guidance to global funders, tobacco control technical assistance providers and nations as governments endeavor to meet their commitment to the FCTC. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press.

Telemedicine for Developing Countries. A Survey and Some Design Issues.

PubMed

Combi, Carlo; Pozzani, Gabriele; Pozzi, Giuseppe

2016-11-02

Developing countries need telemedicine applications that help in many situations, when physicians are a small number with respect to the population, when specialized physicians are not available, when patients and physicians in rural villages need assistance in the delivery of health care. Moreover, the requirements of telemedicine applications for developing countries are somewhat more demanding than for developed countries. Indeed, further social, organizational, and technical aspects need to be considered for successful telemedicine applications in developing countries. We consider all the major projects in telemedicine, devoted to developing countries, as described by the proper scientific literature. On the basis of such literature, we want to define a specific taxonomy that allows a proper classification and a fast overview of telemedicine projects in developing countries. Moreover, by considering both the literature and some recent direct experiences, we want to complete such overview by discussing some design issues to be taken into consideration when developing telemedicine software systems. We considered and reviewed the major conferences and journals in depth, and looked for reports on the telemedicine projects. We provide the reader with a survey of the main projects and systems, from which we derived a taxonomy of features of telemedicine systems for developing countries. We also propose and discuss some classification criteria for design issues, based on the lessons learned in this research area. We highlight some challenges and recommendations to be considered when designing a telemedicine system for developing countries.

Telemedicine for Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Combi, Carlo; Pozzani, Gabriele

2016-01-01

Summary Background Developing countries need telemedicine applications that help in many situations, when physicians are a small number with respect to the population, when specialized physicians are not available, when patients and physicians in rural villages need assistance in the delivery of health care. Moreover, the requirements of telemedicine applications for developing countries are somewhat more demanding than for developed countries. Indeed, further social, organizational, and technical aspects need to be considered for successful telemedicine applications in developing countries. Objective We consider all the major projects in telemedicine, devoted to developing countries, as described by the proper scientific literature. On the basis of such literature, we want to define a specific taxonomy that allows a proper classification and a fast overview of telemedicine projects in developing countries. Moreover, by considering both the literature and some recent direct experiences, we want to complete such overview by discussing some design issues to be taken into consideration when developing telemedicine software systems. Methods We considered and reviewed the major conferences and journals in depth, and looked for reports on the telemedicine projects. Results We provide the reader with a survey of the main projects and systems, from which we derived a taxonomy of features of telemedicine systems for developing countries. We also propose and discuss some classification criteria for design issues, based on the lessons learned in this research area. Conclusions We highlight some challenges and recommendations to be considered when designing a telemedicine system for developing countries. PMID:27803948

Lessons learned from the casualties of war: battlefield medicine and its implication for global trauma care

PubMed Central

Boyle, Peter; Autier, Philippe; van Wees, Sibylle Herzig; Sullivan, Richard

2015-01-01

Summary According to the Global Burden of Disease, trauma is now responsible for five million deaths each year. High-income countries have made great strides in reducing trauma-related mortality figures but low–middle-income countries have been left behind with high trauma-related fatality rates, primarily in the younger population. Much of the progress high-income countries have made in managing trauma rests on advances developed in their armed forces. This analysis looks at the recent advances in high-income military trauma systems and the potential transferability of those developments to the civilian health systems particularly in low–middle-income countries. It also evaluates some potential lifesaving trauma management techniques, proven effective in the military, and the barriers preventing these from being implemented in civilian settings. PMID:25792616

EFA and Beyond: Service Provision and Quality Assurance in China. Education Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yidan

2005-01-01

This note series is intended to summarize lessons learned and key policy findings on the World Bank's work in education. Over the past 20 years China's education sector has provided many lessons for countries that are approaching Universal Primary Education (UPE). The most important lesson may be that the need for educational reform does not…

Stormwater Non-Potable Beneficial Uses and Effects on Urban Infrastructure (WERF Report INFR3SG09)

EPA Science Inventory

This project shows that lessons learned and successes from a wide variety of international stormwater beneficial use projects cover a range of conditions that may be found in the U.S. Examined are case studies from developing countries in both arid and wet climates, case studies...

Skilling Australians: Lessons from World War II National Workforce Development Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dymock, Darryl; Billett, Stephen

2010-01-01

Governments are currently mobilising their national workforces to compete effectively in a globalised economy where being export-effective and import-competitive are necessary to secure national economic and social goals. Australia is no exception here. Yet, in this country, as in others, similar mobilisations occurred in earlier times, most…

Including Students with Disabilities in Education for All: Lessons from Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franck, Brittany; Joshi, Devin K.

2017-01-01

This article addresses the inclusion of students with disabilities into the Education for All and Sustainable Development Goals agenda through a case study of Ethiopia, a country aiming to promote inclusive education amidst rapidly rising school enrolments. The article begins with a review of debates concerning inclusive education in the Global…

Using State and Local Studies to Teach Geographic Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Michael J.; And Others

1982-01-01

Lessons involve K-12 students in analyzing teacher-developed state and local thematic maps, identifying countries of the world with which their city has a linkage as indicated by local ethnic restaurants, discussing local companies involved in international trade, and learning about foreign-made products in their home and community. (RM)

Improving Teacher Quality: Lessons from America's "No Child Left Behind"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Emma; Gorard, Stephen

2007-01-01

How developed countries train, recruit and retain their schoolteachers is an area of considerable interest in education today. In this paper we consider how the US is addressing the issue of teacher quality by holding schools and school districts accountable for ensuring that all teachers of core subjects are "highly qualified" by the…

Chinese and Japanese Students' Conceptions of the "Ideal English Lesson"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Littlewood, William

2010-01-01

In developing strategies for increasing learner involvement, a key factor is the extent to which these strategies are compatible with learners' own expectations and preferences. In order to explore this factor, tertiary students in four Asian countries were asked (in an online survey designed on the basis of exploratory interviews) to give their…

Standard Setting Lessons Learned in the South African Context: Implications for International Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitoniak, Mary J.; Yeld, Nan

2013-01-01

Criterion-referenced assessments have become more common around the world, with performance standards being set to differentiate different levels of student performance. However, use of standard setting methods developed in the United States may be complicated by factors related to the political and educational contexts within another country. In…

Developing host-plant resistance for hemipteran soybean pests: lessons from soybean aphid and stink bugs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soybean is one of the world’s leading agricultural crops with multiple uses, including human food, animal feed, edible oil, biofuel, industrial products, cosmetics, etc. In soybean production, United States is the leading country with 33% of world’s total production of 251.5 million Metric tons. How...

Soil problems in China and its lessons for other developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, N.; Widjajanto, D. W.; Zheng, Y.

2018-01-01

With the rapid growth of economy in China for more than 35 years since 1980, the soils in China experienced severe chances featured in high input of chemical fertilizers indeed of organic fertilizers to pursue high yield for the ever-growing population and the increase of life style and in high input of a large amount of metals especially cadmium from manure and atmospheric deposition. The shift of fertilizer application pattern and the high-yield output greatly change the soil quality, of which soil acidification is one of the main problems. Soil acidification and high cadmium input not only caused pollution on the soil but also contaminated the food. Cadmium with high percentage based on the strict soil quality standard (cadmium 0.3 mg/kg for soil, 0.2 mg/kg for rice grain). This paper will elucidate the soil pollution process in China during this 35 years and evaluate the soil and food problem properly and it may give a lesson for other developing countries when they are pave the way of modernization.

Building Evidence for Sustainability of Food and Nutrition Intervention Programs in Developing Countries12

PubMed Central

Kim, Sunny S.; Rogers, Beatrice L.; Coates, Jennifer; Gilligan, Daniel O.; Sarriot, Eric

2013-01-01

After making large investments to put in place effective health and nutrition interventions, researchers, program implementers, policy makers, and donors all expect lasting effects. However, it is uncertain whether this is the case, and there is less certainty on how to approach the study of program sustainability. This symposium, “Building Evidence for Sustainability of Food and Nutrition Intervention Programs in Developing Countries,” provided not only frameworks for conceptualizing sustainability but concrete evidence about the approaches and methods used as well as lessons on how they do or do not work in particular contexts. We presented the following findings: 1) sustainability of activities and impacts of Title II food aid programs in Bolivia and Kenya, 2) sustainability of impact in terms of adoption and consumption of a biofortified orange sweet potato in Uganda, and 3) lessons from incorporating pro-sustainability investment strategies in child survival programs in Guinea. Our symposium introduced a new important body of research on program sustainability to provide insights and stimulate innovative thinking in the design and planning of further applied research and future prosustainability intervention programs. PMID:24038245

Building evidence for sustainability of food and nutrition intervention programs in developing countries.

PubMed

Kim, Sunny S; Rogers, Beatrice L; Coates, Jennifer; Gilligan, Daniel O; Sarriot, Eric

2013-09-01

After making large investments to put in place effective health and nutrition interventions, researchers, program implementers, policy makers, and donors all expect lasting effects. However, it is uncertain whether this is the case, and there is less certainty on how to approach the study of program sustainability. This symposium, "Building Evidence for Sustainability of Food and Nutrition Intervention Programs in Developing Countries," provided not only frameworks for conceptualizing sustainability but concrete evidence about the approaches and methods used as well as lessons on how they do or do not work in particular contexts. We presented the following findings: 1) sustainability of activities and impacts of Title II food aid programs in Bolivia and Kenya, 2) sustainability of impact in terms of adoption and consumption of a biofortified orange sweet potato in Uganda, and 3) lessons from incorporating pro-sustainability investment strategies in child survival programs in Guinea. Our symposium introduced a new important body of research on program sustainability to provide insights and stimulate innovative thinking in the design and planning of further applied research and future prosustainability intervention programs.

Human resources for health through conflict and recovery: lessons from African countries.

PubMed

Pavignani, Enrico

2011-10-01

A protracted conflict affects human resources for health (HRH) in multiple ways. In most cases, the inflicted damage constitutes the main obstacle to health sector recovery. Interventions aimed at healing derelict human resources are however fraught with difficulties of a political, technical, financial and administrative order. The experience accumulated in past recovery processes has made some important players aware of the cost incurred by neglecting human resource development. Several transitions from conflict to peace have been documented, even if largely in unpublished reports. This paper presents condensed descriptions of some African HRH-related recovery processes, which provide useful lessons. The technical work demanded to resuscitate a derelict health workforce is fairly well understood. In most situations, the highest hurdles lie outside of the health domain, and are of a political and administrative nature. Success stories are rare. But useful lessons are taught by failure as well as by success. © 2011 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2011.

Infusing Culturally Responsive Science Curriculum into Early Childhood Teacher Preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Jiyoon; Martin, Leisa A.

2017-08-01

Previous research studies in early childhood teacher education have indicated that teacher candidates are not adequately prepared to demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to teach science to all children including culturally and linguistically diverse students. To address this issue, the researchers provided 31 early childhood teacher candidates with instructions through a culturally responsive science education curriculum that integrates American and Korean science curriculum corresponding to the American and Korean standards for teacher education. The results showed a statistically significant increase in their Personal Science Teaching Efficacy (PSTE). In addition, the teacher candidates were able to create a multicultural/diverse lesson in the developing and proficiency levels based on Ambrosio's lesson matrix. This study provides teacher candidates' knowledge as well as an additional resource for developing their self-efficacy and understanding the role of multicultural/diverse lesson planning for science instruction. Also, teacher candidates could be better prepared by understanding how other countries approach science education and integrating this knowledge to enrich their own science instruction.

Improving patient safety in Libya: insights from a British health system perspective.

PubMed

Elmontsri, Mustafa; Almashrafi, Ahmed; Dubois, Elizabeth; Banarsee, Ricky; Majeed, Azeem

2018-04-16

Purpose Patient safety programmes aim to make healthcare safe for both patients and health professionals. The purpose of this paper is to explore the UK's patient safety improvement programmes over the past 15 years and explore what lessons can be learnt to improve Libyan healthcare patient safety. Design/methodology/approach Publications focusing on UK patient safety were searched in academic databases and content analysed. Findings Several initiatives have been undertaken over the past 15 years to improve British healthcare patient safety. Many stakeholders are involved, including regulatory and professional bodies, educational providers and non-governmental organisations. Lessons can be learnt from the British journey. Practical implications Developing a national patient safety strategy for Libya, which reflects context and needs is paramount. Above all, Libyan patient safety programmes should reference internationally approved guidelines, evidence, policy and learning from Britain's unique experience. Originality/value This review examines patient safety improvement strategies adopted in Britain to help developing country managers to progress local strategies based on lessons learnt from Britain's unique experience.

Mutual learning and reverse innovation--where next?

PubMed

Crisp, Nigel

2014-03-28

There is a clear and evident need for mutual learning in global health systems. It is increasingly recognized that innovation needs to be sourced globally and that we need to think in terms of co-development as ideas are developed and spread from richer to poorer countries and vice versa. The Globalization and Health journal's ongoing thematic series, "Reverse innovation in global health systems: learning from low-income countries" illustrates how mutual learning and ideas about so-called "reverse innovation" or "frugal innovation" are being developed and utilized by researchers and practitioners around the world. The knowledge emerging from the series is already catalyzing change and challenging the status quo in global health. The path to truly "global innovation flow", although not fully established, is now well under way. Mobilization of knowledge and resources through continuous communication and awareness raising can help sustain this movement. Global health learning laboratories, where partners can support each other in generating and sharing lessons, have the potential to construct solutions for the world. At the heart of this dialogue is a focus on creating practical local solutions and, simultaneously, drawing out the lessons for the whole world.

History of nuclear technology development in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, Kiyonobu

2015-04-01

Nuclear technology development in Japan has been carried out based on the Atomic Energy Basic Act brought into effect in 1955. The nuclear technology development is limited to peaceful purposes and made in a principle to assure their safety. Now, the technologies for research reactors radiation application and nuclear power plants are delivered to developing countries. First of all, safety measures of nuclear power plants (NPPs) will be enhanced based on lesson learned from TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi NPS accident.

History of nuclear technology development in Japan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yamashita, Kiyonobu, E-mail: yamashita.kiyonobu@jaea.go.jp; General Advisor Nuclear HRD Centre, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, TOKAI-mura, NAKA-gun, IBARAKI-ken, 319-1195

2015-04-29

Nuclear technology development in Japan has been carried out based on the Atomic Energy Basic Act brought into effect in 1955. The nuclear technology development is limited to peaceful purposes and made in a principle to assure their safety. Now, the technologies for research reactors radiation application and nuclear power plants are delivered to developing countries. First of all, safety measures of nuclear power plants (NPPs) will be enhanced based on lesson learned from TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi NPS accident.

Urban air pollution in megacities of the world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mage, David; Ozolins, Guntis; Peterson, Peter; Webster, Anthony; Orthofer, Rudi; Vandeweerd, Veerle; Gwynne, Michael

Urban air pollution is a major environmental problem in the developing countries of the world. WHO and UNEP created an air pollution monitoring network as part of the Global Environment Monitoring System. This network now covers over 50 cities in 35 developing and developed countries throughout the world. The analyses of the data reported by the network over the past 15-20 yr indicate that the lessons of the prior experiences in the developed countries (U.S.A., U.K.) have not been learned. A study of air pollution in 20 of the 24 megacities of the world (over 10 million people by year 2000) shows that ambient air pollution concentrations are at levels where serious health effects are reported. The expected rise of population in the next century, mainly in the developing countries with a lack of capital for air pollution control, means that there is a great potential that conditions will worsen in many more cities that will reach megacity status. This paper maps the potential for air pollution that cities will experience in the future unless control strategies are developed and implemented during the next several decades.

Ebola Virus Epidemic in West Africa: Global Health Economic Challenges, Lessons Learned, and Policy Recommendations.

PubMed

Elmahdawy, Mahmoud; Elsisi, Gihan H; Carapinha, Joao; Lamorde, Mohamed; Habib, Abdulrazaq; Agyie-Baffour, Peter; Soualmi, Redouane; Ragab, Samah; Udezi, Anthony W; Usifoh, Cyril; Usifoh, Stella

2017-09-01

The Ebola virus has spread across several Western Africa countries, adding a significant financial burden to their health systems and economies. In this article the experience with Ebola is reviewed, and economic challenges and policy recommendations are discussed to help curb the impact of other diseases in the future. The West African Ebola virus disease epidemic started in resource-constrained settings and caused thousands of fatalities during the last epidemic. Nevertheless, given population mobility, international travel, and an increasingly globalized economy, it has the potential to re-occur and evolve into a global pandemic. Struggling health systems in West African countries hinder the ability to reduce the causes and effects of the Ebola epidemic. The lessons learned include the need for strengthening health systems, mainly primary care systems, expedited access to treatments and vaccines to treat the Ebola virus disease, guidance on safety, efficacy, and regulatory standards for such treatments, and ensuring that research and development efforts are directed toward existing needs. Other lessons include adopting policies that allow for better flow of relief, averting the adverse impact of strong quarantine policy that includes exaggerating the aversion behavior by alarming trade and business partners providing financial support to strengthen growth in the affected fragile economies by the Ebola outbreak. Curbing the impact of future Ebola epidemics, or comparable diseases, requires increased long-term investments in health system strengthening, better collaboration between different international organizations, more funding for research and development efforts aimed at developing vaccines and treatments, and tools to detect, treat, and prevent future epidemics. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

"O Mundo da Lingua Portuguesa," a Supplementary Cultural Lesson.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, James H.

The text of a classroom lesson on the distribution and use of the Portuguese language in African countries, written in Portuguese and containing an explanation of and practice in using the definite article with African place names, is presented. The lesson is accompanied by vocabulary notes in the margin, a list of questions on the text, and a mpa…

Step Into Africa: Elementary Level Activities Using Africa Is Not a Country

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starbird, Caroline; Bahrenburg, Amy

2004-01-01

This book takes student inside the vast continent of Africa. The goal of these lessons is to provide young students with a look at contemporary Africa and to give them a feeling for the rich diversity of the many different nations of the continent. The lessons integrate language arts and geography, and some lessons include math. This book…

Collaboration between a US Academic Institution and International Ministry of Health to develop a culturally appropriate palliative care navigation curriculum.

PubMed

Fernandes, Ritabelle; Riklon, Sheldon; Langidrik, Justina R; Williams, Shellie N; Kabua, Neiar

2014-12-01

Implementation lessons: (1) The development and testing of a culturally appropriate palliative care navigation curriculum for countries facing high cancer and non-communicable diseases burden requires collaboration with the local Ministry of Health. (2) Lay volunteers from non-governmental and faith-based organizations are potential candidates to provide patient navigation services. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

TRIPS, the Doha Declaration and increasing access to medicines: policy options for Ghana

PubMed Central

Cohen, JC; Gyansa-Lutterodt, M; Torpey, K; Esmail, LC; Kurokawa, G

2005-01-01

There are acute disparities in pharmaceutical access between developing and industrialized countries. Developing countries make up approximately 80% of the world's population but only represent approximately 20% of global pharmaceutical consumption. Among the many barriers to drug access are the potential consequences of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement. Many developing countries have recently modified their patent laws to conform to the TRIPS standards, given the 2005 deadline for developing countries. Safeguards to protect public health have been incorporated into the TRIPS Agreement; however, in practice governments may be reluctant to exercise such rights given concern about the international trade and political ramifications. The Doha Declaration and the recent Decision on the Implementation of Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health may provide more freedom for developing countries in using these safeguards. This paper focuses on Ghana, a developing country that recently changed its patent laws to conform to TRIPS standards. We examine Ghana's patent law changes in the context of the Doha Declaration and assess their meaning for access to drugs of its population. We discuss new and existing barriers, as well as possible solutions, to provide policy-makers with lessons learned from the Ghanaian experience. PMID:16336685

Mumps and mumps vaccine: a global review.

PubMed

Galazka, A M; Robertson, S E; Kraigher, A

1999-01-01

Mumps is an acute infectious disease caused by a paramyxovirus. Although the disease is usually mild, up to 10% of patients can develop aseptic meningitis; a less common but more serious complication is encephalitis, which can result in death or disability. Permanent deafness, orchitis, and pancreatitis are other untoward effects of mumps. Based on data reported to WHO up to April 1998, mumps vaccine is routinely used by national immunization programmes in 82 countries/areas: 23 (92%) of 25 developed countries, 19 (86%) of 22 countries with economies in transition (mainly the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union), and 40 (24%) of 168 developing countries. Countries that have achieved high coverage have shown a rapid decline in mumps morbidity. Furthermore, in many of these countries, mumps-associated encephalitis and deafness have nearly vanished. This review considers the disease burden due to mumps; summarizes studies on the immunogenicity, efficacy, and safety of different strains of mumps vaccine; and highlights lessons learned about implementing mumps immunization in different countries. Countries already using mumps vaccine should monitor immunization coverage and establish routine mumps surveillance with investigation of outbreaks. Where mumps is targeted for elimination, countries need to add a second dose of mumps vaccine for children, keeping in mind that the disease may still occur in susceptible adults.

Mumps and mumps vaccine: a global review.

PubMed Central

Galazka, A. M.; Robertson, S. E.; Kraigher, A.

1999-01-01

Mumps is an acute infectious disease caused by a paramyxovirus. Although the disease is usually mild, up to 10% of patients can develop aseptic meningitis; a less common but more serious complication is encephalitis, which can result in death or disability. Permanent deafness, orchitis, and pancreatitis are other untoward effects of mumps. Based on data reported to WHO up to April 1998, mumps vaccine is routinely used by national immunization programmes in 82 countries/areas: 23 (92%) of 25 developed countries, 19 (86%) of 22 countries with economies in transition (mainly the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union), and 40 (24%) of 168 developing countries. Countries that have achieved high coverage have shown a rapid decline in mumps morbidity. Furthermore, in many of these countries, mumps-associated encephalitis and deafness have nearly vanished. This review considers the disease burden due to mumps; summarizes studies on the immunogenicity, efficacy, and safety of different strains of mumps vaccine; and highlights lessons learned about implementing mumps immunization in different countries. Countries already using mumps vaccine should monitor immunization coverage and establish routine mumps surveillance with investigation of outbreaks. Where mumps is targeted for elimination, countries need to add a second dose of mumps vaccine for children, keeping in mind that the disease may still occur in susceptible adults. PMID:10063655

The Whole-Faculty Study Groups Fieldbook: Lessons Learned and Best Practices From Classrooms, Districts, and Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lick, Dale W.; Murphy, Carlene U.

2006-01-01

The Whole-Faculty Study Group (WFSG) System is a student-centered, teacher-driven process for facilitating major staff development and schoolwide change. When applied properly, it has produced extraordinary results for thousands of educators and students in schools and school districts across the country. The Whole-Faculty Study Groups Fieldbook…

[The Audiovisual Method of Studying Russian.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grebenshchikov, V.

1965-01-01

Activity in the audiovisual teaching of French to students from Afro-Asiatic countries after the second World War at the Pedagogical Institute of St.-Cloud inspired Professor P. Guberin of Zagreb University to develop a course of 50 lessons for teaching Russian by this method. The use of tapes, films, and textbooks with records is treated here,…

Skill Upgrading within Informal Training: Lessons from the Indian Auto Mechanic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barber, Jamie

2004-01-01

Informal training is known to be the dominant skill acquisition strategy for the majority of workers in India and many other economically developing countries and there is much benefit in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of this form of training. A participant observation case study was undertaken in northern India to investigate these…

Terra II--A Spaceship Earth Simulation for the Middle Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mastrude, Peggy

1972-01-01

The unit of study consists of four lessons based on the concept that the earth is a large system made up of many small systems (air, food, water, man, etc.). Complete procedures are included to study the environment, examine developing countries, determine interaction between peoples and nations. The problem solving excercise is an inquiry…

Distance and Campus Universities: Tensions and Interactions. A Comparative Study of Five Countries. Issues in Higher Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guri-Rosenblit, Sarah

This book compares the emergence and development of autonomous, fully fledged distance teaching universities in the higher education systems of the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Canada, and Israel. It examines the evolution and functional roles of these universities and outlines their commonalties and divergences. Main lessons are synthesized…

Effective Literacy Strategies for Immigrant Students. Lessons in Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canadian Council on Learning, 2009

2009-01-01

Canada, like many developed countries faced with shrinking birth rates, has come to rely on immigration as a way of building and maintaining a skilled workforce. For a majority of today's immigrants, English or French is a second language and, when their children start school, their education proceeds in one of these second languages. While many…

Lessons from Abroad--Developing Countries. Viewpoints: A Series of Occasional Papers on Basic Education. Issue No. 9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit, London (England).

This document, one of a series of British occasional papers on basic education, investigates adult literacy practices in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The texts and their authors are "Building a National Movement: The Caribbean Experience" (Didacus Jules); "Literacy and Empowerment: A Definition for Literacy"…

Are We There Yet? A Progress Report from Three Turkish University Pioneers in Distance Education and E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latchem, Colin; Simsek, Nurettin; Balta, Ozlem Cakir; Torkul, Orhan; Cedimoglu, I. Hakki; Altunkopru, Alpaslan

2009-01-01

The international literature provides little in-depth analysis of distance education and e-learning activities, achievements, and challenges in Turkish higher education other than the country's mega-university, Anadolu. This paper examines the development of, and lessons to be learned from, such undertakings by three pioneers--two regular state…

School Psychology: Learning Lessons from History and Moving Forward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Peter

2010-01-01

At a time when, in most countries, the profession of school psychology is experiencing a period of growth and expansion, many problems still remain. The origins of these problems are linked to the historical development of the profession which has provided school psychologists with a unique and distinctive role in administering IQ tests and using…

Evaluating Entrepreneurship Education Programmes in Developing Countries: Lessons from Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braun, Gerald

2012-01-01

Although a great deal of time, resources and effort goes into the education of potential or existing entrepreneurs, our knowledge of the effects of this education is still rather limited. It can be argued that an imbalance exists between the substantial amount of finance and manpower invested in entrepreneurship education programmes and the very…

Assessing the Impact of Lesson Study on the Teaching Practice of Middle School Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grove, Michael C.

2011-01-01

Despite wave after wave of educational reform in the United States our students continue to lag behind their peers in other industrialized countries on virtually all measures of academic achievement. Effective professional development (PD) is seen as a key to improving instructional practice and therefore student learning, but traditional forms of…

Learning from Differences: A Strategy for Teacher Development in Respect to Student Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Messiou, Kyriaki; Ainscow, Mel; Echeita, Gerardo; Goldrick, Sue; Hope, Max; Paes, Isabel; Sandoval, Marta; Simon, Cecilia; Vitorino, Teresa

2016-01-01

Drawing on evidence gathered as a result of collaborative action research carried out in 8 secondary schools in 3 European countries, this paper proposes an innovative strategy for helping teachers respond positively to learner diversity. The strategy merges the idea of lesson study with an emphasis on listening to the views of students. The…

Pass the Mealworms, Please: Using Mealworms to Develop Science Process Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrell, Pamela Esprivalo; Bailer, Jill

2004-01-01

Mealworms, yum yum! Insects are an exciting way for middle school students to acquire science process skills. A teacher eating a mealworm will certainly capture the attention of students, and explaining the common practice of insect eating among people in other countries is a great way to include culture in a science lesson. This article provides…

Building Capacity to Use Earth Observations in Decision Making for Climate, Health, Agriculture and Natural Disasters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, A. W.; Ceccato, P.

2015-12-01

In order to fill the gaps existing in climate and public health, agriculture, natural disasters knowledge and practices, the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) has developed a Curriculum for Best Practices in Climate Information. This Curriculum builds on the experience of 10 years courses on 'Climate Information' and captures lessons and experiences from different tailored trainings that have been implemented in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In this presentation, we will provide examples of training activities we have developed to bring remote sensing products to monitor climatic and environmental information into decision processes that benefited users such as the World Health Organization, Ministries of Health, Ministries of Agriculture, Universities, Research Centers such as CIFOR and FIOCRUZ. The framework developed by IRI to provide capacity building is based on the IDEAS framework: Innovation (research) Around climate impacts, evaluation of interventions, and the value of climate information in reducing risks and maximizing opportunities Demonstration E.g. in-country GFCS projects in Tanzania and Malawi - or El Nino work in Ethiopia Education Academic and professional training efforts Advocacy This might focus on communication of variability and change? We are WHO collaborating center so are engaged through RBM/Global Malaria Programme Service ENACTS and Data library key to this. Country data better quality than NASA as incorporates all relevant station data and NASA products. This presentation will demonstrate how the IDEAS framework has been implemented and lessons learned.

General Motors' R&D: Managing Innovation Globally

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taub, Alan

2006-03-01

The rapid pace of technology development and the globalization of the automobile industry are major forces driving General Motors to devise new ways to innovate faster and more efficiently. In response, GM has developed a global R&D network that has transformed GM's research and development organization from a U.S.-based enterprise to one that is over 30 percent leveraged with collaboration in 16 countries. This talk will focus on the challenges faced as well as the lessons learned and best practices developed in building this network.

The application of Intervention Mapping in developing and implementing school-based sexuality and HIV/AIDS education in a developing country context: the case of Tanzania.

PubMed

Mkumbo, Kitila; Schaalma, Herman; Kaaya, Sylvia; Leerlooijer, Joanne; Mbwambo, Jessie; Kilonzo, Gad

2009-06-01

Effective sexuality and HIV/AIDS education programmes are needed to protect young people against HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancy in Tanzania and other Sub-Saharan African countries. Using a theory- and evidence-based approach and adapting the programmes to local contexts, increases the effectiveness of these programmes. This paper describes and discusses the challenges and opportunities concerning the application of Intervention Mapping (IM) in the development and implementation of a sexuality and HIV/AIDS education programme targeting young people aged 12-14 in Tanzania. The sexuality and HIV/AIDS programme was designed in a participatory manner, involving researchers, curriculum developers and teachers' and students' panels. The programme comprised five lessons, organized around 23 sessions with the aim of delaying the onset of sexual intercourse and increase correct and consistent condom use among young people. The programme was delivered by trained teachers as an extracurricular lesson. The IM protocol facilitated the development of a comprehensive sexuality and HIV/AIDS education programme relevant and appropriate to the social cultural context and the needs of learners in Tanzania. The paper has demonstrated that, although the IM was developed in the Western context, it can be used in a flexible manner to adapt to local contexts such as those in Sub-Saharan Africa.

CONTEMPORARY SITUATIONS AND PROBLEMS OF ROAD/BRIDGE MAINTENANCE TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROJECTS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishimiya, Noriaki; Sanui, Kazumasa; Mizota, Yuzo

It is widely acknowledged that roads are the most important transport infrastructure in developing countries. Unlike railroads requiring organizations and systems to operate, individuals can drive on roads. Almost all donors have assisted developing countr ies for new road constructions and rehabilitations. Report of insufficient maintenance in the developing countries, however, has been notable. As a result of the maintenance problems, deterioration of roads is pr ogressing with speed more than expected. It causes the traffic safety problems and an obstacle of economic development. JICA and other donors recognize that this situation can not be overlooked and reci pient countries are increasing their expectation of obtaining assistance on road/bridge maintenance. JICA has implemented over 10 technical cooper ation projects for road/b ridge maintenance in developing countries. JICA conducted a study to review those projects comprehensively. That study aims at obtaining problems, lessons learned and discussion material for policy making and method improvement for future similar pr ojects. This report introduces the outline of the study including additional analysis and recommendations by the authors.

Selecting a Laboratory Information Management System for Biorepositories in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: The H3Africa Experience and Lessons Learned

PubMed Central

Musinguzi, Henry; Lwanga, Newton; Kezimbira, Dafala; Kigozi, Edgar; Katabazi, Fred Ashaba; Wayengera, Misaki; Joloba, Moses Lutaakome; Abayomi, Emmanuel Akin; Swanepoel, Carmen; Croxton, Talishiea; Ozumba, Petronilla; Thankgod, Anazodo; van Zyl, Lizelle; Mayne, Elizabeth Sarah; Kader, Mukthar; Swartz, Garth

2017-01-01

Biorepositories in Africa need significant infrastructural support to meet International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) Best Practices to support population-based genomics research. ISBER recommends a biorepository information management system which can manage workflows from biospecimen receipt to distribution. The H3Africa Initiative set out to develop regional African biorepositories where Uganda, Nigeria, and South Africa were successfully awarded grants to develop the state-of-the-art biorepositories. The biorepositories carried out an elaborate process to evaluate and choose a laboratory information management system (LIMS) with the aim of integrating the three geographically distinct sites. In this article, we review the processes, African experience, lessons learned, and make recommendations for choosing a biorepository LIMS in the African context.

Development and implementation of Models of Care for musculoskeletal conditions in middle-income and low-income Asian countries.

PubMed

Lim, Keith K; Chan, Madelynn; Navarra, Sandra; Haq, Syed Atiqul; Lau, Chak Sing

2016-06-01

This chapter discusses the challenges faced in the development and implementation of musculoskeletal (MSK) Models of Care (MoCs) in middle-income and low-income countries in Asia and outlines the components of an effective MoC for MSK conditions. Case studies of four such countries (The Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Myanmar) are presented, and their unique implementation issues are discussed. The success experienced in one high-income country (Singapore) is also described as a comparison. The Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) project and the role of Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR), a professional body supporting MoC initiatives in this region, are also discussed. The experience and lessons learned from these case studies can provide useful information to guide the implementation of future MSK MoC initiatives in other middle-income and low-income countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Challenges associated with tracking resources allocation for reproductive health in sub-Saharan African countries: the UNFPA/NIDI resource flows project experience.

PubMed

Sidze, Estelle M; Beekink, Erik; Maina, Beatrice W

2015-05-05

Universal access to reproductive health services entails strengthening health systems, but requires significant resource commitments as well as efficient and effective use of those resources. A number of international organizations and governments in developing countries are putting efforts into tracking the flow of health resources in order to inform resource mobilization and allocation, strategic planning, priority setting, advocacy and general policy making. The UNFPA/NIDI-led Resource Flows Project ("The UNFPA/NIDI RF Project") has conducted annual surveys since 1997 to monitor progress achieved by developing countries in implementing reproductive health financial targets. This commentary summarizes the Project experiences and challenges in gathering data on allocation of resources for reproductive health at the domestic level in sub-Saharan African countries. One key lesson learnt from the Project experience is the need for strengthening tracking mechanisms in sub-Saharan African countries and making information on reproductive health resources and expenditures available, in particular the private sector resources.

Community engagement on the Thai–Burmese border: rationale, experience and lessons learnt

PubMed Central

Cheah, Phaik Yeong; Lwin, Khin Maung; Phaiphun, Lucy; Maelankiri, Ladda; Parker, Michael; Day, Nicholas P.; White, Nicholas J.; Nosten, François

2012-01-01

Community engagement is increasingly promoted in developing countries, especially in international health research, but there is little published experience. The Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) conducts research with refugees, migrant workers, displaced people, and day migrants on the Thai-Burmese border, and has recently facilitated the set up of the Tak Province Border Community Ethics Advisory Board (T-CAB). Valuable lessons have been learnt from consultation with the T-CAB especially in the area of participant recruitment and the informed consent process. A lot of new research questions have emerged from consultation with the T-CAB. This paper describes our experience, lessons learnt and the unique challenges faced working with the T-CAB from its initial conception to date. We conclude that consultation with the T-CAB has made improvements in our research in particular operational and ethical aspects of our studies. PMID:22984375

Challenging Ties between State and Tobacco Industry: Advocacy Lessons from India

PubMed Central

Bhojani, Upendra; Venkataraman, Vidya; Manganawar, Bheemaray

2013-01-01

Background: Globally, tobacco use is a major public health concern given its huge morbidity and mortality burden that is inequitably high in low- and middle-income countries. The World Health Organization has suggested banning the advertisement, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco. However, governments in some countries, including India, are either directly engaged in tobacco industry operations or have a mandate to promote tobacco industry development. This paper analyses a short-term advocacy campaign that challenged the state-tobacco industry ties to draw lessons for effective public health advocacy. Method: This paper uses a case study method to analyze advocacy efforts in India to thwart the state-tobacco industry partnership: the Indian government’s sponsorship and support to a global tobacco industry event. The paper explores multiple strategies employed in the five-month advocacy campaign (May to October 2010) to challenge this state-industry tie. In doing so, we describe the challenges faced and the lessons learnt for effective advocacy. Results: Government withdrew participation and financial sponsorship from the tobacco industry event. Use of multiple strategies including engaging all concerned government agencies from the beginning, strategic use of media, presence and mobilization of civil society, and use of legal tools to gain information and judicial action, were complementary in bringing desired outcomes. Conclusion: Use of multiple and complementary advocacy strategies could lead to positive outcomes in a short-time campaign. The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control could form an important advocacy tool, especially in countries that have ratified it, to advocate for improvements in national tobacco control regulations. PMID:24688958

Initiatives and strategies for development of nanotechnology in nations: a lesson for Africa and other least developed countries

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

It is a known fact that the progress and development of different nations of the world is strongly connected with the type of materials under their use. This paper highlighted the development of nanotechnology in some selected countries of the world through a careful review of their road maps by way of public and private initiatives, funding/investment profile, human resources development, industrial potentials, and focus in order to draw inferences. The peculiar challenges and opportunities for some African nations and other least developed countries (LDC) were drawn for their economic and technological developments. This investigation was simply based on open access literatures. The review showed that although nanotechnology is new globally, most countries of the world have had growing public and private investments aimed at bringing about new materials and systems that can impact positively on their economy and ensure their global competitiveness and sustainability. The global scenario suggests the crucial role of cooperation in a multidisciplinary collaboration/partnership between government ministries, agencies, institutions, and private sector/donor agencies in order to pool enough resource capital required for activities in nanotechnology. PMID:24650295

Initiatives and strategies for development of nanotechnology in nations: a lesson for Africa and other least developed countries.

PubMed

Ezema, Ikechukwu C; Ogbobe, Peter O; Omah, Augustine D

2014-03-20

It is a known fact that the progress and development of different nations of the world is strongly connected with the type of materials under their use. This paper highlighted the development of nanotechnology in some selected countries of the world through a careful review of their road maps by way of public and private initiatives, funding/investment profile, human resources development, industrial potentials, and focus in order to draw inferences. The peculiar challenges and opportunities for some African nations and other least developed countries (LDC) were drawn for their economic and technological developments. This investigation was simply based on open access literatures. The review showed that although nanotechnology is new globally, most countries of the world have had growing public and private investments aimed at bringing about new materials and systems that can impact positively on their economy and ensure their global competitiveness and sustainability. The global scenario suggests the crucial role of cooperation in a multidisciplinary collaboration/partnership between government ministries, agencies, institutions, and private sector/donor agencies in order to pool enough resource capital required for activities in nanotechnology.

Initiatives and strategies for development of nanotechnology in nations: a lesson for Africa and other least developed countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ezema, Ikechukwu C.; Ogbobe, Peter O.; Omah, Augustine D.

2014-03-01

It is a known fact that the progress and development of different nations of the world is strongly connected with the type of materials under their use. This paper highlighted the development of nanotechnology in some selected countries of the world through a careful review of their road maps by way of public and private initiatives, funding/investment profile, human resources development, industrial potentials, and focus in order to draw inferences. The peculiar challenges and opportunities for some African nations and other least developed countries (LDC) were drawn for their economic and technological developments. This investigation was simply based on open access literatures. The review showed that although nanotechnology is new globally, most countries of the world have had growing public and private investments aimed at bringing about new materials and systems that can impact positively on their economy and ensure their global competitiveness and sustainability. The global scenario suggests the crucial role of cooperation in a multidisciplinary collaboration/partnership between government ministries, agencies, institutions, and private sector/donor agencies in order to pool enough resource capital required for activities in nanotechnology.

How can a policy foster local pharmaceutical production and still protect public health? Lessons from the health-industry complex in Brazil.

PubMed

da Fonseca, Elize Massard

2018-04-01

The global health community is increasingly advocating for the local production of pharmaceuticals in developing countries as a way to promote technology transfer, capacity building and improve access to medicines. However, efforts to advance drug manufacturing in these countries revive an old dilemma of fostering technological development versus granting access to social services, such as healthcare. This paper explores the case of Brazil, a country that has developed large-scale health-inspired industrial policies, but is, yet, little understood. Brazil's experience suggests that progressive healthcare bureaucrats can create innovative practices for technology and knowledge transfers. It also demonstrates that highly competitive pharmaceutical firms can collaborate with each other, if a government provides them the right incentives. Reforming regulatory policies is crucial for guaranteeing high-quality products in developing countries, but governments must play a crucial role in supporting local firms to adapt to these regulations. These findings send a strong message to global health policymakers and practitioners on the conditions to create a suitable environment for local production of medical products.

A Copmarative Review of Electronic Prescription Systems: Lessons Learned from Developed Countries

PubMed Central

Samadbeik, Mahnaz; Ahmadi, Maryam; Sadoughi, Farahnaz; Garavand, Ali

2017-01-01

This review study aimed to compare the electronic prescription systems in five selected countries (Denmark, Finland, Sweden, England, and the United States). Compared developed countries were selected by the identified selection process from the countries that have electronic prescription systems. Required data were collected by searching the valid databases, most widely used search engines, and visiting websites related to the national electronic prescription system of each country and also sending E-mails to the related organizations using specifically designed data collection forms. The findings showed that the electronic prescription system was used at the national, state, local, and area levels in the studied countries and covered the whole prescription process or part of it. There were capabilities of creating electronic prescription, decision support, electronically transmitting prescriptions from prescriber systems to the pharmacies, retrieving the electronic prescription at the pharmacy, electronic refilling prescriptions in all studied countries. The patient, prescriber, and dispenser were main human actors, as well as the prescribing and dispensing providers were main system actors of the Electronic Prescription Service. The selected countries have accurate, regular, and systematic plans to use electronic prescription system, and health ministry of these countries was responsible for coordinating and leading the electronic health. It is suggested to use experiences and programs of the leading countries to design and develop the electronic prescription systems. PMID:28331859

Assessing the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of a tablet-based cervical cancer educational intervention

PubMed Central

Caster, MM; Norris, AH; Butao, C; Carr Reese, P; Chemey, E; Phuka, J; Turner, AN

2016-01-01

Cervical cancer is a common and deadly disease, especially in developing countries. We developed and implemented an interactive, tablet-based educational intervention to improve cervical cancer knowledge among women in rural Malawi. Chichewa-speaking adult women in six rural villages participated. Each woman took a pre-test, participated in the lesson, and then took a post-test. The lesson included information on cervical cancer symptoms, causes, risk factors, prevention, and treatment. Over the 6-month study period, 243 women participated. Women ranged in age from 18 to 77 years. Only 15% had education beyond primary school. Nearly half of participants (48%) had heard of cervical cancer prior to viewing the lesson. For these women, the median number of correct responses on the pre-test was 11 out of 20; after the lesson, they had a median of 18 correct responses (p<0.001). After the intervention, 93% of women indicated a desire for cervical cancer screening. Despite lack of familiarity with computers (96%), most women (94%) found the tablet easy to use. A tablet-based educational program was an effective, feasible and acceptable strategy to disseminate cervical cancer information to women with low education in rural Malawi. This method may be appropriate to distribute health information about other health topics in low-resource settings. PMID:26637473

Producing HIV estimates: from global advocacy to country planning and impact measurement

PubMed Central

Mahy, Mary; Brown, Tim; Stover, John; Walker, Neff; Stanecki, Karen; Kirungi, Wilford; Garcia-Calleja, Txema; Ghys, Peter D.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: The development of global HIV estimates has been critical for understanding, advocating for and funding the HIV response. The process of generating HIV estimates has been cited as the gold standard for public health estimates. Objective: This paper provides important lessons from an international scientific collaboration and provides a useful model for those producing public health estimates in other fields. Design: Through the compilation and review of published journal articles, United Nations reports, other documents and personal experience we compiled historical information about the estimates and identified potential lessons for other public health estimation efforts. Results: Through the development of core partnerships with country teams, implementers, demographers, mathematicians, epidemiologists and international organizations, UNAIDS has led a process to develop the capacity of country teams to produce internationally comparable HIV estimates. The guidance provided by these experts has led to refinements in the estimated numbers of people living with HIV, new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths over the past 20 years. A number of important updates to the methods since 1997 resulted in fluctuations in the estimated levels, trends and impact of HIV. The largest correction occurred between the 2005 and 2007 rounds with the additions of household survey data into the models. In 2001 the UNAIDS models at that time estimated there were 40 million people living with HIV. In 2016, improved models estimate there were 30 million (27.6–32.7 million) people living with HIV in 2001. Conclusions: Country ownership of the estimation tools has allowed for additional uses of the results than had the results been produced by researchers or a team in Geneva. Guidance from a reference group and input from country teams have led to critical improvements in the models over time. Those changes have improved countries’ and stakeholders’ understanding of the HIV epidemic. PMID:28532304

Gavi's Transition Policy: Moving From Development Assistance To Domestic Financing Of Immunization Programs.

PubMed

Kallenberg, Judith; Mok, Wilson; Newman, Robert; Nguyen, Aurélia; Ryckman, Theresa; Saxenian, Helen; Wilson, Paul

2016-02-01

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, was created in 2000 to accelerate the introduction of new and underused vaccines in lower-income countries. The period 2000-15 was marked by the rapid uptake of new vaccines in more than seventy countries eligible for Gavi support. To stay focused on the poorest countries, Gavi's support phases out after countries' gross national income per capita surpasses a set threshold, which requires governments to assume responsibility for the continued financing of vaccines introduced with Gavi support. Gavi's funding will end in the period 2016-20 for nineteen countries that have exceeded the eligibility threshold. To avoid disrupting lifesaving immunization programs and to ensure the long-term sustainable impact of Gavi's investments, it is vital that governments succeed in transitioning from development assistance to domestic financing of immunization programs. This article discusses some of the challenges facing countries currently transitioning out of Gavi support, how Gavi's policies have evolved to help manage the risks involved in this process, and the lessons learned from this experience. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Applying lessons learned from the USAID family planning graduation experience to the GAVI graduation process.

PubMed

Shen, Angela K; Farrell, Marguerite M; Vandenbroucke, Mary F; Fox, Elizabeth; Pablos-Mendez, Ariel

2015-07-01

As low income countries experience economic transition, characterized by rapid economic growth and increased government spending potential in health, they have increased fiscal space to support and sustain more of their own health programmes, decreasing need for donor development assistance. Phase out of external funds should be systematic and efforts towards this end should concentrate on government commitments towards country ownership and self-sustainability. The 2006 US Agency for International Development (USAID) family planning (FP) graduation strategy is one such example of a systematic phase-out approach. Triggers for graduation were based on pre-determined criteria and programme indicators. In 2011 the GAVI Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations) which primarily supports financing of new vaccines, established a graduation policy process. Countries whose gross national income per capita exceeds $1570 incrementally increase their co-financing of new vaccines over a 5-year period until they are no longer eligible to apply for new GAVI funding, although previously awarded support will continue. This article compares and contrasts the USAID and GAVI processes to apply lessons learned from the USAID FP graduation experience to the GAVI process. The findings of the review are 3-fold: (1) FP graduation plans served an important purpose by focusing on strategic needs across six graduation plan foci, facilitating graduation with pre-determined financial and technical benchmarks, (2) USAID sought to assure contraceptive security prior to graduation, phasing out of contraceptive donations first before phasing out from technical assistance in other programme areas and (3) USAID sought to sustain political support to assure financing of products and programmes continue after graduation. Improving sustainability more broadly beyond vaccine financing provides a more comprehensive approach to graduation. The USAID FP experience provides a window into understanding one approach to graduation from donor assistance. The process itself-involving transparent country-level partners well in advance of graduation-appears a valuable lesson towards success. Published by Oxford University Press 2014. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Diet, microbiota, and inflammatory bowel disease: lessons from Japanese foods

PubMed Central

Matsuoka, Katsuyoshi; Naganuma, Makoto; Hayashi, Atsushi; Hisamatsu, Tadakazu

2014-01-01

The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) including ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease are rapidly increasing in Western countries and in developed Asian countries. Although biologic agents targeting the immune system have been effective in patients with IBD, cessation of treatment leads to relapse in the majority of patients, suggesting that intrinsic immune dysregulation is an effect, not a cause, of IBD. Dramatic changes in the environment, resulting in the dysregulated composition of intestinal microbiota or dysbiosis, may be associated with the fundamental causes of IBD. Japan now has upgraded water supply and sewerage systems, as well as dietary habits and antibiotic overuse that are similar to such features found in developed Western countries. The purpose of this review article was to describe the association of diet, particularly Japanese food and microbiota, with IBD. PMID:25045286

Diet, microbiota, and inflammatory bowel disease: lessons from Japanese foods.

PubMed

Kanai, Takanori; Matsuoka, Katsuyoshi; Naganuma, Makoto; Hayashi, Atsushi; Hisamatsu, Tadakazu

2014-07-01

The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) including ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease are rapidly increasing in Western countries and in developed Asian countries. Although biologic agents targeting the immune system have been effective in patients with IBD, cessation of treatment leads to relapse in the majority of patients, suggesting that intrinsic immune dysregulation is an effect, not a cause, of IBD. Dramatic changes in the environment, resulting in the dysregulated composition of intestinal microbiota or dysbiosis, may be associated with the fundamental causes of IBD. Japan now has upgraded water supply and sewerage systems, as well as dietary habits and antibiotic overuse that are similar to such features found in developed Western countries. The purpose of this review article was to describe the association of diet, particularly Japanese food and microbiota, with IBD.

CEO is a vision of the future role and position of CIO in healthcare organizations.

PubMed

Moghaddasi, Hamid; Sheikhtaheri, Abbas

2010-12-01

Literature related to chief information officer (CIO) in the developed countries during the past 20 years has been reviewed to identify the future trends of the position. The literature shows that CIO is a growing position in the healthcare industry that has achieved much popularity because today's healthcare has a great focus on information management and technology and that CIO can be future powerful strategist for healthcare organizations. Therefore, a model for an ideal healthcare CIO based on lesson learned from literature was suggested. It seems that in the developed countries, CIOs will achieve many opportunities to come in the highest executive teams of healthcare organizations and may undertake CEO roles.

Evaluation System and Implementation Countermeasure of Automobile Green Maintenance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Fei; Xie, Xinxin; Yan, Chaoyong

2018-01-01

Green maintenance research is in the beginning of our country, the work is being explored. Based on the existing research results at home and abroad, this paper learns and draws lessons from the experiences and lessons of foreign advanced countries and domestic advanced enterprises. In the face of the challenges brought by economic development and energy saving and emission reduction, this paper discusses the green maintenance theory and security system, And the research status of green maintenance content and system at home and abroad, through the deletion and selection of green maintenance index, through the AHP method to determine the green evaluation criteria, and the introduction of C equivalent evaluation system, the use of fuzzy synthesis Evaluation method to build a green maintenance evaluation model, and the actual validation, put forward the implementation of green maintenance feasibility programs and related security recommendations, vehicle maintenance enterprises to carry out green maintenance, improve business efficiency and reduce environmental management costs to provide theoretical basis. And to achieve effective reduction of environmental pollution, reduce maintenance costs of the target, a reasonable promotion of maintenance and environmental protection and sustainable development. Promote green maintenance from research to practice, from the laboratory to the maintenance of enterprises, from the pilot to the overall development and transformation.

Speculations on the Future of Taught Masters Courses in Gerontology: Lessons from a Comparison of England, Scotland, Finland, and Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Askham, Janet; Gilhooly, Mary; Parkatti, Terttu; Vega, Jose-Luis

2007-01-01

Postgraduate education in gerontology is now widespread within European universities, but, even so, such developments remain very uneven. This paper outlines the variety of provision by describing Master's programmes in a sample of countries: England, Scotland, Finland, and Spain. These programmes illustrate some of the common problems: lack of…

Classroom Interaction in Private Schools Serving Low-Income Families in Hyderabad, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Fay; Hardman, Frank; Tooley, James

2005-01-01

This paper reports on a study of classroom interaction and discourse in privately-funded schools serving low-income families in Hyderabad, India. In common with other developing countries, India has seen a proliferation of such schools and yet little systematic study has been made of them. One hundred and thirty eight lessons were analysed using a…

Student Injuries and Negligence: Lessons from the International Scene with Implications for Singapore's Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teh, Kim

2008-01-01

Many jurisdictions are showing a trend of school-related negligence cases being taken to court. This article explores the legal principles applied by the courts in England, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand to ensure the safety of students in schools. As we look at the developments in these countries, we can see student injury…

Tanzania at the Turn of the Century: Background Papers and Statistics. A World Bank Country Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

World Bank, Washington, DC.

This report presents lessons from Tanzania's development experience of the past four decades, with emphasis on the period since the last report (1996), and assesses the imperatives for higher sustained growth and better livelihood for its citizens in the future. The background papers review and assess Tanzania's actual growth and poverty reduction…

Developing Perspective: What Can We Learn about Education from Lower-Income Countries? The Claremont Letter. Volume 5, Issue 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luschei, Thomas

2010-01-01

To the extent that Americans look abroad for lessons about education, they primarily concern themselves with wealthy nations that perform well on international tests like the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). In this paper, the author argues that Americans…

Forging Collaborative Relationships in Brazil: From AIDS to ZIKV.

PubMed

O'Connor, David H; Osorio, Jorge E; Tanuri, Amilcar; Kallas, Esper G

2016-06-30

The Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak has stimulated collaborations between Brazilians, researchers from other South American countries, and scientists from around the world. The Brazilian response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic demonstrates capabilities that can be applied to the study of ZIKV and provides lessons for developing effective international infectious disease research collaborations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pinpointing Watershed Pollution on a Virtual Globe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Cheston; Taylor, Amy

2014-01-01

Pollution is not a problem we just read about anymore. It affects the air we breathe, the land we live on, and the water we consume. After noticing a lack of awareness in students, a lesson was developed that used Google Earth to pinpoint sources of pollution in the local area and in others across the country, and their effects on the surrounding…

Complicating Slavery: Teaching with Runaway Slave Advertisements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Matthew; Koman, Rita G.

2003-01-01

Presents a lesson plan that teaches students about slavery in the colonial United States. Focuses on the differences between slavery in the northern and southern parts of the country. Explains that the lesson includes and uses slave advertisements to teach about slavery. Offers additional resources. (CMK)

Importance of context in adoption and progress in application of strategic environmental assessment: Experience of Thailand

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wirutskulshai, Uma, E-mail: st104686@ait.ac.th; Sajor, Edsel, E-mail: esajor@ait.ac.th; Coowanitwong, Nowarat

Following the example of other developed countries, strategic environmental assessment (SEA) tool is now being introduced in developing countries, with the expectations, among others, that it will influence decision-making process in planning, and also usher in the participatory and collaborative planning towards a more sustainable track in development. This article examines Thailand's own recent introduction of SEA. The authors underscore the particularity of the Thai planning context as well as the broader governance structure and processes in the country as the critical factor influencing the extent, substance and form of adoption of SEA. Top-down tradition of planning and serious limitationmore » of public participation opportunity structures and institutional culture have minimized the tool's positive impact and influence in development planning. Thailand's experience in SEA introduction thus reaffirms the important lesson from a number of other developing countries: that legal framework for SEA is necessary and critical especially in its initial adoption; and, that public participation needs to be supported too and institutionalized for the tool to fulfill its promise of improving environmental governance and optimizing potentials of development projects vis-a-vis various social and environmental concerns.« less

Making Decisions: Our Global Connection. Lessons for Teaching Citizenship Skills and Concepts Using Local Involvement in World Affairs: Grades 8-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woyach, Robert B.; And Others

Self-contained lessons for use in secondary level social studies, English, and language arts courses will help students understand that they are a part of a global community. Although written for use in Ohio schools, the lessons can easily be adapted for use in other states. Unit 1 shows students how the decisions of people in other countries can…

Fixitup Faucet Company's Overseas Move. 12th Grade Lesson. Schools of California Online Resources for Education (SCORE): Connecting California's Classrooms to the World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Judy; Jacobson, Edy

This lesson asks 12th grade students to imagine that they are special assistants to the Undersecretary of Commerce for a foreign country who must answer a letter from a U.S. company planning to move its manufacturing operations overseas. The lesson also asks them to design a business brochure that will convince the company to come to their…

Shared learning in an interconnected world: innovations to advance global health equity

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The notion of “reverse innovation”--that some insights from low-income countries might offer transferable lessons for wealthier contexts--is increasingly common in the global health and business strategy literature. Yet the perspectives of researchers and policymakers in settings where these innovations are developed have been largely absent from the discussion to date. In this Commentary, we present examples of programmatic, technological, and research-based innovations from Rwanda, and offer reflections on how the global health community might leverage innovative partnerships for shared learning and improved health outcomes in all countries. PMID:24119388

Population Education in Science: Some Sample Lessons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and Oceania.

This science teacher's manual contains nine sample population education lessons adapted from materials produced in several countries in Asia and Oceania. Activities are designed for lower primary through high school students. Included are class discussions, small group activities, and a role-playing situation. Food chains, human dependence upon…

Experiences and Lessons From Polio Eradication Applied to Immunization in 10 Focus Countries of the Polio Endgame Strategic Plan

PubMed Central

Mallya, Apoorva; Sandhu, Hardeep; Anya, Blanche-Philomene; Yusuf, Nasir; Ntakibirora, Marcelline; Hasman, Andreas; Fahmy, Kamal; Agbor, John; Corkum, Melissa; Sumaili, Kyandindi; Siddique, Anisur Rahman; Bammeke, Jane; Braka, Fiona; Andriamihantanirina, Rija; Ziao, Antoine-Marie C.; Djumo, Clement; Yapi, Moise Desire; Sosler, Stephen; Eggers, Rudolf

2017-01-01

Abstract Nine polio areas of expertise were applied to broader immunization and mother, newborn and child health goals in ten focus countries of the Polio Eradication Endgame Strategic Plan: policy & strategy development, planning, management and oversight (accountability framework), implementation & service delivery, monitoring, communications & community engagement, disease surveillance & data analysis, technical quality & capacity building, and partnerships. Although coverage improvements depend on multiple factors and increased coverage cannot be attributed to the use of polio assets alone, 6 out of the 10 focus countries improved coverage in three doses of diphtheria tetanus pertussis containing vaccine between 2013 and 2015. Government leadership, evidence-based programming, country-driven comprehensive operational annual plans, community partnership and strong accountability systems are critical for all programs and polio eradication has illustrated these can be leveraged to increase immunization coverage and equity and enhance global health security in the focus countries. PMID:28838187

Restoring Forest Landscapes: Important Lessons Learnt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansourian, Stephanie; Vallauri, Daniel

2014-02-01

Forest restoration at large scales, or landscapes, is an approach that is increasingly relevant to the practice of environmental conservation. However, implementation remains a challenge; poor monitoring and lesson learning lead to similar mistakes being repeated. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the global conservation organization, recently took stock of its 10 years of implementation of forest landscape restoration. A significant body of knowledge has emerged from the work of the WWF and its partners in the different countries, which can be of use to the wider conservation community, but for this to happen, lessons need to be systematically collected and disseminated in a coherent manner to the broader conservation and development communities and, importantly, to policy makers. We use this review of the WWF's experiences and compare and contrast it with other relevant and recent literature to highlight 11 important lessons for future large-scale forest restoration interventions. These lessons are presented using a stepwise approach to the restoration of forested landscapes. We identify the need for long-term commitment and funding, and a concerted and collaborative effort for successful forest landscape restoration. Our review highlights that monitoring impact within landscape-scale forest restoration remains inadequate. We conclude that forest restoration within landscapes is a challenging yet important proposition that has a real but undervalued place in environmental conservation in the twenty-first century.

Development and clinical testing of multivalent vaccines based on a diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccine: difficulties encountered and lessons learned.

PubMed

Capiau, Carine; Poolman, Jan; Hoet, Bernard; Bogaerts, Hugues; Andre, Francis

2003-06-02

The widespread use of whole-cell pertussis vaccines in the second half of the 20th century have reduced the incidence of the disease significantly. However, in some countries, concerns about the reactogenicity and potential neurological damage associated with whole-cell vaccines led to a decrease in vaccine acceptance and an increase in morbidity and mortality of pertussis in several countries. This prompted the development of less reactogenic acellular pertussis vaccines combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, initially in Japan and later in other countries. In Europe, the improved diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTPa) vaccine was first introduced in March 1994. The pertussis component of this DTPa vaccine, developed by Glaxo SmithKline, consists of pertussis toxoid, filamentous haemagglutinin and pertactin. The vaccine is well tolerated, with a lower incidence of adverse reactions than after administration of whole-cell vaccines. The long-lasting efficacy and effectiveness of DTPa vaccines have been extensively documented and these are now the cornerstone of a large range of combined vaccines including DTPa-hepatitis B (HBV), DTPa-inactivated polio (IPV) and DTPa-HBV-IPV. A lyophilised Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine can be reconstituted with all of these liquid combinations. The introduction of well-tolerated and efficacious DTPa vaccines and their more polyvalent combinations has improved the acceptance and simplified the implementation of childhood immunisation. This paper is a review of the technical and scientific difficulties encountered and the lessons learned over the 10-year period that it took to develop and introduce six multivalent vaccines using the Glaxo SmithKline DTPa as a building block.

Social health insurance in a developing country: the case of the Philippines.

PubMed

Obermann, Konrad; Jowett, Matthew R; Alcantara, Maria Ofelia O; Banzon, Eduardo P; Bodart, Claude

2006-06-01

Very little is known about the Philippine health care system, and in particular its experience with social health insurance (SHI). Having initiated an SHI programme 35 years ago, the Philippines hold many lessons for the development of such schemes in other low and middle-income countries. We analyse the challenges currently facing PhilHealth, the national health insurer. PhilHealth was formed in 1995 as a successor to the Medicare programme and was given a mandate to achieve universal coverage by 2010. To date, PhilHealth has been quite successful in some areas (e.g. enrollment), but lags behind in others (e.g. quality and price control). We conclude that SHI in the Philippines has been a success story so far and provides lessons for countries in a similar situation. For example: (i) SHI is based on value decisions and the clear statement of societal goals can give guidance in the technical execution, (ii) SHI is a financing institution and needs to be treated accordingly, (iii) SHI can be implemented independently of the current economic situation and might actually contribute to economic development, (iv) community-based health care financing schemes should be merged with the national SHI in the long run, and (v) there is a strong need to push for high quality care and improved physical access. No clear suggestions can be given with respect to the benefit catalogue and the balance between economies of scale and decentralisation. Although riddled with many inadequacies, PhilHealth was set up as a strong and largely politically independent institution for the development of SHI. SHI can act as a stabilizing institution in a politically and economically volatile environment.

Conditions for Learning: Part 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Paul; Sayers, Judy

2006-01-01

In this article, the authors compare texts, times, technologies, and trails in mathematics lessons in five European countries (Flanders, England, Finland, Hungary and Spain). They start by discussing the provision and use of textbooks. After this they discuss lesson lengths and their impact on learners. They consider the extent of technology…

Latin America Curriculum. World Neighbors in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

World Neighbors, Inc., Oklahoma City, OK.

This collection of lessons about the geography, languages, and social issues of several Latin American countries is intended for use with students in grades 6-12. The collection contains five lesson plans: (1) "Cold in the Tropics?" (Marilyn Kesler); (2) "Going beyond the Map: Comparing Geographic Characteristics and Related Social…

Population Education in Home Economics: Some Sample Lessons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and Oceania.

Seven sample lessons on population and the family appear in this home economics teacher's manual. These activities have been adapted from materials produced in several countries in Asia and Oceania. A scope and sequence chart illustrates how teachers can integrate population-related issues into the home economics curriculum. Among the topics…

State Policies and Women's Autonomy in China, the Republic of Korea, and India, 1950-2000: Lessons from Contrasting Experiences. Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Das Gupta, Monica; Lee, Sunhwa; Uberoi, Patricia; Wang, Danning; Wang, Lihong; Zhang, Xiaodan

This paper compares the influence of state policies on gender roles and women's empowerment in China, India, and South Korea. In 1950, these newly formed states were largely poor and agrarian, with common cultural factors that placed similar severe constraints on women's autonomy. The three countries followed very different paths of development,…

Interprofessional Education for Whom? — Challenges and Lessons Learned from Its Implementation in Developed Countries and Their Application to Developing Countries: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Sunguya, Bruno F.; Hinthong, Woranich; Jimba, Masamine; Yasuoka, Junko

2014-01-01

Background Evidence is available on the potential efficacy of interprofessional education (IPE) to foster interprofessional cooperation, improve professional satisfaction, and improve patient care. While the intention of the World Health Organization (WHO) is to implement IPE in all countries, evidence comes from developed countries about its efficiency, challenges, and barriers to planning and implementing IPE. We therefore conducted this review to examine challenges of implementing IPE to suggest possible pathways to overcome the anticipated challenges in developing countries. Methods We searched for literatures on IPE in PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and ERIC databases. We examined challenges or barriers and initiatives to overcome them so as to suggest methods to solve the anticipated challenges in developing countries. We could not conduct a meta-analysis because of the qualitative nature of the research question and the data; instead we conducted a meta-narrative of evidence. Results A total of 40 out of 2,146 articles were eligible for analyses in the current review. Only two articles were available from developing countries. Despite the known benefits of IPE, a total of ten challenges or barriers were common based on the retrieved evidence. They included curriculum, leadership, resources, stereotypes and attitudes, variety of students, IPE concept, teaching, enthusiasm, professional jargons, and accreditation. Out of ten, three had already been reported in developing countries: IPE curriculum, resource limitations, and stereotypes. Conclusion This study found ten important challenges on implementing IPE. They are curriculum, leadership, resources, stereotypes, students' diversity, IPE concept, teaching, enthusiasm, professional jargons, and accreditation. Although only three of them are already experienced in developing countries, the remaining seven are potentially important for developing countries, too. By knowing these challenges and barriers in advance, those who implement IPE programs in developing countries will be much more prepared, and can enhance the program's potential success. PMID:24809509

Interprofessional education for whom? --challenges and lessons learned from its implementation in developed countries and their application to developing countries: a systematic review.

PubMed

Sunguya, Bruno F; Hinthong, Woranich; Jimba, Masamine; Yasuoka, Junko

2014-01-01

Evidence is available on the potential efficacy of interprofessional education (IPE) to foster interprofessional cooperation, improve professional satisfaction, and improve patient care. While the intention of the World Health Organization (WHO) is to implement IPE in all countries, evidence comes from developed countries about its efficiency, challenges, and barriers to planning and implementing IPE. We therefore conducted this review to examine challenges of implementing IPE to suggest possible pathways to overcome the anticipated challenges in developing countries. We searched for literatures on IPE in PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and ERIC databases. We examined challenges or barriers and initiatives to overcome them so as to suggest methods to solve the anticipated challenges in developing countries. We could not conduct a meta-analysis because of the qualitative nature of the research question and the data; instead we conducted a meta-narrative of evidence. A total of 40 out of 2,146 articles were eligible for analyses in the current review. Only two articles were available from developing countries. Despite the known benefits of IPE, a total of ten challenges or barriers were common based on the retrieved evidence. They included curriculum, leadership, resources, stereotypes and attitudes, variety of students, IPE concept, teaching, enthusiasm, professional jargons, and accreditation. Out of ten, three had already been reported in developing countries: IPE curriculum, resource limitations, and stereotypes. This study found ten important challenges on implementing IPE. They are curriculum, leadership, resources, stereotypes, students' diversity, IPE concept, teaching, enthusiasm, professional jargons, and accreditation. Although only three of them are already experienced in developing countries, the remaining seven are potentially important for developing countries, too. By knowing these challenges and barriers in advance, those who implement IPE programs in developing countries will be much more prepared, and can enhance the program's potential success.

Development and evaluation of 'Pure Rush': An online serious game for drug education.

PubMed

Stapinski, Lexine A; Reda, Bill; Newton, Nicola C; Lawler, Siobhan; Rodriguez, Daniel; Chapman, Catherine; Teesson, Maree

2018-04-01

Learning is most effective when it is active, enjoyable and incorporates feedback. Past research demonstrates that serious games are prime candidates to utilise these principles, however the potential benefits of this approach for delivering drug education are yet to be examined in Australia, a country where drug education in schools is mandatory. The serious game 'Pure Rush' was developed across three stages. First, formative consultation was conducted with 115 students (67% male, aged 15-17 years), followed by feasibility and acceptability testing of a prototype of the game (n = 25, 68% male). In the final stage, 281 students (62% female, aged 13-16 years) were randomly allocated to receive a lesson involving Pure Rush or an active control lesson. The lessons were compared in terms of learning outcomes, lesson engagement and future intentions to use illicit drugs. Students enjoyed playing Pure Rush, found the game age-appropriate and the information useful to them. Both the Pure Rush and the active control were associated with significant knowledge increase from pre to post-test. Among females, multi-level mixed-effects regression showed knowledge gain was greater in the Pure Rush condition compared to control (β = 2.36, 95% confidence interval 0.36-4.38). There was no evidence of between condition differences in lesson engagement or future intentions to use illicit drugs. Pure Rush is an innovative online drug education game that is well received by students and feasible to implement in schools. [Stapinski LA, Reda B, Newton NC, Lawler S, Rodriguez D, Chapman C, Teesson M. Development and evaluation of 'Pure Rush': An online serious game for drug education. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017]. © 2017 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

The work of the Village: creating a new world for children with hearing loss and their families.

PubMed

Yoshinaga-Itano, Christine; Thomson, Vickie

2008-01-01

Though the health and economic issues in developing countries may create situations in which the development of early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs could seem insurmountable, developing countries have some resources that are not easily available to those in the developed world. Developing countries often have well-organized communities in which members work together for the benefit of the individuals within their communities as well as a willingness to learn strategies that can improve the lives of individuals in their communities. Paradoxically, there also exists societal intolerance for disabilities that can result in stigmatization and ultimate isolation of affected families. Hopefully, education within these communities can begin to overcome historical intolerance. While some might argue that sufficient financial resources are the key to the development of an EHDI system, the Colorado system, although grateful for all financial resources, is dependent, first and foremost upon the human resources. This article provides information about the history of the Colorado system in the hopes that lessons learned will provide valuable input to others facing similar challenges.

Considering long-term care insurance for middle-income countries: comparing South Korea with Japan and Germany.

PubMed

Rhee, Jong Chul; Done, Nicolae; Anderson, Gerard F

2015-10-01

Financing and provision of long-term care is an increasingly important concern for many middle-income countries experiencing rapid population aging. We examine three countries (South Korea, Japan, and Germany) that use social insurance to finance medical care and have developed long-term care insurance (LTCI) systems. These countries have adopted different approaches to LTCI design within the social insurance framework. We contrast their financing systems and draw lessons regarding revenue generation, benefits design, and eligibility. Based on this review, it seems important for middle-income countries to start developing LTCI schemes early, before aging becomes a significant problem and substantial revenues are needed. Early financing also ensures that the service delivery system has time to adapt because most middle-income countries lack the infrastructure for providing long-term care services. One approach is to start with a limited benefit package and strict eligibility rules and expanded the program as the country develops sufficient experience and more providers became available. All three countries use some form of cost-sharing to discourage service overuse, combined with subsidies for poor populations to maintain appropriate access. A major policy choice is between cash benefits or direct provision of services and the approach will have a large impact on the workforce participation of women. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The RAFT Telemedicine Network: Lessons Learnt and Perspectives from a Decade of Educational and Clinical Services in Low- and Middle-Incomes Countries.

PubMed

Bediang, Georges; Perrin, Caroline; Ruiz de Castañeda, Rafael; Kamga, Yannick; Sawadogo, Alexandre; Bagayoko, Cheick Oumar; Geissbuhler, Antoine

2014-01-01

The objectives of this paper are to (i) provide an overview of the educational and clinical experiences of the Réseau en Afrique Francophone pour la Télémédecine (RAFT) network, (ii) analyze key challenges and lessons learnt throughout a decade of activity, and (iii) draw a vision and perspectives of its sustainability. The study was carried out following three main stages: (i) a literature review, (ii) the analysis of key documents, and (iii) discussions with key collaborators of the RAFT. Réseau en Afrique Francophone pour la Télémédecine has been offering an important quantity of educational, clinical, and public health activities during the last decade. The educational activities include the weekly delivery of video-lectures for continuing and post-graduate medical education, the use of virtual patients for training in clinical decision making, research training activities using ICTs and other e-learning activities. The clinical and public health activities include tele-expertise to support health professionals in the management of difficult clinical cases, the implementation of clinical information systems in African hospitals, the deployment of mHealth projects, etc. Since 2010, the RAFT has been extended to the Altiplano in Bolivia and Nepal (in progress). Lessons Learnt and Perspectives: Important lessons have been learnt from the accumulated experiences throughout these years. These lessons concern: social and organization, human resources, technologies and data security, policy and legislation, and economy and financing. Also, given the increase of the activities and the integration of eHealth and telemedicine in the health system of most of the countries, the RAFT network faces many other challenges and perspectives such as learning throughout life, recognition, and valorization of teaching or learning activities, the impact evaluation of interventions, and the scaling up and transferability out of Africa of RAFT activities. Based on the RAFT experience, effective integration and optimum use of eHealth and telemedicine in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) health systems should take into account the context (resources, infrastructure, and funding), the needs of key stakeholders, and the results derived from theoretical and practical experience. The relevant items highlighted to illustrate the sustainability of the RAFT network and the analyses performed in this study, should serve as discussion basis for the development of eHealth and telemedicine in LMICs.

Space technology transfer to developing countries: opportunities and difficulties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leloglu, U. M.; Kocaoglan, E.

Space technology, with its implications on science, economy and security, is mostly chosen as one of the priority areas for technological development by developing countries. Most nations aspiring to begin playing in the space league prefer technology transfer programs as a first step. Decreasing initial costs by small satellite technology made this affordable for many countries. However, there is a long way from this first step to establishment of a reliable space industry that can both survive in the long term with limited financial support from the government and meet national needs. This is especially difficult when major defense companies of industrialized countries are merging to sustain their competitiveness. The prerequisites for the success are implementation of a well-planned space program and existence of industrialization that can support basic testing and manufacturing activities and supply qualified manpower. In this study, the difficulties to be negotiated and the vicious circles to be broken for latecomers, that is, developing countries that invest on space technologies are discussed. Especially, difficulties in the technology transfer process itself, brain drain from developing countries to industrialized countries, strong competition from big space companies for domestic needs, costs of establishing and maintaining an infrastructure necessary for manufacturing and testing activities, and finally, the impact of export control will be emphasized. We will also try to address how and to what extent collaboration can solve or minimize these problems. In discussing the ideas mentioned above, lessons learned from the BILSAT Project, a technology transfer program from the UK, will be referred.

Lessons Learned on Health Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change: Experiences Across Low- and Middle-Income Countries

PubMed Central

Otmani del Barrio, Mariam

2017-01-01

Background: There is limited published evidence of the effectiveness of adaptation in managing the health risks of climate variability and change in low- and middle-income countries. Objectives: To document lessons learned and good practice examples from health adaptation pilot projects in low- and middle-income countries to facilitate assessing and overcoming barriers to implementation and to scaling up. Methods: We evaluated project reports and related materials from the first five years of implementation (2008–2013) of multinational health adaptation projects in Albania, Barbados, Bhutan, China, Fiji, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. We also collected qualitative data through a focus group consultation and 19 key informant interviews. Results: Our recommendations include that national health plans, policies, and budget processes need to explicitly incorporate the risks of current and projected climate variability and change. Increasing resilience is likely to be achieved through longer-term, multifaceted, and collaborative approaches, with supporting activities (and funding) for capacity building, communication, and institutionalized monitoring and evaluation. Projects should be encouraged to focus not just on shorter-term outputs to address climate variability, but also on establishing processes to address longer-term climate change challenges. Opportunities for capacity development should be created, identified, and reinforced. Conclusions: Our analyses highlight that, irrespective of resource constraints, ministries of health and other institutions working on climate-related health issues in low- and middle-income countries need to continue to prepare themselves to prevent additional health burdens in the context of a changing climate and socioeconomic development patterns. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP405 PMID:28632491

Earth Observation Training and Education with ESA LearnEO!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byfield, Valborg; Mathieu, Pierre-Philippe; Dobson, Malcolm; Rosmorduc, Vinca; Del Frate, Fabio; Banks, Chris; Picchiani, Matteo

2013-04-01

For society to benefit fully from its investment in Earth observation, EO data must be accessible and familiar to a global community of users who have the skills, knowledge and understanding to use the observations appropriately in their work. Achieving this requires considerable education effort. LearnEO! (www.learn-eo.org) is a new ESA education project that contributes towards making this a reality. LearnEO! has two main aims: to develop new training resources that use data from sensors on ESA satellites to explore a variety of environmental topics, and to stimulate and support members of the EO and education communities who may be willing to develop and share new education resources in the future. The project builds on the UNESCO Bilko project, which currently supplies free software, tutorials, and example data to users in 175 countries. Most of these users are in academic education or research, but the training resources are also of interest to a growing number of professionals in government, NGOs and private enterprise. Typical users are not remote sensing experts, but see satellite data as one of many observational tools. They want an easy, low-cost means to process, display and analyse data from different satellite sensors as part of their work in environmental research, monitoring and policy development. Many of the software improvements and training materials developed in LearnEO! are in response to requests from this user community. The LearnEO! tutorial and peer-reviewed lessons are designed to teach satellite data processing and analysis skills at different levels, from beginner to advanced - where advanced lessons requires some previous experience with Earth observation techniques. The materials are aimed at students and professionals in various branches of Earth sciences who have not yet specialised in specific EO technologies. The lessons are suitable for self-study, university courses at undergraduate to MSc level, or for continued professional development training. Each lesson comes complete with data, analysis tools and background information required to complete the suggested activities and answer the study questions. Model answers are supplied for users working on their own or with limited specialist support. The web site also provides access to annotated data sets and a lesson developers resource library, both designed to support users who wish to develop their own lessons and tutorials and share these with others. Registered users are encouraged to become involved with the project by providing support for future software and lesson development, testing, and peer review.

Development of the consumption behavior that promotes sustainable society: Focusing on recycling of small waste home appliances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ichinose, Takae

2015-04-01

Hiroshima University High School (HUHS) became the first UNESCO Associated School in Japan in 1953, and since then it has practiced ESD in various educational activities in all ranges of education. As a teacher of home economics, I have focused on consumer affairs and encouraged my students to consider what each of them can do as an individual consumer in order to create a sustainable society. In Japan, several acts related to consumer affairs have been enforced in recent years. "Act on Promotion of Consumer Education" was enforced in December 2012, and construction of the "Consumer Citizen Society" was proposed. It places emphasis not only on environmental concerns but also on the initiative of consumers and its influence on social and economic trends. In addition, "Act on Promotion of Recycling of Small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment" was enforced in April, 2013. It aims at protecting living environment and healthy development of the national economy by appropriate treatment of waste materials and effective use of resources. For my lessons on "food, clothing and shelter in relation to consumption behavior and environmental problems", I took up "the recycling of small waste home appliances" as the teaching materials to raise awareness on resources recycling. The purpose of the lessons is three-fold: (1) to make students aware of environmental load; (2) to deepen the understanding of the influence which excessive consumption has on developing countries; (3) to encourage the students to think positively toward the solution of the problems. I am currently practicing the lessons, and I have shown below the summary of the instruction. Lesson 1: Give a quiz based on the database on environmental label from Ministry of the Environment website. Then show a film on whereabouts of the hi-tech industrial waste (e-waste). After the film, show some everyday products for which mineral resources are used in order to impress the idea of "urban mine". Lesson 2: Show a video site on "Act on Promotion of Recycling of Small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment" uploaded by the Ministry of the Environment. The video site is shown with reference to "Basel Convention" and "Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive", which have been already taught in social study class. After the video, tell the students what DOWA Holdings Co., Ltd. group has accomplished with its DOWA ecosystem as a frontrunner of the recycling of small waste home appliances, and make the students think about the responsibilities of consumers. Through these lessons, I expect my students to be aware of the influence of their consumption behavior and think over eco-friendly lifestyles and support for developing countries. Consideration for others, not only for people at present but for future generations, will surely cultivate willingness to contribute to sustainable development.

Emerging diseases and their impact on animal commerce: the Argentine lesson.

PubMed

Cané, B G; Leanes, L F; Mascitelli, L O

2004-10-01

As a result of the Argentine experience with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in 2001, a need was postulated for the establishment of efficient supranational schemes for continuous surveillance of the interrelations between tropical extractives livestock systems and the prairies that are optimal for the feeding of livestock in the southern region of South America. FMD in Argentina and in other countries, new or re-emerging risks from avian influenza with potential risks for public health, the spongiform encephalopathies, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, and classical swine fever, among other animal diseases, have generated a strong reaction and evolution within the veterinary services of the country. These present lessons will influence decision-making within countries and should be accepted by the technical and scientific community. From the perspective of the official animal health sector and with the FMD eradication plan as a basis within the national territory, we have worked not only to achieve international recognition and credibility within animal health systems, but also to realize the formation of a regional block of countries that can be recognized internationally as an area with equivalent animal health status. We emphasize not only that this lesson is useful in FMD, but also that it is possible to apply the valuable conclusions reached for other emerging or re-emerging diseases.

Successes and challenges of the millennium development goals in Ethiopia: lessons for the sustainable development goals.

PubMed

Assefa, Yibeltal; Damme, Wim Van; Williams, Owain D; Hill, Peter S

2017-01-01

We analysed the performance of Ethiopia in achieving the health-related millennium development goals (MDGs) with the aim of acquiring lessons for the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Ethiopia achieved most of the health MDGs: a 67% reduction in under-five mortality, a 71% decline in maternal mortality ratio, a 90% decline in new HIV infections, a decrease in malaria-related deaths by 73% and a more than 50% decline in mortality due to tuberculosis. We argue that these achievements are due to implementation of a mix of comprehensive strategies within the health system and across other sectors of the government. Scaling up of interventions by disease control programmes (including the health extension programme) and strengthening of the health system have played important roles towards the achievements. These health gains could not have been realised without progress in the other MDGs: poverty reduction, education, access to safe drinking-water and peace and stability of the country. However, the gains were not equitable, with differences between urban and rural areas, among regions and socioeconomic strata. Ethiopia's remarkable success in meeting most of the targets of the health-related MDGs could be explained by its comprehensive and multisectoral approach for health development. The inequity gap remains a challenge that achieving the health-related SDGs requires the country to implement strategies, which specifically target more marginal populations and geographic areas. This also needs peace and stability, without which it is almost impossible to improve health.

Assessing the Acceptability, Feasibility, and Effectiveness of a Tablet-Based Cervical Cancer Educational Intervention.

PubMed

Caster, M M; Norris, A H; Butao, C; Carr Reese, P; Chemey, E; Phuka, J; Turner, A N

2017-03-01

Cervical cancer is a common and deadly disease, especially in developing countries. We developed and implemented an interactive, tablet-based educational intervention to improve cervical cancer knowledge among women in rural Malawi. Chichewa-speaking adult women in six rural villages participated. Each woman took a pretest, participated in the lesson, and then took a posttest. The lesson included information on cervical cancer symptoms, causes, risk factors, prevention, and treatment. Over the 6-month study period, 243 women participated. Women ranged in age from 18 to 77 years. Only 15 % had education beyond primary school. Nearly half of participants (48 %) had heard of cervical cancer prior to viewing the lesson. For these women, the median number of correct responses on the pretest was 11 out of 20; after the lesson, they had a median of 18 correct responses (p < 0.001). After the intervention, 93 % of women indicated a desire for cervical cancer screening. Despite lack of familiarity with computers (96 %), most women (94 %) found the tablet easy to use. A tablet-based educational program was an effective, feasible, and acceptable strategy to disseminate cervical cancer information to women with low education in rural Malawi. This method may be appropriate to distribute health information about other health topics in low-resource settings.

Effective screening programmes for cervical cancer in low- and middle-income developing countries.

PubMed

Sankaranarayanan, R; Budukh, A M; Rajkumar, R

2001-01-01

Cervical cancer is an important public health problem among adult women in developing countries in South and Central America, sub-Saharan Africa, and south and south-east Asia. Frequently repeated cytology screening programmes--either organized or opportunistic--have led to a large decline in cervical cancer incidence and mortality in developed countries. In contrast, cervical cancer remains largely uncontrolled in high-risk developing countries because of ineffective or no screening. This article briefly reviews the experience from existing screening and research initiatives in developing countries. Substantial costs are involved in providing the infrastructure, manpower, consumables, follow-up and surveillance for both organized and opportunistic screening programmes for cervical cancer. Owing to their limited health care resources, developing countries cannot afford the models of frequently repeated screening of women over a wide age range that are used in developed countries. Many low-income developing countries, including most in sub-Saharan Africa, have neither the resources nor the capacity for their health services to organize and sustain any kind of screening programme. Middle-income developing countries, which currently provide inefficient screening, should reorganize their programmes in the light of experiences from other countries and lessons from their past failures. Middle-income countries intending to organize a new screening programme should start first in a limited geographical area, before considering any expansion. It is also more realistic and effective to target the screening on high-risk women once or twice in their lifetime using a highly sensitive test, with an emphasis on high coverage (>80%) of the targeted population. Efforts to organize an effective screening programme in these developing countries will have to find adequate financial resources, develop the infrastructure, train the needed manpower, and elaborate surveillance mechanisms for screening, investigating, treating, and following up the targeted women. The findings from the large body of research on various screening approaches carried out in developing countries and from the available managerial guidelines should be taken into account when reorganizing existing programmes and when considering new screening initiatives.

Effective screening programmes for cervical cancer in low- and middle-income developing countries.

PubMed Central

Sankaranarayanan, R.; Budukh, A. M.; Rajkumar, R.

2001-01-01

Cervical cancer is an important public health problem among adult women in developing countries in South and Central America, sub-Saharan Africa, and south and south-east Asia. Frequently repeated cytology screening programmes--either organized or opportunistic--have led to a large decline in cervical cancer incidence and mortality in developed countries. In contrast, cervical cancer remains largely uncontrolled in high-risk developing countries because of ineffective or no screening. This article briefly reviews the experience from existing screening and research initiatives in developing countries. Substantial costs are involved in providing the infrastructure, manpower, consumables, follow-up and surveillance for both organized and opportunistic screening programmes for cervical cancer. Owing to their limited health care resources, developing countries cannot afford the models of frequently repeated screening of women over a wide age range that are used in developed countries. Many low-income developing countries, including most in sub-Saharan Africa, have neither the resources nor the capacity for their health services to organize and sustain any kind of screening programme. Middle-income developing countries, which currently provide inefficient screening, should reorganize their programmes in the light of experiences from other countries and lessons from their past failures. Middle-income countries intending to organize a new screening programme should start first in a limited geographical area, before considering any expansion. It is also more realistic and effective to target the screening on high-risk women once or twice in their lifetime using a highly sensitive test, with an emphasis on high coverage (>80%) of the targeted population. Efforts to organize an effective screening programme in these developing countries will have to find adequate financial resources, develop the infrastructure, train the needed manpower, and elaborate surveillance mechanisms for screening, investigating, treating, and following up the targeted women. The findings from the large body of research on various screening approaches carried out in developing countries and from the available managerial guidelines should be taken into account when reorganizing existing programmes and when considering new screening initiatives. PMID:11693978

Improving the implementation of health workforce policies through governance: a review of case studies

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Introduction Responsible governance is crucial to national development and a catalyst for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. To date, governance seems to have been a neglected issue in the field of human resources for health (HRH), which could be an important reason why HRH policy formulation and implementation is often poor. This article aims to describe how governance issues have influenced HRH policy development and to identify governance strategies that have been used, successfully or not, to improve HRH policy implementation in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Methods We performed a descriptive literature review of HRH case studies which describe or evaluate a governance-related intervention at country or district level in LMIC. In order to systematically address the term 'governance' a framework was developed and governance aspects were regrouped into four dimensions: 'performance', 'equity and equality', 'partnership and participation' and 'oversight'. Results and discussion In total 16 case studies were included in the review and most of the selected studies covered several governance dimensions. The dimension 'performance' covered several elements at the core of governance of HRH, decentralization being particularly prominent. Although improved equity and/or equality was, in a number of interventions, a goal, inclusiveness in policy development and fairness and transparency in policy implementation did often not seem adequate to guarantee the corresponding desirable health workforce scenario. Forms of partnership and participation described in the case studies are numerous and offer different lessons. Strikingly, in none of the articles was 'partnerships' a core focus. A common theme in the dimension of 'oversight' is local-level corruption, affecting, amongst other things, accountability and local-level trust in governance, and its cultural guises. Experiences with accountability mechanisms for HRH policy development and implementation were lacking. Conclusion This review shows that the term 'governance' is neither prominent nor frequent in recent HRH literature. It provides initial lessons regarding the influence of governance on HRH policy development and implementation. The review also shows that the evidence base needs to be improved in this field in order to better understand how governance influences HRH policy development and implementation. Tentative lessons are discussed, based on the case studies. PMID:21486438

Improving the implementation of health workforce policies through governance: a review of case studies.

PubMed

Dieleman, Marjolein; Shaw, Daniel Mp; Zwanikken, Prisca

2011-04-12

Responsible governance is crucial to national development and a catalyst for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. To date, governance seems to have been a neglected issue in the field of human resources for health (HRH), which could be an important reason why HRH policy formulation and implementation is often poor. This article aims to describe how governance issues have influenced HRH policy development and to identify governance strategies that have been used, successfully or not, to improve HRH policy implementation in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). We performed a descriptive literature review of HRH case studies which describe or evaluate a governance-related intervention at country or district level in LMIC. In order to systematically address the term 'governance' a framework was developed and governance aspects were regrouped into four dimensions: 'performance', 'equity and equality', 'partnership and participation' and 'oversight'. In total 16 case studies were included in the review and most of the selected studies covered several governance dimensions. The dimension 'performance' covered several elements at the core of governance of HRH, decentralization being particularly prominent. Although improved equity and/or equality was, in a number of interventions, a goal, inclusiveness in policy development and fairness and transparency in policy implementation did often not seem adequate to guarantee the corresponding desirable health workforce scenario. Forms of partnership and participation described in the case studies are numerous and offer different lessons. Strikingly, in none of the articles was 'partnerships' a core focus. A common theme in the dimension of 'oversight' is local-level corruption, affecting, amongst other things, accountability and local-level trust in governance, and its cultural guises. Experiences with accountability mechanisms for HRH policy development and implementation were lacking. This review shows that the term 'governance' is neither prominent nor frequent in recent HRH literature. It provides initial lessons regarding the influence of governance on HRH policy development and implementation. The review also shows that the evidence base needs to be improved in this field in order to better understand how governance influences HRH policy development and implementation. Tentative lessons are discussed, based on the case studies.

A Review of Literature to Understand the Complexity of Equity, Ethics and Management for Achieving Public Health Goals in India

PubMed Central

Garg, Pankaj; Nagpal, Jitender

2014-01-01

In the context of inadequate public spending on health care in India (0.9% of the GDP); government liberalized its policies in the form of subsidized lands and tax incentives, resulting in the mushrooming of private hospitals and clinics in India. Paradoxically, a robust framework was not developed for the regulation of these health care providers, resulting in disorganized health sector, inadequate financing models, and lack of prioritization of services, as well as a sub-optimal achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). We systematically reviewed the evidence base regarding regulation of private hospitals, applicability of private-public mix, state of health insurance and effective policy development for India, while seeking lessons on regulation of private health systems, from South African (a developing country) and Australian (a developed country) health care systems. PMID:24701465

Succeeding in New Vaccine Introduction: Lessons Learned From the Introduction of Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine in Cameroon, Kenya, and Nigeria

PubMed Central

Snidal, Sarah; Saidu, Yauba; Ojumu, Abiola; Ngatia, Antony; Bagana, Murtala; Mutuku, Faith; Sobngwi, Joelle; Efe-Aluta, Oniovo; Roper, Julia; LeTallec, Yann; Kang’ethe, Alice

2017-01-01

Abstract Introducing a new vaccine is a large-scale endeavor that can face many challenges, resulting in introduction delays and inefficiencies. The development of national task teams and tools, such as prelaunch trackers, for the introduction of new vaccines (hereafter, “new vaccine introductions” [NVIs]) can help countries implement robust project management systems, front-load critical preparatory activities, and ensure continuous communication around vaccine supply and financing. In addition, implementing postlaunch assessments to take rapid corrective action accelerates the uptake of the new vaccines. NVIs can provide an opportunity to strengthen routine immunization, through strengthening program management systems or by reinforcing local immunization managers’ abilities, among others. This article highlights key lessons learned during the introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccine in 3 countries that would make future NVIs more successful. The article concludes by considering how the Immunization Systems Management Group of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative has been useful to the NVI process and how such global structures could be further enhanced. PMID:28838156

Authorship in Global Mental Health Research: Recommendations for Collaborative Approaches to Writing and Publishing

PubMed Central

Kohrt, Brandon A.; Upadhaya, Nawaraj; Luitel, Nagendra P.; Maharjan, Sujen M.; Kaiser, Bonnie N.; MacFarlane, Elizabeth K.; Khan, Noreen

2014-01-01

Background Collaborations among researchers, clinicians, and individuals with mental illness from high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are crucial to produce research, interventions, and policies that are relevant, feasible, and ethical. However, global mental health and cultural psychiatry research publications have been dominated by HIC investigators. Objective The aim of this review was to present recommendations for collaborative writing with a focus on early career researchers in HICs and LMICs. Methods A workshop was conducted with HIC and LMIC investigators in Nepal to discuss lessons learned for collaborative writing. The researchers had experience in cross-cultural psychiatric epidemiology, health services research, randomized controlled trials, and projects with war and disaster-affected populations in complex humanitarian emergencies including child soldiers and refugees. Additional lessons learned were contributed from researchers engaged in similar collaborations in Haiti. Findings A step-by-step process for collaborative writing was developed. Conclusions HIC and LMIC writing collaborations will encourage accurate, ethical, and contextually grounded publications to foster understanding and facilitate reduction of the global burden of mental illness. PMID:24976552

Potential for broad-scale transmission of Ebola virus disease during the West Africa crisis: lessons for the Global Health security agenda.

PubMed

Undurraga, Eduardo A; Carias, Cristina; Meltzer, Martin I; Kahn, Emily B

2017-12-01

The 2014-2016 Ebola crisis in West Africa had approximately eight times as many reported deaths as the sum of all previous Ebola outbreaks. The outbreak magnitude and occurrence of multiple Ebola cases in at least seven countries beyond Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, hinted at the possibility of broad-scale transmission of Ebola. Using a modeling tool developed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the Ebola outbreak, we estimated the number of Ebola cases that might have occurred had the disease spread beyond the three countries in West Africa to cities in other countries at high risk for disease transmission (based on late 2014 air travel patterns). We estimated Ebola cases in three scenarios: a delayed response, a Liberia-like response, and a fast response scenario. Based on our estimates of the number of Ebola cases that could have occurred had Ebola spread to other countries beyond the West African foci, we emphasize the need for improved levels of preparedness and response to public health threats, which is the goal of the Global Health Security Agenda. Our estimates suggest that Ebola could have potentially spread widely beyond the West Africa foci, had local and international health workers and organizations not committed to a major response effort. Our results underscore the importance of rapid detection and initiation of an effective, organized response, and the challenges faced by countries with limited public health systems. Actionable lessons for strengthening local public health systems in countries at high risk of disease transmission include increasing health personnel, bolstering primary and critical healthcare facilities, developing public health infrastructure (e.g. laboratory capacity), and improving disease surveillance. With stronger local public health systems infectious disease outbreaks would still occur, but their rapid escalation would be considerably less likely, minimizing the impact of public health threats such as Ebola. The Ebola outbreak could have potentially spread to other countries, where limited public health surveillance and response capabilities may have resulted in additional foci. Health security requires robust local health systems that can rapidly detect and effectively respond to an infectious disease outbreak.

Maintaining Research Integrity While Balancing Cultural Sensitivity: A Case Study and Lessons From the Field.

PubMed

Sibbald, Rebekah; Loiseau, Bethina; Darren, Benedict; Raman, Salem A; Dimaras, Helen; Loh, Lawrence C

2016-04-01

Contemporary emphasis on creating culturally relevant and context specific knowledge increasingly drives researchers to conduct their work in settings outside their home country. This often requires researchers to build relationships with various stakeholders who may have a vested interest in the research. This case study examines the tension between relationship development with stakeholders and maintaining study integrity, in the context of potential harms, data credibility and cultural sensitivity. We describe an ethical breach in the conduct of global health research by a arising from the ad-hoc participation of a community stakeholder external to the visiting research group. A framework for reflection is developed from a careful examination of underlying factors and presented with a discussion of consequences and mitigation measures. This framework aims to present lessons learned for researchers working abroad who might face similar situations in their work. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Population Education in Geography: Some Sample Lessons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and Oceania.

This booklet contains sample lessons and learning materials from the countries of Asia and Oceania for teaching population education in geography courses. The booklet is one of a series of six, each of which brings out population education concepts as part of a particular subject area. The subject areas treated in the other booklets are home…

Asia Curriculum. World Neighbors in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

World Neighbors, Inc., Oklahoma City, OK.

This collection of lesson plans focuses on the geography and culture of several Asian countries and is intended to be used with students in grades 6-12. Lessons in the collection are: (1) "Keeping the Faith: Comparison of Major Religious Cultures in India, Indonesia, and Vietnam" (Glenda Sullivan); (2) "Namaste, Menyapa, Chao, Bon…

Le Jeu des Colis--An Exercise in Foreign Language Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Barry

1979-01-01

Teacher prepared taped exchanges of realia between foreign language classes and classes of speakers of the target language provide language lessons through personal contact similar to those gained through a trip to the country of the target language. Sample lessons offer linguistic, cultural, and practical guidelines for implementing such a…

Expert meeting on Child Growth and Micronutrient Deficiencies--New Initiatives for Developing Countries to Achieve Millennium Development Goals: executive summary report.

PubMed

Usfar, Avita A; Achadi, Endang L; Martorell, Reynaldo; Hadi, Hamam; Thaha, Razak; Jus'at, Idrus; Atmarita; Martianto, Drajat; Ridwan, Hardinsyah; Soekirman

2009-01-01

Undernutrition in early childhood has long-term physical and intellectual consequences. Improving child growth should start before the age of two years and be an integrated effort between all sectors, covering all aspects such as diet and nutrient intake, disease reduction, optimum child care, and improved environmental sanitation. To discuss these issues, the Indonesian Danone Institute Foundation organized an expert meeting on Child Growth and Micronutrient Deficiencies: New Initiatives for Developing Countries to Achieve Millennium Development Goals. The objective of the meeting was to have a retrospective view on child growth: lessons learned from programs to overcome under-nutrition in the developed countries and to relate the situation to the Indonesian context, as well as to discuss implications for future programs. Recommendations derived from the meeting include focus intervention on the window of opportunity group, re-activation of the Integrated Health Post at the village level, improvement of infant and young child feeding, expand food fortification intervention programs, strengthen supplementation programs with multi-micronutrient, and strengthening public and private partnership on food related programs.

Methods for implementing a medicine outlet survey: lessons from the anti-malarial market.

PubMed

O'Connell, Kathryn A; Poyer, Stephen; Solomon, Tsione; Munroe, Erik; Patouillard, Edith; Njogu, Julius; Evance, Illah; Hanson, Kara; Shewchuk, Tanya; Goodman, Catherine

2013-02-05

In recent years an increasing number of public investments and policy changes have been made to improve the availability, affordability and quality of medicines available to consumers in developing countries, including anti-malarials. It is important to monitor the extent to which these interventions are successful in achieving their aims using quantitative data on the supply side of the market. There are a number of challenges related to studying supply, including outlet sampling, gaining provider cooperation and collecting accurate data on medicines. This paper provides guidance on key steps to address these issues when conducting a medicine outlet survey in a developing country context. While the basic principles of good survey design and implementation are important for all surveys, there are a set of specific issues that should be considered when conducting a medicine outlet survey. This paper draws on the authors' experience of designing and implementing outlet surveys, including the lessons learnt from ACTwatch outlet surveys on anti-malarial retail supply, and other key studies in the field. Key lessons and points of debate are distilled around the following areas: selecting a sample of outlets; techniques for collecting and analysing data on medicine availability, price and sales volumes; and methods for ensuring high quality data in general. The authors first consider the inclusion criteria for outlets, contrasting comprehensive versus more focused approaches. Methods for developing a reliable sampling frame of outlets are then presented, including use of existing lists, key informants and an outlet census. Specific issues in the collection of data on medicine prices and sales volumes are discussed; and approaches for generating comparable price and sales volume data across products using the adult equivalent treatment dose (AETD) are explored. The paper concludes with advice on practical considerations, including questionnaire design, field worker training, and data collection. Survey materials developed by ACTwatch for investigating anti-malarial markets in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia provide a helpful resource for future studies in this area.

On DWI laws in other countries

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-03-01

Much of the progress that has been made in impaired driving in the last decade or more has been facilitated by lessons learned from other countries. It is therefore both timely and appropriate for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to...

Implementing maternal death surveillance and response: a review of lessons from country case studies.

PubMed

Smith, Helen; Ameh, Charles; Roos, Natalie; Mathai, Matthews; Broek, Nynke van den

2017-07-17

Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR) implementation is monitored globally, but not much is known about what works well, where and why in scaling up. We reviewed a series of country case studies in order to determine whether and to what extent these countries have implemented the four essential components of MDSR and identify lessons for improving implementation. A secondary analysis of ten case studies from countries at different stages of MDSR implementation, using a policy analysis framework to draw out lessons learnt and opportunities for improvement. We identify the consistent drivers of success in countries with well-established systems for MDSR, and common barriers in countries were Maternal Death Review (MDR) systems have been less successful. MDR is accepted and ongoing at subnational level in many countries, but it is not adequately institutionalised and the shift from facility based MDR to continuous MDSR that informs the wider health system still needs to be made. Our secondary analysis of country experiences highlights the need for a) social and team processes at facility level, for example the existence of a 'no shame, no blame' culture, and the ability to reflect on practice and manage change as a team for recommendations to be acted upon, b) health system inputs including adequate funding and reliable health information systems to enable identification and analysis of cases c) national level coordination of dissemination, and monitoring implementation of recommendations at all levels and d) mandatory notification of maternal deaths (and enforcement of this) and a professional requirement to participate in MDRs. Case studies from countries with established MDSR systems can provide valuable guidance on ways to set up the processes and overcome some of the barriers; but the challenge, as with many health system interventions, is to find a way to provide catalytic assistance and strengthen capacity for MDSR such that this becomes embedded in the health system.

A population approach to renal replacement therapy epidemiology: lessons from the EVEREST study.

PubMed

Caskey, Fergus J; Jager, Kitty J

2014-08-01

The marked variation that exists in renal replacement therapy (RRT) epidemiology between countries and within countries requires careful systematic examination if the root causes are to be understood. While individual patient-level studies are undoubtedly important, there is a complementary role for more population-level, area-based studies--an aetiological approach. The EVEREST Study adopted such an approach, bringing RRT incidence rates, survival and modality mix together with macroeconomic factors, general population factors and renal service organizational factors for up to 46 countries. This review considers the background to EVEREST, its key results and then the main methodological lessons and their potential application to ongoing work. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

Lessons learnt from human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in 45 low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Gallagher, Katherine E; Howard, Natasha; Kabakama, Severin; Mounier-Jack, Sandra; Griffiths, Ulla K; Feletto, Marta; Burchett, Helen E D; LaMontagne, D Scott; Watson-Jones, Deborah

2017-01-01

To synthesise lessons learnt and determinants of success from human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine demonstration projects and national programmes in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs). Interviews were conducted with 56 key informants. A systematic literature review identified 2936 abstracts from five databases; after screening 61 full texts were included. Unpublished literature, including evaluation reports, was solicited from country representatives; 188 documents were received. A data extraction tool and interview topic guide outlining key areas of inquiry were informed by World Health Organization guidelines for new vaccine introduction. Results were synthesised thematically. Data were analysed from 12 national programmes and 66 demonstration projects in 46 countries. Among demonstration projects, 30 were supported by the GARDASIL® Access Program, 20 by Gavi, four by PATH and 12 by other means. School-based vaccine delivery supplemented with health facility-based delivery for out-of-school girls attained high coverage. There were limited data on facility-only strategies and little evaluation of strategies to reach out-of-school girls. Early engagement of teachers as partners in social mobilisation, consent, vaccination day coordination, follow-up of non-completers and adverse events was considered invaluable. Micro-planning using school/ facility registers most effectively enumerated target populations; other estimates proved inaccurate, leading to vaccine under- or over-estimation. Refresher training on adverse events and safe injection procedures was usually necessary. Considerable experience in HPV vaccine delivery in LAMICs is available. Lessons are generally consistent across countries and dissemination of these could improve HPV vaccine introduction.

Outsourcing vaccine logistics to the private sector: The evidence and lessons learned from the Western Cape Province in South-Africa.

PubMed

Lydon, Patrick; Raubenheimer, Ticky; Arnot-Krüger, Michelle; Zaffran, Michel

2015-06-26

With few exceptions, immunization supply chains in developing countries continue to face chronic difficulties in providing uninterrupted availability of potent vaccines up to service delivery levels, and in the most efficient manner possible. As these countries struggle to keep pace with an ever growing number of vaccines, more and more Ministries of Health are considering options of engaging the private sector to manage vaccine storage, handling and distribution on their behalf. Despite this emerging trend, there is limited evidence on the benefits or challenges of this option to improve public supply chain performance for national immunization programmes. To bridge this knowledge gap, this study aims to shed light on the value proposition of outsourcing by documenting the specific experience of the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The methodology for this review rested on conducting two key supply chain assessments which allowed juxtaposing the performance of the government managed segments of the vaccine supply chain against those managed by the private sector. In particular, measures of effective vaccine management best practice and temperature control in the cold chain were analysed. In addition, the costs of engaging the private sector were analysed to get a better understanding of the economics underpinning outsourcing vaccine logistics. The results from this analysis confirmed some of the theoretical benefits of outsourcing to the private sector. Yet, if the experience in the Western Cape can be deemed a successful one, there are several policy and practice implications that developing countries should be mindful of when considering engaging the private sector. While outsourcing can help improve the performance of the vaccine supply chain, it has the potential to do the reverse if done incorrectly. The findings and lessons learnt from the Western Cape experience can serve as a step towards understanding the role of the private sector in immunization supply chain and logistics systems for developing countries. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Assistant practitioners: lessons learned from licensed practical nurses.

PubMed

Whittingham, Katrina

The role of the assistant practitioner (AP) needs to be defined so they have clear career pathways and opportunities for professional development. The author sought to learn from other countries where a sustained effort had been made to support practitioners fulfilling this intermediate role. The equivalent of an AP in Canada is the licensed practical nurse (LPN); LPNs are subject to clear regulation and practice within their remit of their license. The author travelled to Alberta, Canada, and performed a qualitative study to investigate the role of the LPN. LPNs undertake a 2-year diploma-level course and have the opportunity to enhance their careers through specialist courses or to train as a RN. LPNs benefit from careful regulation, enabling them to have a clear scope of practice, a career structure with opportunities for development and consistent ethical standards. Lessons can be learned from the LPN model and put in practice in the UK; APs need a consistent education programme, a career pathway that promotes development and effective regulation.

Lessons from Providing Professional Development in Remote Sensing for Community College Instructors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, J. E.

2014-12-01

Two-year colleges and Tribal colleges are important centers for workforce education and training. A professional development program funded by the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education Program, 2007-2011 and 2012-2015, is providing the resources needed by instructors at those colleges to develop courses and programs in remote sensing. The highly successful program, "Integrated Geospatial Education and Technology Training-Remote Sensing (iGETT-RS)" will complete its currently funded work in May 2015. 76 instructors of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from all over the country will have been served. Each of them will have spent 18 months on the project, participating in two Summer Institutes at NASA and USGS and in monthly webinars on science and technology of remote sensing. iGETT-RS participants have created their own exercises and "concept modules" for the classroom, and many have created new courses and new programs across the country. As the external evaluator for iGETT-RS expressed it, the impact on project participants can "only be described as transformational." Viewers of this presentation will learn about the iGETT-RS project design and approach; successes, failures and lessons learned by the staff; and how to access the workshop materials and participant-authored classroom resources. Viewers will also learn about the Geospatial Technology Competency Model at the US Department of Labor, and about specifications for the Remote Sensing Model Course recently developed by the National Geospatial Technology Center to provide invaluable frameworks for faculty, students, administrators and employers.

Implementing new models of care: Lessons from the new care models programme in England.

PubMed

Starling, Anna

2018-06-01

In 2014, the body that leads the National Health Service in England published a new strategic vision for the National Health Service. A major part of this strategy was a three-year-long national programme to develop new care models to coordinate care across primary care, community services and hospitals that could be replicated across the country. Local 'vanguard sites' were selected to develop five types of new care model with support from a national team. The new care models programme provided support for local leaders to enable them to collaborate to improve care for their local populations. We interviewed leaders in the vanguard sites to better understand how they made changes to care locally. Drawing on the insights from these interviews and the literature on cross-organisational change and improvement we devised a framework of 10 lessons for health and care leaders seeking to develop and implement new models of care. The framework emphasises the importance of developing relationships and building capability locally to enable areas to continuously develop and test new ideas.

Health care cost containment strategies used in four other high-income countries hold lessons for the United States.

PubMed

Stabile, Mark; Thomson, Sarah; Allin, Sara; Boyle, Seán; Busse, Reinhard; Chevreul, Karine; Marchildon, Greg; Mossialos, Elias

2013-04-01

Around the world, rising health care costs are claiming a larger share of national budgets. This article reviews strategies developed to contain costs in health systems in Canada, England, France, and Germany in 2000-10. We used a comprehensive analysis of health systems and reforms in each country, compiled by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. These countries rely on a number of budget and price-setting mechanisms to contain health care costs. Our review revealed trends in all four countries toward more use of technology assessments and payment based on diagnosis-related groups and the value of products or services. These policies may result in a more efficient use of health care resources, but we argue that they need to be combined with volume and price controls--measures unlikely to be adopted in the United States--if they are also to meet cost containment goals.

Kick, Glide, Pole! Cross-Country Skiing Fun (Part I)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duoos, Bridget A.

2011-01-01

Cross-country skiing is a great activity for taking a physical education class outside during the cold winter months. It is also a diverse activity that appeals to students of all ages, and is an excellent cardio-respiratory activity to keep students active. This article has provided the first steps in preparing a cross-country skiing lesson in…

Designing a Teaching Excellence Framework: Lessons from Other Sectors. Occasional Paper 13

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darian, Louisa

2016-01-01

The Government is committed to introducing a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) to assess the quality of teaching and learning in higher education. Designing the right solution is challenging. There is no off-the-shelf solution from other countries that we can lift. But we can learn lessons from other sectors. This pamphlet explores rating…

Population Education in Social Studies: Some Sample Lessons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and Oceania.

This booklet contains sample lessons and learning materials from the countries of Asia and Oceania for teaching population education in social studies. The booklet is one of a series of six, each of which brings out population education concepts as part of a particular subject area. The subject areas treated in the other booklets are home…

Student Loan Reform, Interest Subsidies and Costly Technicalities: Lessons from the UK Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Alison; Barr, Nicholas

2013-01-01

In this paper, we consider lessons for other countries about the design of student loans with income-contingent repayments (i.e. repayments calculated as "x" per cent of each borrower's subsequent income). Using a dataset of 20,000 simulated lifetime graduate earnings paths, we estimate the cost and distributional effects of reforms in…

International Collaborations in Large Geophysical Experiments: A Win-Win Situation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, G. R.

2007-12-01

It has been my privilege to be involved in a significant number of large international cooperative geophysical experiments. These logistically challenging efforts all took place in developing or under-developed countries and were co-driven at least to some extent by scientists in the host country. A team of scientists from developed countries were involved in each case but were not always the leaders of the effort. The host countries were all supportive and played roles ranging from simply facilitating the effort to providing most of the funding. Some lessons learned from these efforts were the following: 1) permissions for large efforts must come from very high levels in the host government; 2) the host scientists should never be overlooked or underestimated; 3) involving students from both the host country and developed countries produces big educational and cultural dividends for all involved (it is a life experience for the visitors and a chance to widen perspectives and even acquire advanced degrees for the students from the host countries); 4) providing funds for scientists and students from the host country to visit their international partners to participate in the data processing and analysis and to attend scientific meetings is extremely important; 5) return trips to the host country to collaborate on data processing and analysis and to consolidate partnerships are also important; 6) the partnership with the host country should be viewed as a long term commitment to scientific cooperation and education that benefits all involved. Our experiences have encountered only a few roadblocks and have been ultimately universally positive. Lifelong relationships have been forged, students have been educated and enriched, and excellent scientific results have been produced.

What can health care marketing learn from bank marketing?

PubMed

Mindak, W A

1988-01-01

A useful technique in assessing opportunities for international marketers is called "lead lag" analysis. It suggests that one can predict developments, such as demand patterns, in one country by looking at an analogous country. Applying such a technique to the domestic scene, what could we predict about the development and application of marketing to the health care sector if we looked at an analogous service such as banking? Many experts believe that health care is following in the footsteps of banking and point to environmental similarities such as changes in government regulation, new forms of nontraditional competition, increased concern about retail sectors, and pressures on scarce resources. Are there lessons that health care marketers can learn from bankers that might help them avoid some false starts or expensive mistakes?

Why Did Zika Not Explode in Cuba? The Role of Active Community Participation to Sustain Control of Vector-Borne Diseases.

PubMed

Castro, Marta; Pérez, Dennis; Guzman, Maria G; Barrington, Clare

2017-08-01

As the global public health community develops strategies for sustainable Zika prevention and control, assessment of the Cuban response to Zika provides critical lessons learned. Cuba's early and successful response to Zika, grounded in the country's long-standing dengue prevention and control program, serves as a model of rapid mobilization of intersectoral efforts. Sustaining this response requires applying the evidence generated within the Cuban dengue program that active community participation improves outcomes and is sustainable and cost-effective. There is also a need for implementation science efforts to assess the transferability of lessons learned from Zika prevention and control to other pathogens and from one context to another in addition to how to take these efforts to scale.

Experiences and Lessons From Polio Eradication Applied to Immunization in 10 Focus Countries of the Polio Endgame Strategic Plan.

PubMed

van den Ent, Maya M V X; Mallya, Apoorva; Sandhu, Hardeep; Anya, Blanche-Philomene; Yusuf, Nasir; Ntakibirora, Marcelline; Hasman, Andreas; Fahmy, Kamal; Agbor, John; Corkum, Melissa; Sumaili, Kyandindi; Siddique, Anisur Rahman; Bammeke, Jane; Braka, Fiona; Andriamihantanirina, Rija; Ziao, Antoine-Marie C; Djumo, Clement; Yapi, Moise Desire; Sosler, Stephen; Eggers, Rudolf

2017-07-01

Nine polio areas of expertise were applied to broader immunization and mother, newborn and child health goals in ten focus countries of the Polio Eradication Endgame Strategic Plan: policy & strategy development, planning, management and oversight (accountability framework), implementation & service delivery, monitoring, communications & community engagement, disease surveillance & data analysis, technical quality & capacity building, and partnerships. Although coverage improvements depend on multiple factors and increased coverage cannot be attributed to the use of polio assets alone, 6 out of the 10 focus countries improved coverage in three doses of diphtheria tetanus pertussis containing vaccine between 2013 and 2015. Government leadership, evidence-based programming, country-driven comprehensive operational annual plans, community partnership and strong accountability systems are critical for all programs and polio eradication has illustrated these can be leveraged to increase immunization coverage and equity and enhance global health security in the focus countries. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Lessons learnt on recruitment and fieldwork from a pilot European human biomonitoring survey.

PubMed

Fiddicke, Ulrike; Becker, Kerstin; Schwedler, Gerda; Seiwert, Margarete; Joas, Reinhard; Joas, Anke; Biot, Pierre; Aerts, Dominique; Casteleyn, Ludwine; Dumez, Birgit; Castaño, Argelia; Esteban, Marta; Angerer, Jürgen; Koch, Holger M; Schoeters, Greet; Den Hond, Elly; Sepai, Ovnair; Exley, Karen; Knudsen, Lisbeth E; Horvat, Milena; Bloemen, Louis; Katsonouri, Andromachi; Hadjipanayis, Adamos; Cerna, Milena; Krsková, Andrea; Jensen, Janne Fangel; Nielsen, Jeanette K S; Rudnai, Peter; Közepésy, Szilvia; Gutleb, Arno C; Fischer, Marc E; Ligocka, Danuta; Kamińska, Joanna; Reis, M Fátima; Namorado, Sónia; Lupsa, Ioana-Rodica; Gurzau, Anca E; Halzlová, Katarína; Mazej, Darja; Tratnik, Janja Snoj; Rivas, Teresa C; Gómez, Silvia; Berglund, Marika; Larsson, Kristin; Lehmann, Andrea; Crettaz, Pierre; Dewolf, Marie-Christine; Burns, Damien; Kellegher, Anne; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike

2015-08-01

Within the European Environment and Health Action Plan an initiative to establish a coherent human biomonitoring approach in Europe was started. The project COPHES (COnsortium to Perform Human biomonitoring on a European Scale ) developed recommendations for a harmonized conduct of a human biomonitoring (HBM) survey which came into action as the pilot study DEMOCOPHES (DEMOnstration of a study to COordinate and Perform Human biomonitoring on a European Scale). Seventeen European countries conducted a survey with harmonized instruments for, inter alia, recruitment, fieldwork and sampling, in autumn/winter 2011/2012. Based on the countries' experiences of conducting the pilot study, following lessons learnt were compiled: the harmonized fieldwork instruments (basic questionnaire, urine and hair sampling) turned out to be very valuable for future HBM surveys on the European scale. A school approach was favoured by most of the countries to recruit school-aged children according to the established guidelines and country specific experiences. To avoid a low participation rate, intensive communication with the involved institutions and possible participants proved to be necessary. The communication material should also include information on exclusion criteria and offered incentives. Telephone contact to the participants the day before fieldwork during the survey can prevent the forgetting of appointments and first morning urine samples. To achieve comparable results on the European scale, training of interviewers in all issues of recruitment, fieldwork and sampling through information material and training sessions is crucial. A survey involving many European countries needs time for preparation and conduct. Materials for quality control prepared for all steps of recruitment, fieldwork and sampling proved to be important to warrant reliable results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-10

PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e . TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES...Navy’s Top Officer Sees Lessons in Shipbuilding Program Failures,” GovernmentExecutive.com, September 24, 2008) quoted Admiral Gary Roughead, the Chief...procuring CG(X)s was properly aligned with foreign-country ballistic missile development programs. A 2005 defense trade press report, for example, stated

Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-18

ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e . TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES... Lessons in Shipbuilding Program Failures,” GovernmentExecutive.com, September 24, 2008) quoted Admiral Gary Roughead, the Chief of Naval Operations, as...the schedule for procuring CG(X)s is properly aligned with foreign-country ballistic missile development programs. A 2005 defense trade press report

The Malvinas/Falklands War of 1982: Lessons for the United States and Latin America

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-01

system. % On behalf of Mexico, Ambassador Rafael de la Colina eloquently reiterated his country’s support for the Argentine claims of sovereignty and...Mascarenhas de Moraes-Mark Clark series ( between the US and Brazilian armies), the Inter-American Defense Board and the Inter-American Defense College...Peruvian General Edgardo Mercado Jarrin once called the cruelest form of dependence-by developing indigenous military industrial capabilities. Brazilian

The Challenges of Establishing and Sustaining an Overseas Enterprise: One Haitian NGO's Perspective.

PubMed

Greig, Elizabeth; Cornely, Cheryl Clark; Green, Barth A

2015-06-01

This article describes the creation of Project Medishare for Haiti, Inc, a US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and its counterpart in Haiti, Project Medishare in Haiti, a nongovernmental organization that provides health care resources and training and education in Haiti. It summarizes the strategy for fundraising and sustaining such an enterprise in a developing country and discusses the lessons learned and goals achieved during the last 20 years.

Crafting regulations in emerging geothermal countries: The Peru example

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Armstrong, A.J.

1996-12-31

Conventional wisdom holds that no prudent investor or lender will ante up a penny of investment money in a geothermal project unless and until there is a geothermal resources law in place. Since every law depends on a regulatory regime to make the law work in actual practice, implemented regulations are equally important conditions precedent for geothermal development. In recognition of the importance of assisting geothermal regulatory development in the emerging geothermal countries of Latin America, during the 1995 to 1996 timeframe, the Geothermal Energy Association has acted in an advisory capacity to the Ministry of Energy and Mines ofmore » Peru, in the drafting of geothermal regulations for Peru. These regulations are designed to promote developmental investment in the geothermal resources of Peru, while simultaneously establishing reasonable standards for the protection of the people and the environment of the country. While these regulations are specific to Peru, they may well serve as a model for other countries of Latin America. Thus, the lessons learned in crafting the Peru regulatory regime may have applicability in other countries in which the geothermal industry is now working or may work in the future.« less

The Paving Stones: initial feed-back on an attempt to apply the AGILE principles for the development of a CubeSat space mission to Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segret, Boris; Semery, Alain; Vannitsen, Jordan; Mosser, Benoît.; Miau, Jiun-Jih; Juang, Jyh-Ching; Deleflie, Florent

2014-08-01

The AGILE principles in the software industry seems well adapted to the paradigm of CubeSat missions that involve students for the development of space missions. Some of well-known engineering and program processes are revisited on the example of an interplanetary CubeSat mission profile that has been developed by several teams of students in various countries and at various educational levels since 02/2013. The lessons learned at adapting traditional space mission methods are emphasized and they produce a metaphoric image of paving stones.

Research for Foreign Advanced Ports for Protection and Development Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lu; Tian, Mingjing; Zhao, Junjie; Shou, Youping; Wang, Ning; Qiao, Jianzhe; Li, Guanglou

2018-04-01

Into the twenty-first century, the process globalization of economic and trade is getting faster and faster, As of 2014, China's annual port trading amount topped the world, But in the port of environmental protection sustainable development approach with foreign advanced port environmental management concept has a big gap. Combined with the present situation of modern ports in China. Drawing lessons from foreign advanced environmental protection idea of port, in order to promote the protection of port environment in our country. The experience of protection and development of foreign advanced port environment will be discussed and discussed.

The Role of Content in Inquiry-Based Elementary Science Lessons: An Analysis of Teacher Beliefs and Enactment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furtak, Erin Marie; Alonzo, Alicia C.

2010-01-01

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Video Study explored instructional practices in the United States (US) in comparison with other countries that ranked higher on the 1999 TIMSS assessment, and revealed that 8th grade science teachers in the US emphasize activities over content during lessons (Roth et al.…

Lessons Learned on Communication and Engagement for Educator Evaluation: Colorado Case Study. Policy-to-Practice Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behrstock-Sherratt, Ellen; Biggers, Kietha; Fetters, Jenni

2012-01-01

With many efforts underway across the United States, state education agency (SEA) leaders have the opportunity to utilize the expertise of their contacts in other SEAs and regional comprehensive centers (RCCs) in their region and throughout the country to exchange ideas and share the lessons they have learned about involving stakeholders in…

Private Tutoring Lessons Supply: Insights from Online Advertising in the Czech Republic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Štastný, Vít

2017-01-01

In many parts of the world, shadow education has become a major enterprise. Such is the case of the countries of the former Eastern Bloc, including the Czech Republic, which is in scope of this article. The study analyses the Internet supply of private tutoring lessons in academic subjects and assesses the micro- and macro-factors influencing the…

An overview of the lesson learned in almost 20 years of fight against the "tiger" mosquito.

PubMed

Romi, R; Majori, G

2008-06-01

Since its introduction in Italy in 1990, Aedes albopictus has spread quickly across the country, being at present reported in scattered foci in all regions below 600 m of altitude. The most important items of the lesson learned in almost 20 years of fight against the "Tiger" in Italy are here reported and discussed.

A cross-cultural comparison of biology lessons between China and Germany: a video study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ning; Neuhaus, Birgit Jana

2017-08-01

Given the globalization of science education and the different cultures between China and Germany, we tried to compare and explain the differences on teacher questions and real life instances in biology lessons between the two countries from a culture-related perspective. 22 biology teachers from China and 21 biology teachers from Germany participated in this study. Each teacher was videotaped for one lesson on the unit blood and circulatory system. Before the teaching unit, students' prior knowledge was tested with a pretest. After the teaching unit, students' content knowledge was tested with a posttest. The aim of the knowledge tests here was for the better selection of the four samples for qualitative comparison in the two countries. The quantitative analysis showed that more lower-order teacher questions and more real life instances that were introduced after learning relevant concepts were in Chinese lessons than in German lessons. There were no significant differences in the frequency of higher-order questions or real life instances that were introduced before learning concepts. Qualitative analysis showed that both German teachers guided students to analyze the reasoning process of Landsteiner experiment, but nor Chinese teachers did that. The findings reflected the subtle influence of culture on classroom teaching. Relatively, Chinese biology teachers focused more on learning content and the application of the content in real life; German biology teachers emphasized more on invoking students' reasoning and divergent thinking.

Universal Health Coverage and Primary Healthcare: Lessons From Japan Comment on "Achieving Universal Health Coverage by Focusing on Primary Care in Japan: Lessons for Low- and Middle-Income Countries".

PubMed

Bloom, Gerald

2016-08-28

A recent editorial by Naoki Ikegami has proposed three key lessons from Japan's experience of achieving virtually universal coverage with primary healthcare services: the need to integrate the existing providers of primary healthcare services into the organised health system; the need to limit government commitments to finance hospital services and the need to empower providers of primary healthcare to influence decisions that influence their livelihoods. Although the context of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) differs in many ways from Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the lesson that short-term initiatives to achieve universal coverage need to be complemented by an understanding of the factors influencing long-term change management remains highly relevant. © 2017 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Lessons learnt from human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in 45 low- and middle-income countries

PubMed Central

Howard, Natasha; Kabakama, Severin; Mounier-Jack, Sandra; Griffiths, Ulla K.; Feletto, Marta; Burchett, Helen E. D.; LaMontagne, D. Scott; Watson-Jones, Deborah

2017-01-01

Objective To synthesise lessons learnt and determinants of success from human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine demonstration projects and national programmes in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs). Methods Interviews were conducted with 56 key informants. A systematic literature review identified 2936 abstracts from five databases; after screening 61 full texts were included. Unpublished literature, including evaluation reports, was solicited from country representatives; 188 documents were received. A data extraction tool and interview topic guide outlining key areas of inquiry were informed by World Health Organization guidelines for new vaccine introduction. Results were synthesised thematically. Results Data were analysed from 12 national programmes and 66 demonstration projects in 46 countries. Among demonstration projects, 30 were supported by the GARDASIL® Access Program, 20 by Gavi, four by PATH and 12 by other means. School-based vaccine delivery supplemented with health facility-based delivery for out-of-school girls attained high coverage. There were limited data on facility-only strategies and little evaluation of strategies to reach out-of-school girls. Early engagement of teachers as partners in social mobilisation, consent, vaccination day coordination, follow-up of non-completers and adverse events was considered invaluable. Micro-planning using school/ facility registers most effectively enumerated target populations; other estimates proved inaccurate, leading to vaccine under- or over-estimation. Refresher training on adverse events and safe injection procedures was usually necessary. Conclusion Considerable experience in HPV vaccine delivery in LAMICs is available. Lessons are generally consistent across countries and dissemination of these could improve HPV vaccine introduction. PMID:28575074

Country planning for health interventions under development: lessons from the malaria vaccine decision-making framework and implications for other new interventions

PubMed Central

Brooks, Alan; Ba-Nguz, Antoinette

2012-01-01

Traditionally it has taken years or decades for new public health interventions targeting diseases found in developing countries to be accessible to those most in need. One reason for the delay has been insufficient anticipation of the eventual processes and evidence required for decision making by countries. This paper describes research into the anticipated processes and data needed to inform decision making on malaria vaccines, the most advanced of which is still in phase 3 trials. From 2006 to 2008, a series of country consultations in Africa led to the development of a guide to assist countries in preparing their malaria vaccine decision-making frameworks. The guide builds upon the World Health Organization’s Vaccine Introduction Guidelines. It identifies the processes and data for decisions, when they would be needed relative to the development timelines of the intervention, and where they will come from. Policy development will be supported by data (e.g. malaria disease burden; roles of other malaria interventions; malaria vaccine impact; economic and financial issues; malaria vaccine efficacy, quality and safety) as will implementation decisions (e.g. programmatic issues and socio-cultural environment). This generic guide can now be applied to any future malaria vaccine. The paper discusses the opportunities and challenges to early planning for country decision-making—from the potential for timely, evidence-informed decisions to the risks of over-promising around an intervention still under development. Careful and well-structured planning by countries is an important way to ensure that new interventions do not remain unused for years or decades after they become available. PMID:22513733

"Initiate-build-operate-transfer"--a strategy for establishing sustainable telemedicine programs in developing countries: initial lessons from the balkans.

PubMed

Latifi, Rifat; Merrell, Ronald C; Doarn, Charles R; Hadeed, George J; Bekteshi, Flamur; Lecaj, Ismet; Boucha, Kathe; Hajdari, Fatmir; Hoxha, Astrit; Koshi, Dashurije; de Leonni Stanonik, Mateja; Berisha, Blerim; Novoberdaliu, Kadri; Imeri, Arben; Weinstein, Ronald S

2009-12-01

Establishing sustainable telemedicine has become a goal of many developing countries around the world. Yet, despite initiatives from a select few individuals and on occasion from various governments, often these initiatives never mature to become sustainable programs. The introduction of telemedicine and e-learning in Kosova has been a pivotal step in advancing the quality and availability of medical services in a region whose infrastructure and resources have been decimated by wars, neglect, lack of funding, and poor management. The concept and establishment of the International Virtual e-Hospital (IVeH) has significantly impacted telemedicine and e-health services in the Balkans. The success of the IVeH in Kosova has led to the development of similar programs in other Balkan countries and other developing countries in the hope of modernizing and improving their healthcare infrastructure. A comprehensive, four-pronged strategy, "Initiate-Build-Operate-Transfer" (IBOT), may be a useful approach in establishing telemedicine and e-health educational services in developing countries. The development strategy, IBOT, used by the IVeH to establish and develop telemedicine programs, was discussed. IBOT includes assessment of healthcare needs of each country, the development of a curriculum and education program, the establishment of a nationwide telemedicine network, and the integration of the telemedicine program into the healthcare infrastructure. The endpoint is the transfer of a sustainable telehealth program to the nation involved. By applying IBOT, a sustainable telemedicine program of Kosova has been established as an effective prototype for telemedicine in the Balkans. Once fully matured, the program will be transitioned to the national Ministry of Health, which ensures the sustainability and ownership of the program. Similar programs are being established in Albania, Macedonia, and other countries around the world. The IBOT model has been effective in creating sustainable telemedicine and e-health integrated programs in the Balkans and may be a good model for establishing such programs in developing countries.

Venture funding for science-based African health innovation.

PubMed

Masum, Hassan; Chakma, Justin; Simiyu, Ken; Ronoh, Wesley; Daar, Abdallah S; Singer, Peter A

2010-12-13

While venture funding has been applied to biotechnology and health in high-income countries, it is still nascent in these fields in developing countries, and particularly in Africa. Yet the need for implementing innovative solutions to health challenges is greatest in Africa, with its enormous burden of communicable disease. Issues such as risk, investment opportunities, return on investment requirements, and quantifying health impact are critical in assessing venture capital's potential for supporting health innovation. This paper uses lessons learned from five venture capital firms from Kenya, South Africa, China, India, and the US to suggest design principles for African health venture funds. The case study method was used to explore relevant funds, and lessons for the African context. The health venture funds in this study included publicly-owned organizations, corporations, social enterprises, and subsidiaries of foreign venture firms. The size and type of investments varied widely. The primary investor in four funds was the International Finance Corporation. Three of the funds aimed primarily for financial returns, one aimed primarily for social and health returns, and one had mixed aims. Lessons learned include the importance of measuring and supporting both social and financial returns; the need to engage both upstream capital such as government risk-funding and downstream capital from the private sector; and the existence of many challenges including difficulty of raising capital, low human resource capacity, regulatory barriers, and risky business environments. Based on these lessons, design principles for appropriate venture funding are suggested. Based on the cases studied and relevant experiences elsewhere, there is a case for venture funding as one support mechanism for science-based African health innovation, with opportunities for risk-tolerant investors to make financial as well as social returns. Such funds should be structured to overcome the challenges identified, be sustainable in the long run, attract for-profit private sector funds, and have measurable and significant health impact. If this is done, the proposed venture approach may have complementary benefits to existing initiatives and encourage local scientific and economic development while tapping new sources of funding.

Venture funding for science-based African health innovation

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background While venture funding has been applied to biotechnology and health in high-income countries, it is still nascent in these fields in developing countries, and particularly in Africa. Yet the need for implementing innovative solutions to health challenges is greatest in Africa, with its enormous burden of communicable disease. Issues such as risk, investment opportunities, return on investment requirements, and quantifying health impact are critical in assessing venture capital’s potential for supporting health innovation. This paper uses lessons learned from five venture capital firms from Kenya, South Africa, China, India, and the US to suggest design principles for African health venture funds. Discussion The case study method was used to explore relevant funds, and lessons for the African context. The health venture funds in this study included publicly-owned organizations, corporations, social enterprises, and subsidiaries of foreign venture firms. The size and type of investments varied widely. The primary investor in four funds was the International Finance Corporation. Three of the funds aimed primarily for financial returns, one aimed primarily for social and health returns, and one had mixed aims. Lessons learned include the importance of measuring and supporting both social and financial returns; the need to engage both upstream capital such as government risk-funding and downstream capital from the private sector; and the existence of many challenges including difficulty of raising capital, low human resource capacity, regulatory barriers, and risky business environments. Based on these lessons, design principles for appropriate venture funding are suggested. Summary Based on the cases studied and relevant experiences elsewhere, there is a case for venture funding as one support mechanism for science-based African health innovation, with opportunities for risk-tolerant investors to make financial as well as social returns. Such funds should be structured to overcome the challenges identified, be sustainable in the long run, attract for-profit private sector funds, and have measurable and significant health impact. If this is done, the proposed venture approach may have complementary benefits to existing initiatives and encourage local scientific and economic development while tapping new sources of funding. PMID:21144072

Some observations on World Development Report 2011: conflict, security and development.

PubMed

Gangolli, Leena V

2011-01-01

The World Development Report 2011 describes the relationship between conflict, security and development and makes a strong argument in favour of strengthening legitimate institutions to reduce the fragility of countries facing protracted cycles of violence, and moving from violence to resilience in order to realise development goals. While highlighting some of the lessons learned from the report (the nature of violence in the 21st century, the global reach of seemingly local conflicts, the universality of conflict as an impediment to development, the role of the international community, and the impact on health), this comment discusses the role of development on conflict and security--particularly the role of imbalanced inequitable development on fuelling conflict and insecurity.

Tackling NCD in LMIC: Achievements and Lessons Learned From the NHLBI-UnitedHealth Global Health Centers of Excellence Program.

PubMed

Engelgau, Michael M; Sampson, Uchechukwu K; Rabadan-Diehl, Cristina; Smith, Richard; Miranda, Jaime; Bloomfield, Gerald S; Belis, Deshiree; Narayan, K M Venkat

2016-03-01

Effectively tackling the growing noncommunicable disease (NCD) burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is a major challenge. To address research needs in this setting for NCDs, in 2009, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and UnitedHealth Group (UHG) engaged in a public-private partnership that supported a network of 11 LMIC-based research centers and created the NHLBI-UnitedHealth Global Health Centers of Excellence (COE) Program. The Program's overall goal was to contribute to reducing the cardiovascular and lung disease burdens by catalyzing in-country research institutions to develop a global network of biomedical research centers. Key elements of the Program included team science and collaborative approaches, developing research and training platforms for future investigators, and creating a data commons. This Program embraced a strategic approach for tackling NCDs in LMICs and will provide capacity for locally driven research efforts that can identify and address priority health issues in specific countries' settings. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Considerations for sustainable influenza vaccine production in developing countries.

PubMed

Nannei, Claudia; Chadwick, Christopher; Fatima, Hiba; Goldin, Shoshanna; Grubo, Myriam; Ganim, Alexandra

2016-10-26

Through its Global Action Plan for Influenza Vaccines (GAP), the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the United States Department of Health and Human Services has produced a checklist to support policy-makers and influenza vaccine manufacturers in identifying key technological, political, financial, and logistical issues affecting the sustainability of influenza vaccine production. This checklist highlights actions in five key areas that are beneficial for establishing successful local vaccine manufacturing. These five areas comprise: (1) the policy environment and health-care systems; (2) surveillance systems and influenza evidence; (3) product development and manufacturing; (4) product approval and regulation; and (5) communication to support influenza vaccination. Incorporating the checklist into national vaccine production programmes has identified the policy gaps and next steps for countries involved in GAP's Technology Transfer Initiative. Lessons learnt from country experiences provide context and insight that complement the checklist's goal of simplifying the complexities of influenza prevention, preparedness, and vaccine manufacturing. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Asbestos in Asia.

PubMed

Leong, Su Lyn; Zainudin, Rizka; Kazan-Allen, Laurie; Robinson, Bruce W

2015-05-01

Asbestos is a global killer. Despite lessons learned in the developed world on the use of asbestos and its hazardous pulmonary consequences, its use continues to increase in Asia. Although some countries such as Japan, Korea and Singapore have curtailed the use of this mineral, there are numerous countries in Asia that continue to mine, import and use this fibre, particularly China, which is one of the largest consumers in the world. Numerous factors ranging from political and economic to the lack of understanding of asbestos and the management of asbestos-related lung disease are keys to this observed trend. Awareness of these factors combined with early intervention may prevent the predicted Asian 'tsunami' of asbestos diseases. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

New perspectives on population: lessons from Cairo.

PubMed

Ashford, L S

1995-03-01

The lessons from the 1994 World Population Conference in Cairo, Egypt, are summarized in this publication. The topics of discussion include the evolution of population policies, the changing policy environment, demographic trends, and solutions in the form of gender equity, provision of reproductive health services, and sustainable social and economic development. The program of action supported by 180 governments and targeted for 2015 articulated the goals of universal access to a full range of safe and reliable family planning methods and reproductive health services, a specified level of reduction in infant and child mortality, a specified level of reduction in maternal mortality, an increase in life expectancy to 70-75 years or more, and universal access to and completion of primary education. Other features include goals for improving women's status and equity in gender relations, expansion of educational and job opportunities for women and girls, and involvement of men in childrearing responsibilities and family planning. Steps should be taken to eliminate poverty and reduce or eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption. Population policy must be integrated within social and economic development policies. About $22 billion will be needed for provision of family planning and reproductive health services by the year 2015. Costs will increase over the 10-year period due to the increased population to be served. Per person user costs for family planning alone are higher in countries without infrastructure and technical skills. Actual costs vary with the cost of contraceptive supplies, patterns of use, and efficiency of delivery systems. Although the plan offers 16 chapters worth of advice and recommends 243 specific actions, countries will have to be selective due to cost limitations. The 20/20 Initiative is proposed for sharing social service costs between international donors (20%) and host countries (20%). A separate UN projection of need is for 33% of support from international donors for family planning and related programs. The constraints to the implementation of the action plan are identified as the rate of demographic change, the extent of public support for population limitation and provision of family planning services, and potential conflicts of interests and funding between cooperating agencies. The World Bank has developed guidelines for policy development according to a country's identification as an emergent, transitional, or advanced country.

Passport Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worthey, Glen; Bourgoin, Stella, Ed.

This project introduces second-grade students to international studies by having them create a passport. Once the students have their passports, the teacher can then present lessons to small groups, discussing one foreign country per session. The teacher should begin with a traditional lecture giving pertinent facts about a country followed by…

Maternal and child health project in Nigeria.

PubMed

Okafor, Chinyelu B

2003-12-01

Maternal deaths in developing countries are rooted in womens powerlessness and their unequal access to employment, finance, education, basic health care, and other resources. Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, and it is an oil producing country, but Nigeria has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in Africa. These deaths were linked to deficiencies in access to health care including poor quality of health services, socio-cultural factors, and access issues related to the poor status of women. To address these problems, a participatory approach was used to bring Christian women from various denominations in Eastern Nigeria together. With technical assistance from a research unit in a university in Eastern Nigeria, the women were able to implement a Safe Motherhood project starting from needs assessment to program evaluation. Lessons learned from this program approach are discussed.

Translational Genomics in Low and Middle Income Countries: Opportunities and Challenges

PubMed Central

Tekola-Ayele, Fasil; Rotimi, Charles N.

2015-01-01

Translation of genomic discoveries into patient care is slowly becoming a reality in developed economies around the world. In contrast, low and middle income countries (LMIC) have participated minimally in genomic research for several reasons including lack of coherent national policies, limited number of well-trained genomic scientists, poor research infrastructure, and local economic and cultural challenges. Recent initiatives such as the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa), the Qatar Genome Project and the Mexico National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN) that aim to address these problems through capacity building and empowerment of local researchers have sparked a paradigm shift. In this short communication, we describe experiences of small-scale medical genetics and translational genomics research programs in LMIC. The lessons drawn from these programs drive home the importance of addressing resource, policy, and socio-cultural dynamics to realize the promise of precision medicine driven by genomic science globally. By echoing lessons from a bench-to-community translational genomics research, we advocate that large-scale genomics research projects can be successfully linked with health care programs. To harness the benefits of genomics-led health care, LMIC governments should begin to develop national genomics policies that will address human and technology capacity development within the context of their national economic and socio-cultural uniqueness. These policies should encourage international collaboration and promote link between the public health program and genomics researchers. Finally, we highlight the potential catalytic roles of the global community to foster translational genomics in LMIC. PMID:26138992

The lessons of SARS.

PubMed

Emanuel, Ezekiel J

2003-10-07

Given the low mortality and morbidity of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) compared with other public health scourges, is the attention devoted to it misdirected? The SARS experience has provided at least 4 enduring lessons. First, by providing a test of the capacity of each part of the public health system, from national to local and hospital responses, it has better prepared the world for the anticipated and much-feared next real pandemic. Second, SARS has reemphasized that from housing, sexual practices, and slaughtering techniques to health care capacity, the situation in other, especially developing, countries affects us. Global cooperation is necessary not only for justice but to ensure our own health. Third, despite trends toward commercialization, easier lives, and self-centered individualism, the response of health care professionals to SARS reaffirmed dedication to caring for the sick even at great personal risks as the core ethical principle of medicine. Finally, SARS also emphasized the importance of the duty of health care administrators and senior physicians to rapidly institute procedures to maximize the safety of frontline physicians and nurses. These lessons will be valuable far beyond the SARS episode.

How the world survived the population bomb: lessons from 50 years of extraordinary demographic history.

PubMed

Lam, David

2011-11-01

The world population will reach 7 billion in late 2011, a demographic milestone that is causing renewed attention to the challenges caused by population growth. This article looks at the last 50 years of demographic change, one of the most extraordinary periods in demographic history. During this period, world population grew at rates that have never been seen before and will almost surely never be seen again. There were many concerns about the potential impact of rapid population growth in the 1960s, including mass starvation in countries such as India, depletion of nonrenewable resources, and increased poverty in low-income countries. The actual experience was very different. World food production increased faster than world population in every decade since the 1960s, resource prices fell during most of the period, and poverty declined significantly in much of the developing world. The article considers the economic and demographic explanations for the surprising successes of this important period in demographic history. It also looks at regions that have been less successful, especially Africa, and at the lessons for dealing with the important challenges that still remain.

The course of specialization in public health in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 1926 to 2006: lessons and challenges

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Public health, as a field of knowledge, depends on its professionals. Their education and training, therefore, is considered to be an important factor for the quality of health services. In Brazil, the Course of Specialization in Public Health of the National School of Public Health is one of the oldest in the country. The course has existed for over 80 years, during which it has had an eventful history, with modifications in its organization, interruptions in its delivery, threats to its survival and changes in the institutions hosting it, reflecting the wider transformation in Brazilian society and public life over that period. Methods In this article we analyse this course via its history, disciplines, organization and characteristics of the student body. Results Insights were gained into the advancement of public health in Brazil and the progress of education for professionals in this field was highlighted. The course has formed nearly 2000 specialists in public health. Conclusions An analysis of the course's history provides valuable lessons for other schools of public health trying to train professionals in developing countries. PMID:20205733

Authorship in global mental health research: recommendations for collaborative approaches to writing and publishing.

PubMed

Kohrt, Brandon A; Upadhaya, Nawaraj; Luitel, Nagendra P; Maharjan, Sujen M; Kaiser, Bonnie N; MacFarlane, Elizabeth K; Khan, Noreen

2014-01-01

Collaborations among researchers, clinicians, and individuals with mental illness from high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are crucial to produce research, interventions, and policies that are relevant, feasible, and ethical. However, global mental health and cultural psychiatry research publications have been dominated by HIC investigators. The aim of this review was to present recommendations for collaborative writing with a focus on early career investigators researchers in HICs and LMICs. A workshop was conducted with HIC and LMIC investigators in Nepal to discuss lessons learned for collaborative writing. The researchers had experience in cross-cultural psychiatric epidemiology, health services research, randomized controlled trials, and projects with war and disaster-affected populations in complex humanitarian emergencies including child soldiers and refugees. Additional lessons learned were contributed from researchers engaged in similar collaborations in Haiti. A step-by-step process for collaborative writing was developed. HIC and LMIC writing collaborations will encourage accurate, ethical, and contextually grounded publications to foster understanding and facilitate reduction of the global burden of mental illness. Copyright © 2014 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How the World Survived the Population Bomb: Lessons From 50 Years of Extraordinary Demographic History

PubMed Central

Lam, David

2012-01-01

The world population will reach 7 billion in late 2011, a demographic milestone that is causing renewed attention to the challenges caused by population growth. This article looks at the last 50 years of demographic change, one of the most extraordinary periods in demographic history. During this period, world population grew at rates that have never been seen before and will almost surely never be seen again. There were many concerns about the potential impact of rapid population growth in the 1960s, including mass starvation in countries such as India, depletion of nonrenewable resources, and increased poverty in low-income countries. The actual experience was very different. World food production increased faster than world population in every decade since the 1960s, resource prices fell during most of the period, and poverty declined significantly in much of the developing world. The article considers the economic and demographic explanations for the surprising successes of this important period in demographic history. It also looks at regions that have been less successful, especially Africa, and at the lessons for dealing with the important challenges that still remain. PMID:22005884

What about a Disability Rights Act for Canada?: Practices and lessons from America, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Prince, Michael J

2010-01-01

The Harper government and most national political parties are committed to a federal act for dealing with accessibility rights for persons with disabilities. The purpose of this article is to identify progressive lessons from countries with similar legislation for consideration by Canadian authorities. Countries surveyed are the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. While disability rights legislation is widely accepted to be a necessary policy initiative in light of ongoing barriers and exclusion, experience suggests that such laws are far from a sufficient response to promote access. Other policy instruments required include supportive employment programs, tax incentives, and the direct provision of basic supports.

Ten Decades of Rural Development: Lessons from India.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-01-01

37 9.1 Imitations of the TVA model 38 9.2 Pilot projects of the sixties--Comilla, Puebla & CADU . 39 10. THE SEVENTIES--A DECADE OF CONSOLIDATION OF...imitators in poor countries. 39 9.2 Pilot projects of the sixties--Comilla, Puebla, and CADU For a few years, in the sixties, three pilot projects attracted...the attention of international experts. These were the Comilla Projects in Bangladesh, Puebla in Mexico, and CADU Project in Ethiopia. 1 The Comilla

Bridging the gap between data analysis and data collection in FIA and forest monitoring globally: successes, research findings, and lessons learned from the Western US and Southeast Asia

Treesearch

Leif Mortenson

2015-01-01

Globally, national forest inventories (NFI) require a large work force typically consisting of multiple teams spread across multiple locations in order to successfully capture a given nation’s forest resources. This is true of the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program in the US and in many inventories in developing countries that are supported by USFS...

Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-10

Options for Congress 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e . TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK...Sees Lessons in Shipbuilding Program Failures,” GovernmentExecutive.com, September 24, 2008) quoted Admiral Gary Roughead, the Chief of Naval...question is whether the schedule for procuring CG(X)s is properly aligned with foreign-country ballistic missile development programs. A 2005 defense

Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-27

ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e . TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Congressional...report (Katherine McIntire Peters, “Navy’s Top Officer Sees Lessons in Shipbuilding Program Failures,” GovernmentExecutive.com, September 24, 2008) quoted...40 A related question is whether the schedule for procuring CG(X)s is properly aligned with foreign-country ballistic missile development programs. A

Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-18

and Options for Congress 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e . TASK NUMBER 5f...October 27, 2008. Another press report (Katherine McIntire Peters, “Navy’s Top Officer Sees Lessons in Shipbuilding Program Failures... aligned with foreign-country ballistic missile development programs. A 2005 defense trade press report, for example, states that “navy officials

Development of health policy and systems research in Nigeria: lessons for developing countries' evidence-based health policy making process and practice.

PubMed

Uneke, Chigozie J; Ezeoha, Abel E; Ndukwe, Chinwendu D; Oyibo, Patrick G; Onwe, Friday

2010-08-01

Health policy and systems research (HPSR), which aims to produce reliable and rigorous evidence to inform the many critical decisions that must be made about health systems, is a new concept in Nigeria. In this study, policy makers and other stakeholders in the health sector identified the challenges and the potential intervention strategies to HPSR evidence use in policy making in Nigeria. The major challenges identified included capacity constraints at individual and organizational levels, communication gaps and poor networking between policy makers and researchers, and the non-involvement of healthcare recipients in identifying and planning care delivery needs. The main solutions suggested included promotion of strategies to encourage partnership between researchers and policy makers, improvement of staff incentives and facilities for research activities, improved budgetary provision for research, and sustainable institutional capacity development. These strategies have been shown to improve evidence-based policy making in developed countries and are likely to produce better outcomes in the developing world.

Development of Health Policy and Systems Research in Nigeria: Lessons for Developing Countries' Evidence-Based Health Policy Making Process and Practice

PubMed Central

Uneke, Chigozie J.; Ezeoha, Abel E.; Ndukwe, Chinwendu D.; Oyibo, Patrick G.; Onwe, Friday

2010-01-01

Health policy and systems research (HPSR), which aims to produce reliable and rigorous evidence to inform the many critical decisions that must be made about health systems, is a new concept in Nigeria. In this study, policy makers and other stakeholders in the health sector identified the challenges and the potential intervention strategies to HPSR evidence use in policy making in Nigeria. The major challenges identified included capacity constraints at individual and organizational levels, communication gaps and poor networking between policy makers and researchers, and the non-involvement of healthcare recipients in identifying and planning care delivery needs. The main solutions suggested included promotion of strategies to encourage partnership between researchers and policy makers, improvement of staff incentives and facilities for research activities, improved budgetary provision for research, and sustainable institutional capacity development. These strategies have been shown to improve evidence-based policy making in developed countries and are likely to produce better outcomes in the developing world. PMID:21804832

Lessons Learned from the Niger Delta Conflict: A Policy Recommendation for a New Framework for Relations Between Extractive Companies and Host Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilman, Alison

The tumultuous experience of the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria has contributed to the debates surrounding the role of transnational companies in their host communities and the impact that resource extraction has on the economic development of emerging countries. The case study demonstrates that methods used by extraction companies for interacting with their host communities are ineffective and superficial. Using the lessons learned from the Niger Delta conflict, this thesis proposes a new strategy, entitled community- corporate diplomacy, and a protocol for companies to implement before opening production sites in Africa. The proposed strategy and an accompanying protocol offer a break from the status quo in that they are built upon an understanding of the specificities of the African continent, that host communities need to be respected as key stakeholders, and that extraction activities have a higher risk of negatively impacting neighboring communities. The recommendation could be applied to other countries and industries, but the increasing importance of African natural resources, the particularities of African political and social structures and the effects of extraction activities make this proposal especially important for extractive companies beginning production in Africa. Keywords: Nigeria, Niger Delta, Shell, corporate social responsibility, transnational advocacy networks, multi-stakeholder initiatives, community relations, corporate diplomacy, Africa, extractive industries.

Teaching Excellence through Professional Learning and Policy Reform: Lessons from around the World. International Summit on the Teaching Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schleicher, Andreas

2016-01-01

If the quality of an education system can never exceed the quality of its teachers, then countries need to do all they can to build a high-quality teaching force. "Teaching Excellence through Professional Learning and Policy Reform: Lessons from around the World," the background report to the sixth International Summit on the Teaching…

The Educational Museum of the St. Louis Public Schools. Bulletin, 1914, No. 48. Whole Number 622

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rathmann, Carl G.

1915-01-01

In St. Louis, Missouri, the teachers are given excellent opportunities to put their pupils in touch with the world around them. Entering a school-room during a geography lesson, the visitor may find that the children, after a thorough study of the relief map, are transported into the country which is the subject of their lesson. They have before…

Lessons from Other Countries about Private School Aid: Higher Public Funding for Private Schools Usually Means More Government Regulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kober, Nancy

This booklet discusses the pros and cons of using public funds for vouchers or other plans to subsidize the costs of private schooling. An important but sometimes overlooked issue in the school-choice debate is how private schools might change if they accepted government support. Some lessons can be found in the experiences of other industrialized…

Mali and Islamic Extremism: Applying Lessons Learned from Afghanistan

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-21

Stability operations use the pop- ulation as the center of gravity.40 U.S. military doctrine directs us to review political, military, economic ...military success or lasting stability . This article addresses the similar contexts between the two countries and how lessons from Afghanistan can be...applied to Mali to improve chances for lasting stability . Keywords: Africa, Mali, Azawad, asymmetric warfare, belligerent forces, jihad, Islamic

Building multi-country collaboration on watershed management: lessons on linking environment and public health from the Western Balkans

EPA Science Inventory

Community-based watershed resilience programs that bridge public health and environmental outcomes often require cross-boundary, multi-country collaboration. The CRESSIDA project, led by the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) and supported by the U...

Legitimacy and Penetration in Stability Operations; Setting the Conditions for Perpetual Failure

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-02

District or Provincial level. Taking the lessons from Vietnam and 124 Michael Crawshaw , Running a Country: The British Colonial Experience and its Relevance...Metrics of the Afghan War. CSIS presentation, Washington DC: Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2010. Crawshaw , Michael. Running a Country

Higher Ed in the Obama Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanter, Martha

2010-01-01

This paper explores the impact of recent economic volatility on higher education and discusses the lessons learned and the strategies for the future. The author believes that America's higher education is in danger, but has an extraordinary opportunity. Several reports point to the country's lagging behind other advanced countries in educational…

Remote Sensing Education and Development Countries: Multilateral Efforts through the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charles, Leslie Bermann

1998-01-01

The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) is an international organization which coordinates space-based Earth observations world wide. Created in 1984, CEOS now comprises 38 national space agencies, regional organizations and international space-related and research groups. The aim of CEOS is to achieve international coordination in the planning of satellite missions for Earth observation and to maximize the utilization of data from these missions world-wide. With regard to developing countries, the fundamental aim of CEOS is to encourage the creation and maintenance of indigenous capability that is integrated into the local decision-making process, thereby enabling developing countries to obtain the maximum benefit from Earth observation. Obtaining adequate access to remote sensing information is difficult for developing countries and students and teachers alike. High unit data prices, the specialized nature of the technology , difficulty in locating specific data, complexities of copyright provisions, the emphasis on "leading edge" technology and research, and the lack of training materials relating to readily understood application are frequently noted obstacles. CEOS has developed an education CD-ROM which is aimed at increasing the integration of space-based data into school curricula, meeting the heretofore unsatisfied needs of developing countries for information about Earth observation application, data sources and future plans; and raising awareness around the world of the value of Earth observation data from space. The CD-ROM is designed to be used with an Internet web browser, increasing the information available to the user, but it can also be used on a stand-alone machine. It contains suggested lesson plans and additional resources for educators and users in developing countries.

Extent of alcohol prohibition in civil policy in Muslim majority countries: the impact of globalization.

PubMed

Al-Ansari, Basma; Thow, Anne-Marie; Day, Carolyn A; Conigrave, Katherine M

2016-10-01

Many policies have been introduced to reduce alcohol harm in different countries. However, Muslim majority countries (MMCs), where the major religion (Islam) prohibits alcohol consumption, have less well-developed civil alcohol policies. Overall, MMCs have low prevalence of alcohol consumption, although recently most MMCs have been undergoing transition, which has sometimes increased pressure for alcohol availability and impacted on social practices, alcohol policies and broader public health. Globalization, the influence of the global alcohol industry, recent governmental transition or political instability and the presence of immigrants from non-Muslim countries can all affect civil alcohol policy. In this context, consumption overall has increased compared with two decades ago. This paper presents an overview of current civil alcohol policy, with regard to the presence or absence of alcohol prohibition, and provides an insight into the legal availability of alcohol in MMCs and the challenges facing policymakers. English, Arabic and Persian language sources were examined, using PubMed, government websites for each country and the World Health Organization (WHO). Some of the challenges MMCs may face in developing alcohol policies are explored, including the need to interact with the global economy and the potential influence of the alcohol industry. Muslim majority countries have adopted a range of civil alcohol policies in recent decades. There is a pressing need for better data and to support Muslim majority countries in alcohol policy development. Lessons from Muslim majority countries can help to inform other parts of the world. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

The Road Traffic Injuries Research Network: a decade of research capacity strengthening in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Hyder, Adnan A; Norton, Robyn; Pérez-Núñez, Ricardo; Mojarro-Iñiguez, Francisco R; Peden, Margie; Kobusingye, Olive

2016-02-27

Road traffic crashes have been an increasing threat to the wellbeing of road users worldwide; an unacceptably high number of people die or become disabled from them. While high-income countries have successfully implemented effective interventions to help reduce the burden of road traffic injuries (RTIs) in their countries, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have not yet achieved similar results. Both scientific research and capacity development have proven to be useful for preventing RTIs in high-income countries. In 1999, a group of leading researchers from different countries decided to join efforts to help promote research on RTIs and develop the capacity of professionals from LMICs. This translated into the creation of the Road Traffic Injuries Research Network (RTIRN) - a partnership of over 1,100 road safety professionals from 114 countries collaborating to facilitate reductions in the burden of RTIs in LMICs by identifying and promoting effective, evidenced-based interventions and supporting research capacity building in road safety research in LMICs. This article presents the work that RTIRN has done over more than a decade, including production of a dozen scientific papers, support of nearly 100 researchers, training of nearly 1,000 people and 35 scholarships granted to researchers from LMICs to attend world conferences, as well as lessons learnt and future challenges to maximize its work.

Counting the cost of not costing HIV health facilities accurately: pay now, or pay more later.

PubMed

Beck, Eduard J; Avila, Carlos; Gerbase, Sofia; Harling, Guy; De Lay, Paul

2012-10-01

The HIV pandemic continues to be one of our greatest contemporary public health threats. Policy makers in many middle- and low-income countries are in the process of scaling up HIV prevention, treatment and care services in the context of a reduction in international HIV funding due to the global economic downturn. In order to scale up services that are sustainable in the long term, policy makers and implementers need to have access to robust and contemporary strategic information, including financial information on expenditure and cost, in order to be able to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate HIV services. A major problem in middle- and low-income countries continues to be a lack of basic information on the use of services, their cost, outcome and impact, while those few costing studies that have been performed were often not done in a standardized fashion. Some researchers handle this by transposing information from one country to another, developing mathematical or statistical models that rest on assumptions or information that may not be applicable, or using top-down costing methods that only provide global financial costs rather than using bottom-up ingredients-based costing. While these methods provide answers in the short term, countries should develop systematic data collection systems to store, transfer and produce robust and contemporary strategic financial information for stakeholders at local, sub-national and national levels. National aggregated information should act as the main source of financial data for international donors, agencies or other organizations involved with the global HIV response. This paper describes the financial information required by policy makers and other stakeholders to enable them to make evidence-informed decisions and reviews the quantity and quality of the financial information available, as indicated by cost studies published between 1981 and 2008. Among the lessons learned from reviewing these studies, a need was identified for providing countries with practical guidance to produce reliable and standardized costing data to monitor performance, as countries want to improve programmes and services, and have to demonstrate an efficient use of resources. Finally, the issues raised in this paper relate to the provision of all areas of healthcare in countries and it is going to be increasingly important to leverage the lessons learned from the HIV experience and use resources more effectively and efficiently to improve health systems in general.

Supporting countries in establishing and strengthening NITAGs: lessons learned from 5 years of the SIVAC initiative.

PubMed

Adjagba, Alex; Senouci, Kamel; Biellik, Robin; Batmunkh, Nyambat; Faye, Pape Coumba; Durupt, Antoine; Gessner, Bradford D; da Silva, Alfred

2015-01-29

To empower governments to formulate rational policies without pressure from any group, and to increase the use of evidence-based decision-making to adapt global recommendations on immunization to their local context, the WHO has recommended on multiple occasions that countries should establish National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs). The World Health Assembly (WHA) reinforced those recommendations in 2012 when Member States endorsed the Decade of Vaccines Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP). NITAGs are multidisciplinary groups of national experts responsible for providing independent, evidence-informed advice to health authorities on all policy-related issues for all vaccines across all populations. In 2012, according to the WHO-UNICEF Joint Reporting Form, among 57 countries eligible for immunization program financial support from the GAVI Alliance, only 9 reported having a functional NITAG. Since 2008, the Supporting Independent Immunization and Vaccine Advisory Committees (SIVAC) Initiative (at the Agence de Médecine Préventive or AMP) in close collaboration with the WHO and other partners has been working to accelerate and systematize the establishment of NITAGs in low- and middle-income countries. In addition to providing direct support to countries to establish advisory groups, the initiative also supports existing NITAGs to strengthen their capacity in the use of evidence-based processes for decision-making aligned with international standards. After 5 years of implementation and based on lessons learned, we recommend that future efforts should target both expanding new NITAGs and strengthening existing NITAGs in individual countries, along three strategic lines: (i) reinforce NITAG institutional integration to promote sustainability and credibility, (ii) build technical capacity within NITAG secretariats and evaluate NITAG performance, and (iii) increase networking and regional collaborations. These should be done through the development and dissemination of tools and guidelines, and information through a variety of adapted mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

PEPFAR Transitions to Country Ownership: Review of Past Donor Transitions and Application of Lessons Learned to the Eastern Caribbean

PubMed Central

Vogus, Abigail; Graff, Kylie

2015-01-01

The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has shifted from an emergency response to a sustainable, country-owned response. The process of transition to country ownership is already underway in the Eastern Caribbean; the Office of the US Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) has advised the region that PEPFAR funding is being redirected away from the Eastern Caribbean toward Caribbean countries with high disease burden to strengthen services for key populations. This article seeks to highlight and apply lessons learned from other donor transitions to support a successful transition of HIV programs in the Eastern Caribbean. Based on a rapid review of both peer-reviewed and gray literature on donor transitions to country ownership in family planning, HIV, and other areas, we identified 48 resources that addressed key steps in the transition process and determinants of readiness for transition. Analysis of the existing literature revealed 6 steps that could help ensure successful transition, including developing a clear roadmap articulated through high-level diplomacy; investing in extensive stakeholder engagement; and supporting monitoring and evaluation during and after the transition to adjust course as needed. Nine specific areas to assess a country’s readiness for transition include: leadership and management capacity, political and economic factors, the policy environment, identification of alternative funding sources, integration of HIV programs into the wider health system, the institutionalization of processes, the strength of procurement and supply chain management, identification of staffing and training needs, and engagement of civil society and the private sector. In the Caribbean, key areas requiring strengthening to ensure countries in the region can maintain the gains made under PEPFAR include further engaging civil society and the private sector, building the capacity of NGOs to take on essential program functions, and maintaining donor support for targeted capacity building and long-term monitoring and evaluation efforts. PMID:26085023

The strategic approach to contraceptive introduction.

PubMed

Simmons, R; Hall, P; Díaz, J; Díaz, M; Fajans, P; Satia, J

1997-06-01

The introduction of new contraceptive technologies has great potential for expanding contraceptive choice, but in practice, benefits have not always materialized as new methods have been added to public-sector programs. In response to lessons from the past, the UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development, and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP) has taken major steps to develop a new approach and to support governments interested in its implementation. After reviewing previous experience with contraceptive introduction, the article outlines the strategic approach and discusses lessons from eight countries. This new approach shifts attention from promotion of a particular technology to an emphasis on the method mix, the capacity to provide services with quality of care, reproductive choice, and users' perspectives and needs. It also suggests that technology choice should be undertaken through a participatory process that begins with an assessment of the need for contraceptive introduction and is followed by research and policy and program development. Initial results from Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, Myanmar, South Africa, Vietnam, and Zambia confirm the value of the new approach.

Saving Resources - Lesson plan of ESD in Geography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwamura, Takuya

2010-05-01

Geographical education has to perceive the world from diversified viewpoints by involving ESD (Education for Sustainable Development). This can be realized by teaching geography as an integrated science, including ESD that considers ecological, economic and social aspects.. In Japan especially, geographical education tends to emphasize the environmental aspects. The investigation of circumstances from diversified viewpoints helps to analyse the society scientifically and generates? the qualities of a global citizenship toward a sustainable society. And ESD aims at creating the values of sustainability, which is necessary for a global citizenship. In this context, I have developed the lesson plan of ESD in Geography at a secondary level.. Can advanced technologies foster sustainable development? The presentation shows the advanced technology-generated products and analyses the merits and failures with their effects on the global society. The examples of these products are hybrid cars and mobile phones. Cars are necessary for the mobility of our widespread modern society. On the other hand, it is also true that environmental pollution is becoming more serious by the increasing number of cars. We usually assume that economic development and environmental protection are contradictory. But hybrid cars which are coming to world attention now, have good gas mileage compared with normal cars, so they can conserve energy and cut down on the amount of exhaust at the same time. Mobile phones are necessary in business situations, as a tool that helps to communicate while moving. In addition, mobile phones are means that support the life of people living in sparsely populated areas like in Northern Europe. Here, we can curb costs for transmission facilities that were needed otherwise. There is one thing that underlies these advanced technology-generated products such as hybrid cars and mobile phones. The resource that makes the hybrid car technology and the miniaturization of mobile phones possible: rare metals. Quite an amount of them are needed to produce a hybrid car. There are, however, few metals in Japanese mines. As a result, Japanese companies have to import these metals from overseas like China or the USA. It means that Japanese car companies would not be able to produce their cars if these countries which produce rare metals refused to export to Japan. To avoid such a condition, Japan tries to establish good relationships with countries exporting resources. In order to build mobile phones, we need tantalum which is used to produce capacitors to miniaturize them. The main producing country of tantalum is the Democratic Republic of Congo. Congo is one of the countries suffering from a civil war now. Some armed groups mine tantalum illegally; it has become their main source of income. The civil war is quite convenient for this illegal mining. We as consumers must seriously consider the use of such electronic devices. The lesson plan for ESD in Geography on the issue of the rare metals, is meant to develop the value of sustainability and helps to build a sustainable society at multi scale levels.

Towards a global framework for capacity building for non-communicable disease advocacy in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Shilton, Trevor; Champagne, Beatriz; Blanchard, Claire; Ibarra, Lorena; Kasesmup, Vijj

2013-12-01

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent an increasing proportion of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Sustained advocacy, carried out by a skilled workforce, is an important strategy to realize the political will and implement the policy changes necessary to reduce the global burden of NCDs. Competencies for effective advocacy include a combination of scientific and technical as well as communication-based skills. Recognizing the need to build local capacity for NCD advocacy in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Heart Foundation of Australia and the InterAmerican Heart Foundation joined efforts to conduct two pilot advocacy courses, one in Thailand and one in Colombia. A Global Advisory Group engaged a Local Organizing Committee in each country to ensure the courses would meet the needs of the local stakeholders. While both courses contained a set of key competencies and helped participants develop joint strategies for moving forward with consensus advocacy targets, the courses differed in content and participant background depending on the local context. A key goal of the courses was to determine and describe the lessons learned and make recommendations for a framework to be used for future advocacy capacity-building activities in LMIC. The planning and execution of each course generated lessons in the following five areas that informed the development of a global framework for capacity building for NCD advocacy: 1) using a comprehensive theoretical framework to teach advocacy competencies, 2) engaging key stakeholders, 3) meeting local needs and priorities, 4) planning local logistics, and 5) ensuring the skills obtained through training are applied to sustained advocacy for NCDs.

Health system strengthening: a qualitative evaluation of implementation experience and lessons learned across five African countries.

PubMed

Rwabukwisi, Felix Cyamatare; Bawah, Ayaga A; Gimbel, Sarah; Phillips, James F; Mutale, Wilbroad; Drobac, Peter

2017-12-21

Achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in sub-Saharan Africa will require substantial improvements in the coverage and performance of primary health care delivery systems. Projects supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's (DDCF) African Health Initiative (AHI) created public-private-academic and community partnerships in five African countries to implement and evaluate district-level health system strengthening interventions. In this study, we captured common implementation experiences and lessons learned to understand core elements of successful health systems interventions. We used qualitative data from key informant interviews and annual progress reports from the five Population Health Implementation and Training (PHIT) partnership projects funded through AHI in Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia. Four major overarching lessons were highlighted. First, variety and inclusiveness of concerned key players (public, academic and private) are necessary to address complex health system issues at all levels. Second, a learning culture that promotes evidence creation and ability to efficiently adapt were key in order to meet changing contextual needs. Third, inclusion of strong implementation science tools and strategies allowed informed and measured learning processes and efficient dissemination of best practices. Fourth, five to seven years was the minimum time frame necessary to effectively implement complex health system strengthening interventions and generate the evidence base needed to advocate for sustainable change for the PHIT partnership projects. The AHI experience has raised remaining, if not overlooked, challenges and potential solutions to address complex health systems strengthening intervention designs and implementation issues, while aiming to measurably accomplish sustainable positive change in dynamic, learning, and varied contexts.

Moving forward monitoring of the social determinants of health in a country: lessons from England 5 years after the Marmot Review.

PubMed

Goldblatt, Peter O

2016-01-01

England has a long history of government-commissioned reviews of national inequalities. The latest review, the Marmot Review, was commissioned by a government headed by the same party (the Labour Party) that had introduced the National Health Service in 1948, but the review was implemented by a coalition of different parties (Conservatives and Liberal Democrats). At the same time, a government reform of health services took place, and the monitoring of the existing inequality strategy was changed. This paper examines the lessons that can be learned about indicators for monitoring social determinants of health inequalities from the Marmot Review and recent health inequality strategies in England. The paper provides a narrative review of key findings on the collection, presentation, and analysis of routine data in England in the past 5 years, comparing what has been learned from the Marmot Review and other evaluations of the first health inequality strategy in England. The emphasis on monitoring has progressively shifted from monitoring a small number of targets and supporting information to frameworks that monitor across a wide range of determinants of both the causes of ill-health and of health service performance. As these frameworks become ever larger, some consideration is being given to the key indicators. Although the frameworks used in England for monitoring health inequality strategies have developed considerably since the first strategy began, lessons continue to be learned about how monitoring could be improved. Many of these are applicable to countries initiating or reviewing their strategies.

Performance of universal health insurance: lessons from South Korea.

PubMed

Moon, Sangho; Shin, Jaeun

2007-04-01

The aim of this study was to assess the maturity of the South Korean healthcare system in comparison with those of the 30 countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and to provide a foundation to evaluate the performance of the South Korean healthcare system. Using OECD Health Data 2005, we evaluated the performance of the healthcare system of the 30 industrialized countries. The evaluation focused on three dimensions that have remained central to healthcare debates internationally for years: access, cost and outcomes. Although South Korea has successfully implemented its universal health insurance scheme in a very short period of time and possesses highly advanced medical technologies, we found that South Koreans incurred more out-of-pocket expenditures on healthcare. Health outcomes were of relatively low quality compared with those of other OECD countries, but compared relatively well with the four countries (Greece, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain) with similar per capita gross domestic product (GDP).

Performance of universal health insurance: lessons from South Korea.

PubMed

Moon, Sangho; Shin, Jaeun

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the maturity of the South Korean healthcare system in comparison with those of the 30 countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and to provide a foundation to evaluate the performance of the South Korean healthcare system. Using OECD Health Data 2005, we evaluated the performance of the healthcare system of the 30 industrialized countries. The evaluation focused on three dimensions that have remained central to healthcare debates internationally for years: access, cost and outcomes. Although South Korea has successfully implemented its universal health insurance scheme in a very short period of time and possesses highly advanced medical technologies, we found that South Koreans incurred more out-of-pocket expenditures on healthcare. Health outcomes were of relatively low quality compared with those of other OECD countries, but compared relatively well with the four countries (Greece, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain) with similar per capita gross domestic product (GDP).

Establishing a new medical school: Botswana's experience.

PubMed

Mokone, Gaonyadiwe G; Kebaetse, Maikutlo; Wright, John; Kebaetse, Masego B; Makgabana-Dintwa, Oarabile; Kebaabetswe, Poloko; Badlangana, Ludo; Mogodi, Mpho; Bryant, Katie; Nkomazana, Oathokwa

2014-08-01

Having adequate numbers of qualified human resources for health is essential for any effective health care system. However, there is a global shortage of skilled health care workers, especially in Sub-Saharan African countries. This shortage is exacerbated by a disproportionately high rate of infectious diseases, the burden of emerging chronic, noncommunicable diseases, and the emigration of medical doctors. Botswana has also experienced this critical shortage of doctors for many years. To address the shortage, the country in the 1990 s embarked on an aggressive program to train its students at foreign medical schools. Despite intensified training, many graduates have not returned. As a result, the country decided to establish a medical school within Botswana. The newly established school was awarded a grant from the Medical Education Partnership Initiative, which has helped to accelerate the school's development. This paper describes the authors' experiences, highlighting curriculum, staffing, infrastructure approaches, key successes, and challenges encountered. The paper concludes by proposing solutions. The authors' experiences and the lessons learned can inform colleagues in other countries considering similar endeavors.

Latin American Marketing Project. Grade 10 Lesson. Schools of California Online Resources for Education (SCORE): Connecting California's Classrooms to the World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antilla, Madeline; DeMonet, J.

In this lesson, students work as marketing teams hired by a U.S. fast food company to study the feasibility of selling fast food in Latin America. Teams are composed of cultural, production, marketing, and advertising experts. Each marketing team will investigate a product and a Latin American country. Teams will present their research and…

Experiences and lessons learned from 29 HPV vaccination programs implemented in 19 low and middle-income countries, 2009-2014.

PubMed

Ladner, Joël; Besson, Marie-Hélène; Audureau, Etienne; Rodrigues, Mariana; Saba, Joseph

2016-10-13

Cervical cancer is the greatest cause of age-weighted years of life lost in the developing world. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is associated with a high proportion of cervical cancers, and HPV vaccination may help to reduce the incidence of cancer. The aim of the study was to identify barriers, obstacles, and strategies and to analyze key concerns and lessons learned with respect to the implementation of HPV vaccination program in low- and middle-income countries. The Gardasil Access Program (GAP) is a donation program established to enable organizations and institutions in eligible low-resource countries to gain operational experience designing and implementing HPV vaccination programs. This study used an online survey to capture the experiences and insights of program managers participating in the GAP. Different factors related to HPV vaccination program management were collected. A mixed-method approach enabled the presentation of both quantitative measurements and qualitative insights. Twenty-nine programs implemented by 23 institutions in 19 low- and middle-income countries were included. Twenty programs managers (97.7 %) reported that their institution implemented sensitization strategies about vaccination prior to the launch of vaccination campaign. The most frequently reported obstacles to HPV vaccination by the program managers were erroneous perceptions of population related to the vaccine's safety and efficacy. Reaching and maintaining follow-up with target populations were identified as challenges. Insufficient infrastructure and human resources financing and the vaccine delivery method were identified as significant health system barriers. Coupling HPV vaccination with other health interventions for mothers of targeted girls helped to increase vaccination and cervical cancer screening. The majority of program managers reported that their programs had a positive impact on national HPV vaccination policy. The majority of institutions had national and international partners that provided support for human resources, technical assistance, and training and financial support for health professionals. Local organizations and institutions can implement successful HPV vaccination campaigns. Adequate and adapted planning and resources that support information sharing, sensitization, and mobilization are essential for such success. These results can inform the development of programs and policies related to HPV vaccination in low- and middle-income countries.

A Canada-Bangladesh partnership for nurse education: case study.

PubMed

Berland, A; Richards, J; Lund, K D

2010-09-01

To describe the lessons learned from a partnership in nurse education between a Bangladesh university and a group of Canadian volunteers. In the host country, nursing enjoys low status and pay, which adversely affect professional standards. The paper describes implementation details of training a core of nurses to international standards, using limited resources. The first cohort received their Bachelor of Nursing degrees in 2009. The Bangladeshi partners benefit from access to up-to-date curriculum materials, current clinical expertise, and interaction with visiting faculty and students. The Canadian nursing instructors enjoy professional development opportunities; visiting Canadian students gain exposure to a practice setting in a low-income country. These include the importance of (1) integrating nurse training with a general university able to provide core courses (e.g. English as second language, computer training), (2) countering the low status of nursing and inculcating a caring attitude among students, and (3) instilling critical thinking as opposed to rote learning. Next, the following were identified: mechanisms to support networking in the local health system, sharing of resources (e.g. electronic course material adapted to host country context), and assuring programme quality. The paper will be of interest to those concerned with nurse education and human resource development in less developed countries.

Comparative Study of School Principals' Leadership Practices: Lessons for Chile from a Cross-Country Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marfan, Javiera; Pascual, Javier

2018-01-01

The article reports the results of a cross-country educational research project that uses quantitative methods to identify school leadership practices and contextual characteristics that contribute to explain student achievement in Chile, considering international comparisons. The results question previous evidence about a common repertoire of…

The Removal of Maher Arar and Lessons Learned for Future Engagement Between the United States and Canada

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

deportees and coordinated initiatives to “encourage uncooperative countries to accept [the return of] their nationals.” These action items have been...United States and Canada of the reciprocal agreement between those countries for the exchange of deportees , and expansion of joint removal operations

Feed-in Tariffs: Good Practices and Design Considerations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cox, Sadie; Esterly, Sean

2016-01-02

In recent years, feed-in tariff (FIT) activity has focused primarily on revisions to current policies, underscoring the need for stable and predictable, yet flexible, policy environments. This policy brief provides a primer on key FIT design elements, lessons from country experience, and support resources to enable more detailed and country-specific FIT policy design.

Beyond Educational Tourism: Lessons Learned while Student Teaching Abroad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quezada, Reyes L.

2004-01-01

Many universities provide overseas student teaching yet little is known as to what knowledge, skills, and dispositions university students have prior to arriving in their host country as well as after their return to their home country. This article considers several key issues and suggests factors that schools of education should consider when…

Choice in English Secondary Education: Lessons for America?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Tony; Whitty, Geoff

Using findings of exemplary precedents in other countries for what another country hopes to emulate or avoid is a common practice in policy discourse. This paper argues that recent British moves toward greater choice and diversity in secondary education should neither be prematurely judged as successful within their own context nor applied…

Teaching Mathematics in Seven Countries: Results from the TIMSS 1999 Video Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hiebert, James; Gallimore, Ronald; Garnier, Helen; Givvin, Karen Bogard; Hollingsworth, Hilary; Jacobs, Jennifer; Chui, Angel Miu-Ying; Wearne, Diana; Smith, Margaret; Kersting, Nicole; Manaster, Alfred; Tseng, Ellen; Etterbeek, Wallace; Manaster, Carl; Gonzales, Patrick; Stigler, James

This book reports teaching practices in mathematics in seven countries from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 1999 video study. A detailed description of the methods in the mathematics portion of the study is presented in an accompanying technical report from an international perspective. Contexts of the lessons, the…

Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-20

and Options for Congress 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e . TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK...Another press report (Katherine McIntire Peters, “Navy’s Top Officer Sees Lessons in Shipbuilding Program Failures,” GovernmentExecutive.com, September...whether the schedule for procuring CG(X)s is properly aligned with foreign-country ballistic missile development programs. A 2005 defense trade

Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-21

and Options for Congress 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e . TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK...Navy’s Top Officer Sees Lessons in Shipbuilding Program Failures,” GovernmentExecutive.com, September 24, 2008) quoted Admiral Gary Roughead, the...related question is whether the schedule for procuring CG(X)s is properly aligned with foreign-country ballistic missile development programs. A 2005

VisAdapt: A Visualization Tool to Support Climate Change Adaptation.

PubMed

Johansson, Jimmy; Opach, Tomasz; Glaas, Erik; Neset, Tina-Simone; Navarra, Carlo; Linner, Bjorn-Ola; Rod, Jan Ketil

2017-01-01

The web-based visualization VisAdapt tool was developed to help laypeople in the Nordic countries assess how anticipated climate change will impact their homes. The tool guides users through a three-step visual process that helps them explore risks and identify adaptive actions specifically modified to their location and house type. This article walks through the tool's multistep, user-centered design process. Although VisAdapt's target end users are Nordic homeowners, the insights gained from the development process and the lessons learned from the project are applicable to a wide range of domains.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Agol, Dorice, E-mail: d.agol@uea.a.c.uk; Latawiec, Agnieszka E., E-mail: a.latawiec@iis-rio.org; Opole University of Technology, Department of Production Engineering and Logistics, Luboszycka 5, 45-036 Opole

There has been an increased interest in using sustainability indicators for evaluating the impacts of development and conservation projects. Past and recent experiences have shown that sustainability indicators can be powerful tools for measuring the outcomes of various interventions, when used appropriately and adequately. Currently, there is a range of methods for applying sustainability indicators for project impact evaluation at the environment–development interface. At the same time, a number of challenges persist which have implication for impact evaluation processes especially in developing countries. We highlight some key and recurrent challenges, using three cases from Kenya, Indonesia and Brazil. In thismore » study, we have conducted a comparative analysis across multiple projects from the three countries, which aimed to conserve biodiversity and improve livelihoods. The assessments of these projects were designed to evaluate their positive, negative, short-term, long term, direct and indirect impacts. We have identified a set of commonly used sustainability indicators to evaluate the projects and have discussed opportunities and challenges associated with their application. Our analysis shows that impact evaluation processes present good opportunities for applying sustainability indicators. On the other hand, we find that project proponents (e.g. managers, evaluators, donors/funders) face challenges with establishing full impacts of interventions and that these are rooted in monitoring and evaluation processes, lack of evidence-based impacts, difficulties of measuring certain outcomes and concerns over scale of a range of impacts. We outline key lessons learnt from the multiple cases and propose ways to overcome common problems. Results from our analysis demonstrate practical experiences of applying sustainability indicators in developing countries context where there are different prevailing socio-economic, cultural and environmental conditions. The knowledge derived from this study may therefore be useful to a wider range of audience who are concerned with sustainable integration of development and environmental conservation. - Highlights: • Sustainability indicators are increasingly used for evaluating project impacts. • Lessons learnt are based on case studies from Africa, Asia and South America. • Similar challenges when assessing impacts of development and conservation projects • Need for pragmatic solutions to overcome challenges when assessing project impacts.« less

Corporate Social Responsibility in the Oil Industry-Comparative Case Studies Of Chinese Oil Enterprises In Five Latin American Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Wenyuan

This dissertation evaluates and compares social and environmental records of Chinese national oil companies (NOCs) operating in Latin America from the early 21st century to 2015. Five countries representing the entirety of Chinese NOCs' physical presence are selected: Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Colombia, and Venezuela. The project discovers that Chinese NOCs demonstrate the highest level of social responsibility in Peru and the lowest in Venezuela, with the other three countries constituting intermediate observations. The differences in social responsibility records are then causally traced to variances in the host countries' regulatory frameworks and civil society capacities. Chinese NOCs are found to be most willing to commit to social responsibility under an enabling regulatory environment in which the host government facilitates competitiveness and decentralization in its hydrocarbons industry while upholding inclusive policies regarding its civil society. Moreover, these NOCs are most likely to follow through on their CSR commitments when faced with a unified and collaborative civil society. These major findings yield important policy lessons for both the host government and the civil society in developing countries with abundance in energy resources.

Changing global essential medicines norms to improve access to AIDS treatment: lessons from Brazil.

PubMed

Nunn, A; Fonseca, E Da; Gruskin, S

2009-01-01

Brazil's large-scale, successful HIV/AIDS treatment programme is considered by many to be a model for other developing countries aiming to improve access to AIDS treatment. Far less is known about Brazil's important role in changing global norms related to international pharmaceutical policy, particularly international human rights, health and trade policies governing access to essential medicines. Prompted by Brazil's interest in preserving its national AIDS treatment policies during World Trade Organisation trade disputes with the USA, these efforts to change global essential medicines norms have had important implications for other countries, particularly those scaling up AIDS treatment. This paper analyses Brazil's contributions to global essential medicines policy and explains the relevance of Brazil's contributions to global health policy today.

Examination of lifestyle factors and diseases in teaching periodontology in dental education in the Nordic countries.

PubMed

Fiehn, N-E; Christensen, L B

2016-02-01

Lifestyle and general diseases are important for the development of periodontitis and other diseases in the oral cavity. Therefore, knowledge on lifestyle factors must be part of the dental curriculum. However, a search for information in the literature databases gave meagre results. The aim of this study was to describe education of lifestyle in relation to diseases in the oral cavity with focus on periodontitis and to elucidate how education is practiced and reflected in dental education in the Nordic countries. A questionnaire, which consisted of 18 questions, was sent to the chairs of the departments of periodontology in the Nordic countries. The questions concerned extent, curriculum structure, educational method, content, assessment and evaluation of the education. Education on lifestyle factors took place at all dental schools, but the extent, content and placement in the curriculum varied. In some schools, more than 10 lessons were scheduled; two schools had only 3-5 lessons. The education of lifestyle factors was prioritised highest in the departments of periodontology followed by cariology and general health. Despite differences in the content across the dental schools, there were also similarities. So, at all schools smoking, medication, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes type 2 had a high priority. Education of other factors such as alcohol, psychological stress, oral hygiene habits, hypotension and obesity varied. Despite the general view that understanding of odontology is considered to be rather homogenous in the Nordic countries, the education varies across the dental schools. This variation may inspire dental educators in the future planning dental curricula. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Leadership, management and technical lessons learnt from a successful public-private partnership for TB control in Nepal.

PubMed

Newell, J N; Pande, S B; Baral, S C; Bam, D S; Malla, P

2005-09-01

There is considerable interest in involving private practitioners (PPs) in tuberculosis (TB) control, but little experience. To describe and discuss leadership, management and technical lessons learnt from the successful implementation of a public-private partnership (PPP) for TB control in Nepal. Description and discussion of implementation of the PPP is based on feedback from the working group charged with developing the PPP, PPs involved in diagnosis and referral, NGOs providing direct observation of treatment and tracing of late patients, and members of the Nepal National TB Programme. The process of building the partnership was slow and demoralising, yet with perseverance partners gradually increased their involvement and commitment to the PPP. Leadership was needed to foster communication and openness between partners. It was not necessary to involve all PPs: many patients bypassed PPs and went directly to the free DOTS centres. An understanding of issues that arose during development of the Lalitpur PPP may assist assessment of the feasibility of PPPs in other settings, and increase the likelihood of successful implementation. The wider literature on partnerships may be useful to further inform the development of PPPs for health in developing countries.

Strengthening expertise for health technology assessment and priority-setting in Africa

PubMed Central

Doherty, Jane E; Wilkinson, Thomas; Edoka, Ijeoma; Hofman, Karen

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Achieving sustainable universal health coverage depends partly on fair priority-setting processes that ensure countries spend scarce resources wisely. While general health economics capacity-strengthening initiatives exist in Africa, less attention has been paid to developing the capacity of individuals, institutions and networks to apply economic evaluation in support of health technology assessment and effective priority-setting. Objective: On the basis of international  lessons, to identify how research organisations and partnerships could contribute to capacity strengthening for health technology assessment and priority-setting in Africa. Methods: A rapid scan was conducted of international formal and grey literature and lessons extracted from the deliberations of two international and regional workshops relating to capacity-building for health technology assessment. ‘Capacity’ was defined in broad terms, including a conducive political environment, strong public institutional capacity to drive priority-setting, effective networking between experts, strong research organisations and skilled researchers. Results: Effective priority-setting requires more than high quality economic research. Researchers have to engage with an array of stakeholders, network closely other research organisations, build partnerships with different levels of government and train the future generation of researchers and policy-makers. In low- and middle-income countries where there are seldom government units or agencies dedicated to health technology assessment, they also have to support the development of an effective priority-setting process that is sensitive to societal and government needs and priorities. Conclusions: Research organisations have an important role to play in contributing to the development of health technology assessment and priority-setting capacity. In Africa, where there are resource and capacity challenges, effective partnerships between local and international researchers, and with key government stakeholders, can leverage existing skills and knowledge to generate a critical mass of individuals and institutions. These would help to meet the priority-setting needs of African countries and contribute to sustainable universal health coverage. PMID:29035166

Literacy and life skills education for vulnerable youth: What policy makers can do

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernhardt, Anna Caroline; Yorozu, Rika; Medel-Añonuevo, Carolyn

2014-04-01

In countries with a high concentration of youth with low literacy levels, the policy and programming task related to education and training is particularly daunting. This note briefly presents policies and practices which have been put in place to provide vulnerable youth with literacy and life skills education. It is based on a multi-country research study undertaken by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD Canada; previously Canadian International Development Agency, CIDA), and on subsequent policy dialogue forums with policy makers, practitioners, researchers and youth representatives held in Africa, the Arab region and Asia. Built on this review of existing policies and their implementation, this note provides lessons for innovative practices and suggests six concrete ways to address the needs of vulnerable youth through literacy and life skills education.

Inherited haemoglobin disorders: an increasing global health problem.

PubMed Central

Weatherall, D. J.; Clegg, J. B.

2001-01-01

Despite major advances in our understanding of the molecular pathology, pathophysiology, and control and management of the inherited disorders of haemoglobin, thousands of infants and children with these diseases are dying through lack of appropriate medical care. This problem will undoubtedly increase over the next 20 years because, as the result of a reduction in childhood mortality due to infection and malnutrition, more babies with haemoglobin disorders will survive to present for treatment. Although WHO and various voluntary agencies have tried to disseminate information about these diseases, they are rarely mentioned as being sufficiently important to be included in setting health care priorities for the future. It takes considerable time to establish expertise in developing programmes for the control and management of these conditions, and the lessons learned in developed countries will need to be transmitted to those countries in which they occur at a high frequency. PMID:11545326

Mobile clinics in Haiti, part 2: Lessons learned through service.

PubMed

Haley, Janice M; Cone, Pamela H

2016-11-01

Learning from experience is a positive approach when preparing for mobile clinic service in a developing country. Mobile clinics provide healthcare services to people in hard to reach areas around the world, but preparation for their use needs to be done in collaboration with local leaders and healthcare providers. For over 16 years, Azusa Pacific University School of Nursing has sponsored mobile clinics to rural northern Haiti with the aim to provide culturally sensitive healthcare in collaboration with Haitian leaders. Past Haiti mobile clinic experiences have informed the APU-SON approach on best practices in study abroad, service-learning, and mission trips providing healthcare services. Hopefully, lessons learned from these experiences with mobile clinic service-learning opportunities in Haiti will benefit others who seek to plan study abroad service-learning trips for students in healthcare majors who desire to serve the underserved around the world. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PEPFAR Transitions to Country Ownership: Review of Past Donor Transitions and Application of Lessons Learned to the Eastern Caribbean.

PubMed

Vogus, Abigail; Graff, Kylie

2015-06-17

The US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has shifted from an emergency response to a sustainable, country-owned response. The process of transition to country ownership is already underway in the Eastern Caribbean; the Office of the US Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) has advised the region that PEPFAR funding is being redirected away from the Eastern Caribbean toward Caribbean countries with high disease burden to strengthen services for key populations. This article seeks to highlight and apply lessons learned from other donor transitions to support a successful transition of HIV programs in the Eastern Caribbean. Based on a rapid review of both peer-reviewed and gray literature on donor transitions to country ownership in family planning, HIV, and other areas, we identified 48 resources that addressed key steps in the transition process and determinants of readiness for transition. Analysis of the existing literature revealed 6 steps that could help ensure successful transition, including developing a clear roadmap articulated through high-level diplomacy; investing in extensive stakeholder engagement; and supporting monitoring and evaluation during and after the transition to adjust course as needed. Nine specific areas to assess a country's readiness for transition include: leadership and management capacity, political and economic factors, the policy environment, identification of alternative funding sources, integration of HIV programs into the wider health system, the institutionalization of processes, the strength of procurement and supply chain management, identification of staffing and training needs, and engagement of civil society and the private sector. In the Caribbean, key areas requiring strengthening to ensure countries in the region can maintain the gains made under PEPFAR include further engaging civil society and the private sector, building the capacity of NGOs to take on essential program functions, and maintaining donor support for targeted capacity building and long-term monitoring and evaluation efforts. © Vogus et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are properly cited. To view a copy of the license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Translational Genomics in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Opportunities and Challenges.

PubMed

Tekola-Ayele, Fasil; Rotimi, Charles N

2015-01-01

Translation of genomic discoveries into patient care is slowly becoming a reality in developed economies around the world. In contrast, low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) have participated minimally in genomic research for several reasons including the lack of coherent national policies, the limited number of well-trained genomic scientists, poor research infrastructure, and local economic and cultural challenges. Recent initiatives such as the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa), the Qatar Genome Project, and the Mexico National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN) that aim to address these problems through capacity building and empowerment of local researchers have sparked a paradigm shift. In this short communication, we describe experiences of small-scale medical genetics and translational genomic research programs in LMIC. The lessons drawn from these programs drive home the importance of addressing resource, policy, and sociocultural dynamics to realize the promise of precision medicine driven by genomic science globally. By echoing lessons from a bench-to-community translational genomic research, we advocate that large-scale genomic research projects can be successfully linked with health care programs. To harness the benefits of genomics-led health care, LMIC governments should begin to develop national genomics policies that will address human and technology capacity development within the context of their national economic and sociocultural uniqueness. These policies should encourage international collaboration and promote the link between the public health program and genomics researchers. Finally, we highlight the potential catalytic roles of the global community to foster translational genomics in LMIC. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

TMDL Implementation: Lessons Learned

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Virginia Tech Center for TMDL and Watershed Studies provided state TMDL implementation information and reviewed ongoing TMDL implementation efforts across the country to identify factors that contribute to successful implementation.

Orphan drug legislation: lessons for neglected tropical diseases.

PubMed

Villa, Stefano; Compagni, Amelia; Reich, Michael R

2009-01-01

In the last 20 years, orphan drug legislation (ODL) has been adopted in several countries around the world (USA, Japan, Australia, and the European Union) and has successfully promoted R&D investments to develop new pharmaceutical products for the treatment of rare diseases. Without these incentives, many life-saving new drugs would have not been developed and produced. For economic reasons, the development of medicines for the treatment of diseases prevalent in the developing world (or tropical diseases) is lagging behind. Among several factors, the low average per-capita income makes pharmaceutical markets in developing countries appear relatively unprofitable and therefore unattractive for R&D-oriented companies. The case of ODL may offer some useful insights and perspectives for the fight against neglected tropical diseases. First, the measures used in ODL may also be effective in boosting R&D for neglected tropical diseases, if appropriately adapted to this market. Second, small-sized companies, which have played a successful role in the development of orphan drugs for rare diseases, may also represent a good business strategy for the case of tropical diseases. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training: Lessons from Eastern and Central Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitra, Jay; Matlay, Harry

2004-01-01

The social, economic and political systems of former communist countries have faced considerable changes since the late 1980s. Most countries in Eastern and Central Europe have undergone their own individual brand of transition from a centrally planned, command system to a more or less liberalized, Western-style market economy. Many observers…

Education Premiums and Skilled Migration in Mexico: Lessons for an Educational Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tigau, Camelia; Guerra, Bernardo Bolaños

2015-01-01

This paper examines the relationship between skills prices (wage premiums) and inequality in migrant sending countries (mainly from Latin America) and explores the implications for education policies. Most of the evidence is based on the case of Mexico, a Latin American country that is also an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development…

Renewable Electricity Standards: Good Practices and Design Considerations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cox, Sadie; Esterly, Sean

2016-01-02

In widespread use globally, renewable electricity standards (RES) are one of the most widely adopted renewable energy policies and a critical regulatory vehicle to accelerate renewable energy deployment. This policy brief provides an introduction to key RES design elements, lessons from country experience, and support resources to enable more detailed and country-specific RES policy design.

Spicing up Spanish Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornelius, Cawood; Vest, Terri

2009-01-01

Looking for a "habanero" (extremely hot) lesson to engage first-year Spanish language students in an in-depth study of Spanish-speaking countries? This article offers an overview of how the authors used 21st-century tools to get students excited about the not-so-new assignment of reporting on the people and culture of another country. Chances are,…

Cultural Introductions by Way of Storytelling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jellick, Matthew

2015-01-01

In this article Matthew Jellick describes an introductory lesson he has used on the first day of class with students around the globe. The activity touches on each of the skill sets associated with English language acquisition, with special attention paid to cultural issues that can be applied on a country-by-country basis. No matter what country…

Political economy of tobacco control in low-income and middle-income countries: lessons from Thailand and Zimbabwe. Global Analysis Project Team.

PubMed Central

Chantornvong, S.; Collin, J.; Dodgson, R.; Lee, K.; McCargo, D.; Seddon, D.; Vaughan, P.; Woelk, G.

2000-01-01

Crucial to the success of the proposed Framework Convention on Tobacco Control will be an understanding of the political and economic context for tobacco control policies, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. Policy studies in Thailand and Zimbabwe employed the analytical perspective of political economy and a research strategy that used political mapping, a technique for characterizing and evaluating the political environment surrounding a policy issue, and stakeholder analysis, which seeks to identify key actors and to determine their capacity to shape policy outcomes. These policy studies clearly revealed how tobacco control in low-income and middle-income countries is also being shaped by developments in the global and regional political economy. Hence efforts to strengthen national control policies need to be set within the context of globalization and the international context. Besides the transnational tobacco companies, international tobacco groups and foreign governments, international agencies and nongovernmental organizations are also playing influential roles. It cannot be assumed, therefore, that the tobacco control strategies being implemented in industrialized countries will be just as effective and appropriate when implemented in developing countries. There is an urgent need to expand the number of such tobacco policy studies, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. Comprehensive guidelines for tobacco policy analysis and research are required to support this process, as is a broader international strategy to coordinate further tobacco policy research studies at country, regional and global levels. PMID:10994265

Towards a comparative analysis of health systems reforms in the Asia-Pacific Region.

PubMed

Phua, Kai Hong; Chew, Amelia Huibin

2002-01-01

The paper will review a representative selection of health systems reforms throughout the Asia-Pacific region to summarise the regional experience, identify the key lessons learnt from innovative health reforms and propose policy recommendations for sustainable health systems development. Broad descriptive trends of health systems reforms will be compared across the Asia-Pacific region within the context of rapid demographic, health and socio-economic development. More specifically, the study will address the following questions: 1. What are the main features of innovative health systems reforms? 2. How have these reforms affected the health systems? 3. Are there lessons and other implications from these reforms? A common conceptual framework to compare health systems reforms is adopted, using a standardised format to report data of national health systems. A classification of health systems is constructed by categorising them according to the level of development of their respective economies: 1) Developed 2 )High Performing 3) Newly Industrialising 4) Transitional, and 5) Developing. A typology of common issues, challenges and responses are generalised for these health systems at different stages of socio-economic development of individual countries. Evaluative criteria are proposed to compare the long-term effects of these reforms on national health systems in terms of efficiency, equity, quality and sustainability.

Experiences From Developing and Upgrading a Web-Based Surveillance System for Malaria Elimination in Cambodia

PubMed Central

Mellor, Steve; Aryal, Siddhi; Sovannaroth, Siv; Roca-Feltrer, Arantxa

2017-01-01

Strengthening the surveillance component is key toward achieving country-wide malaria elimination in Cambodia. A Web-based upgraded malaria information system (MIS) was deemed to essentially act as the central component for surveillance strengthening. New functionality (eg, data visualization) and operational (eg, data quality) attributes of the system received particular attention. However, building from the lessons learned in previous systems’ developments, other aspects unique to Cambodia were considered to be equally important; for instance, feasibility issues, particularly at the field level (eg, user acceptability at various health levels), and sustainability needs (eg, long-term system flexibility). The Cambodian process of identifying the essential changes and critical attributes for this new information system can provide a model for other countries at various stages of the disease control and elimination continuum. Sharing these experiences not only facilitates the establishment of “best practices” but also accelerates global and regional malaria elimination efforts. In this article, Cambodia’s experience in developing and upgrading its MIS to remain responsive to country-specific needs demonstrates the necessity for considering functionality, operationalization, feasibility, and sustainability of an information system in the context of malaria elimination. PMID:28615155

Mekong Basin Disease Surveillance (MBDS): A Trust-Based Network

PubMed Central

Phommasack, Bounlay; Jiraphongsa, Chuleeporn; Ko Oo, Moe; Bond, Katherine C.; Phaholyothin, Natalie; Suphanchaimat, Rapeepong; Ungchusak, Kumnuan; Macfarlane, Sarah B.

2013-01-01

The Mekong Basin Disease Surveillance (MBDS) network was formally established in 2001 through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by six Ministers of Health of the countries in the Greater Mekong sub-region: Cambodia, China (Yunnan and Guangxi), Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The main areas of focus of the network are to: i) improve cross-border infectious disease outbreak investigation and response by sharing surveillance data and best practices in disease recognition and reporting, and by jointly responding to outbreaks; ii) develop expertise in epidemiological surveillance across the countries; and iii) enhance communication between the countries. Comprised of senior health officials, epidemiologists, health practitioners, and other professionals, the MBDS has grown and matured over the years into an entity based on mutual trust that can be sustained into the future. Other regions have started emulating the network's pioneering work. In this paper, we describe the development of MBDS, the way in which it operates today, and some of its achievements. We present key challenges the network has faced and lessons its members have learned about how to develop sufficient trust for health and other professionals to alert each other to disease threats across national borders and thereby more effectively combat these threats. PMID:23362411

Tie Your Lesson to a Kite.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spitzer, Michael

1982-01-01

Describes kites and kite flying in different countries and throughout history, including the New York Kite Festival. Notes that principles governing kite behavior control the flight of airplanes. (MH)

Conducting environmental health research in the Arabian Middle East: lessons learned and opportunities.

PubMed

Yeatts, Karin B; El-Sadig, Mohamed; Ali, Habiba I; Al-Maskari, Fatma; Campbell, Alan; Ng, Shu Wen; Reeves, Lisa; Chan, Ronna L; Davidson, Christopher A; Funk, William E; Boundy, Maryanne G; Leith, David; Popkin, Barry; Gibson, Jacqueline Macdonald; Rusyn, Ivan; Olshan, Andrew F

2012-05-01

The Arabian Gulf nations are undergoing rapid economic development, leading to major shifts in both the traditional lifestyle and the environment. Although the pace of change is brisk, there is a dearth of environmental health research in this region. We describe challenges and successes of conducting an environmental epidemiologic study in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a Gulf nation in the Middle East, with an inter-disciplinary team that includes in-country academic and government collaborators as well as U.S. academic collaborators. We present several issues, including study and data collection design, exposure assessment, scheduling and time coordination, quality assurance and quality control, and institutional review board protocols. These topics are considered in a cultural context. Benefits of this research included building linkages among multinational, interdisciplinary team members, generating data for local environmental decision making, and developing local epidemiologic research capacity. The Middle Eastern culture of hospitality greatly benefited the project team. Cultural differences impact multiple aspects of epidemiologic research and should be respectfully addressed. Conducting international population-based environmental research poses many challenges; these challenges can be met successfully with careful planning, cultural knowledge, and flexibility. Lessons learned are applicable to interdisciplinary research all over the world. The research conducted will benefit the environmental and public health agencies of the UAE and provide the nation's leadership with country-specific environmental health data that can be used to protect the public's health in a rapidly changing environment.

Conducting Environmental Health Research in the Arabian Middle East: Lessons Learned and Opportunities

PubMed Central

El-Sadig, Mohamed; Ali, Habiba I.; Al-Maskari, Fatma; Campbell, Alan; Ng, Shu Wen; Reeves, Lisa; Chan, Ronna L.; Davidson, Christopher A.; Funk, William E.; Boundy, Maryanne G.; Leith, David; Popkin, Barry; Gibson, Jacqueline MacDonald; Rusyn, Ivan; Olshan, Andrew F.

2012-01-01

Background: The Arabian Gulf nations are undergoing rapid economic development, leading to major shifts in both the traditional lifestyle and the environment. Although the pace of change is brisk, there is a dearth of environmental health research in this region. Objective: We describe challenges and successes of conducting an environmental epidemiologic study in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a Gulf nation in the Middle East, with an inter-disciplinary team that includes in-country academic and government collaborators as well as U.S. academic collaborators. Discussion: We present several issues, including study and data collection design, exposure assessment, scheduling and time coordination, quality assurance and quality control, and institutional review board protocols. These topics are considered in a cultural context. Benefits of this research included building linkages among multinational, interdisciplinary team members, generating data for local environmental decision making, and developing local epidemiologic research capacity. The Middle Eastern culture of hospitality greatly benefited the project team. Conclusion: Cultural differences impact multiple aspects of epidemiologic research and should be respectfully addressed. Conducting international population-based environmental research poses many challenges; these challenges can be met successfully with careful planning, cultural knowledge, and flexibility. Lessons learned are applicable to interdisciplinary research all over the world. The research conducted will benefit the environmental and public health agencies of the UAE and provide the nation’s leadership with country-specific environmental health data that can be used to protect the public’s health in a rapidly changing environment. PMID:22356946

Lessons Learned from Emergency Response Vaccination Efforts for Cholera, Typhoid, Yellow Fever, and Ebola

PubMed Central

Date, Kashmira A.; Sreenivasan, Nandini; Harris, Jennifer B.; Hyde, Terri B.

2017-01-01

Countries must be prepared to respond to public health threats associated with emergencies, such as natural disasters, sociopolitical conflicts, or uncontrolled disease outbreaks. Rapid vaccination of populations vulnerable to epidemic-prone vaccine-preventable diseases is a major component of emergency response. Emergency vaccination planning presents challenges, including how to predict resource needs, expand vaccine availability during global shortages, and address regulatory barriers to deliver new products. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supports countries to plan, implement, and evaluate emergency vaccination response. We describe work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with global partners to support emergency vaccination against cholera, typhoid, yellow fever, and Ebola, diseases for which a new vaccine or vaccine formulation has played a major role in response. Lessons learned will help countries prepare for future emergencies. Integration of vaccination with emergency response augments global health security through reducing disease burden, saving lives, and preventing spread across international borders. PMID:29155670

The value of demonstration projects for new interventions: The case of human papillomavirus vaccine introduction in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Howard, N; Mounier-Jack, S; Gallagher, K E; Kabakama, S; Griffiths, U K; Feletto, M; LaMontagne, D S; Burchett, H E D; Watson-Jones, D

2016-09-01

Demonstration projects or pilots of new public health interventions aim to build learning and capacity to inform country-wide implementation. Authors examined the value of HPV vaccination demonstration projects and initial national programmes in low-income and lower-middle-income countries, including potential drawbacks and how value for national scale-up might be increased. Data from a systematic review and key informant interviews, analyzed thematically, included 55 demonstration projects and 8 national programmes implemented between 2007-2015 (89 years' experience). Initial demonstration projects quickly provided consistent lessons. Value would increase if projects were designed to inform sustainable national scale-up. Well-designed projects can test multiple delivery strategies, implementation for challenging areas and populations, and integration with national systems. Introduction of vaccines or other health interventions, particularly those involving new target groups or delivery strategies, needs flexible funding approaches to address specific questions of scalability and sustainability, including learning lessons through phased national expansion.

Retreat from Alma Ata? The WHO's report on Task Shifting to community health workers for AIDS care in poor countries.

PubMed

Campbell, C; Scott, K

2011-01-01

This paper examines the potential of community health worker (CHW) programmes, as proposed by the 2008 World Health Organisation (WHO) document Task Shifting to tackle health worker shortages, to contribute to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment and various Millennium Development Goals in low-income countries. It examines the WHO proposal through a literature review of factors that have facilitated the success of previous CHW experiences. The WHO has taken account of five key lessons learnt from past CHW programmes (the need for strong management, appropriate selection, suitable training, adequate retention structures and good relationships with other healthcare workers). It has, however, neglected to emphasise the importance of a sixth lesson, the 'community embeddedness' of CHWs, found to be of critical importance to the success of past CHW programmes. We have no doubt that the WHO plans will increase the number of workers able to perform medically oriented tasks. However, we argue that without community embeddedness, CHWs will be unable to successfully perform the socially oriented tasks assigned to them by the WHO, such as health education and counselling. We locate the WHO's neglect of community embeddedness within the context of a broader global public health trend away from community-focused primary healthcare towards biomedically focused selective healthcare.

PROPOSAL FOR IMPROVEMENT OF BUINESS CONTINUITY PLAN (BCP) BASED ON THE LESSONS OF THE GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maruya, Hiroaki

For most Japanese companies and organizations, the enormous damage of the Great East Japan Earthquake was more than expected. In addition to great tsunami and earthquake motion, the lack of electricity and fuel disturbed to business activities seriously, and they should be considered important constraint factors in future earthquakes. Furthermore, disruption of supply chains also led considerable decline of production in many industries across Japan and foreign countries. Therefore it becomes urgent need for Japanese government and industries to utilize the lessons of the Great Earthquake and execute effective countermeasures, considering great earthquakes such as Tonankai & Nankai earthquakes and Tokyo Inland Earthquakes. Obviously most basic step is improving earthquake-resistant ability of buildings and facilities. In addition the spread of BCP and BCM to enterprises and organizations is indispensable. Based on the lessons, the BCM should include the point of view of the supply chain management more clearly, and emphasize "substitute strategy" more explicitly because a company should survive even if it completely loses its present production base. The central and local governments are requested, in addition to develop their own BCP, to improve related systematic conditions for BCM of the private sectors.

Lessons from sexual and reproductive health voucher program design and function: a comprehensive review.

PubMed

Grainger, Corinne; Gorter, Anna; Okal, Jerry; Bellows, Ben

2014-04-29

Developing countries face challenges in financing healthcare; often the poor do not receive the most basic services. The past decade has seen a sharp increase in the number of voucher programs, which target output-based subsidies for specific services to poor and underserved groups. The dearth of literature that examines lessons learned risks the wheel being endlessly reinvented. This paper examines commonalities and differences in voucher design and implementation, highlighting lessons learned for the design of new voucher programmes. The methodology comprised: discussion among key experts to develop inclusion/exclusion criteria; up-dating the literature database used by the DFID systematic review of voucher programs; and networking with key contacts to identify new programs and obtain additional program documents. We identified 40 programs for review and extracted a dataset of more than 120 program characteristics for detailed analysis. All programs aimed to increase utilisation of healthcare, particularly maternal health services, overwhelmingly among low-income populations. The majority contract(ed) private providers, or public and private providers, and all facilitate(d) access to services that are well defined, time-limited and reflect the country's stated health priorities. All voucher programs incorporate a governing body, management agency, contracted providers and target population, and all share the same incentive structure: the transfer of subsidies from consumers to service providers, resulting in a strong effect on both consumer and provider behaviour. Vouchers deliver subsidies to individuals, who in the absence of the subsidy would likely not have sought care, and in all programs a positive behavioural response is observed, with providers investing voucher revenue to attract more clients. A large majority of programs studied used targeting mechanisms. While many programs remain too small to address national-level need among the poor, large programs are being developed at a rate of one every two years, with further programs in the pipeline. The importance of addressing inequalities in access to basic services is recognized as an important component in the drive to achieve universal health coverage; vouchers are increasingly acknowledged as a promising targeting mechanism in this context, particularly where social health insurance is not yet feasible.

Improving the primary school science learning unit about force and motion through lesson study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phaikhumnam, Wuttichai; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

The study aimed to develop primary school science lesson plan based on inquiry cycle (5Es) through lesson study. The study focused on the development of 4 primary school science lesson plans of force and motion for Grade 3 students in KKU Demonstration Primary School (Suksasart), first semester of 2015 academic year. The methodology is mixed method. The Inthaprasitha (2010) lesson study cycle was implemented in group of KKU Demonstration Primary School. Instruments of reflection of lesson plan developing included participant observation, meeting and reflection report, lesson plan and other document. The instruments of examining students' learning include classroom observation and achievement test. Data was categorized from these instruments to find the issues of changing and improving the good lesson plan of Thai primary school science learning. The findings revealed that teachers could develop the lesson plans through lesson study. The issues of changing and improving were disused by considering on engaging students related to societal issues, students' prior knowledge, scientific concepts for primary school students, and what they learned from their changing. It indicated that the Lesson Study allowed primary school science teachers to share ideas and develop ideas to improve the lesson. The study may have implications for Thai science teacher education through Lesson Study.

Building Capacity to Use NASA Earth Observations in the Water Resource Sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Childs-Gleason, L. M.; Ross, K. W.; Crepps, G.; Clayton, A.; Ruiz, M. L.; Rogers, L.; Allsbrook, K. N.

2017-12-01

The NASA DEVELOP National Program builds capacity to use and apply NASA Earth observations to address environmental concerns around the globe. The DEVELOP model builds capacity in both participants (students, recent graduates, and early and transitioning career professionals) who conduct the projects and partners (decision and policy makers) who are recipients of project methodologies and results. Projects focus on a spectrum of thematic topics, including water resource management which made up 30% of the DEVELOP FY2017 portfolio. During this period, DEVELOP conducted water-focused feasibility studies in collaboration with 22 partners across 13 U.S. states and five countries. This presentation will provide an overview of needs identified, DEVELOP's response, data sources, challenges, and lessons learned.

A narrative synthesis of illustrative evidence on effects of capitation payment for primary care: lessons for Ghana and other low/middle-income countries.

PubMed

Andoh-Adjei, Francis-Xavier; Spaan, Ernst; Asante, Felix A; Mensah, Sylvester A; van der Velden, Koos

2016-12-01

To analyse and synthesize available international experiences and information on the motivation for, and effects of using capitation as provider payment method in country health systems and lessons and implications for low/middle-income countries. We did narrative review and synthesis of the literature on the effects of capitation payment on primary care. Eleven articles were reviewed. Capitation payment encourages efficiency: drives down cost, serves as critical source of income for providers, promotes adherence to guidelines and policies, encourages providers to work better and give health education to patients. It, however, induces reduction in the quantity and quality of care provided and encourages skimming on inputs, underserving of patients in bad state of health, "dumping" of high risk patients and negatively affect patient-provider relationship. The illustrative evidence adduced from the review demonstrates that capitation payment in primary care can create positive incentives but could also elicit un-intended effects. However, due to differences in country context, policy makers in Ghana and other low/middle-income countries may only be guided by the illustrative evidence in their design of a context-specific capitation payment for primary care. Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP), Fellowship number: NFP-PhD.12/352.

[Socio-environmental vulnerability, disaster risk-reduction and resilience-building: lessons from the earthquake in Haiti and torrential rains in the mountain range close to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil].

PubMed

de Freitas, Carlos Machado; de Carvalho, Mauren Lopes; Ximenes, Elisa Francioli; Arraes, Eduardo Fonseca; Gomes, José Orlando

2012-06-01

Data on disasters around the world reveal greater seriousness in countries with lower social and economic development levels. In this context, disaster risk-reduction and resilience-building policies are priorities in the sustainable development agenda, featuring among the topics selected for the Rio+20 Summit. By means of a contribution of a conceptual nature and from examples of disasters in countries with different development levels, namely the Haiti earthquake and the torrential rains in the mountain range close to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, the scope of this article is to demonstrate how socio-environmental vulnerability creates conditions for disasters, while at the same time limiting strategies for their prevention and mitigation. Lastly, some of the measures that disaster risk reduction and resilience-building demand in a socio-environmental vulnerability context are highlighted. These involve changes in the current patterns of social, economic and environmental development geared toward ecological sustainability and social justice as pillars of sustainable development.

Creating the High-Resolution Settlement Layer - lessons learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gros, A.

2017-12-01

Facebook publishes the High-resolution Settlement Layer (HRSL: https://ciesin.columbia.edu/data/hrsl/) in collaboration with Columbia University's CIESIN institute and the World Bank. So far, data for 13 countries have been published over the past nine months. HRSL data for Burkina Faso, Ghana, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Malawi, Mexico, The Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Uganda are available for download. We will present a status update and report on lessons learned.

Preparation and response in case of natural disasters: Cuban programs and experience.

PubMed

Mas Bermejo, Pedro

2006-01-01

Inadequate preparation for national disasters is frequently particularly devastating in lower income countries. The Cuba's location has a diversity of potential natural disasters, including hurricanes, non-tropical depressions, tropical storms, tropical cyclones, and severe local storms, all with intense rains and winds, earthquakes and droughts. Cuban preparation, at all levels, is geared to these predominant threats. Planning for natural disasters is integral to the political and economic life of Cuba, nationally and locally. On several occasions, United Nations (UN) officials have pointed to Cuba as a model for developing countries preparing for hurricanes and other natural disasters. A global policy for managing the risks of natural disasters could improve continuity of assistance for development and reduce the necessity of humanitarian aid. Planning in advance of disasters is a feasible way of helping people, by reducing expenses of emergencies, recuperation, and reconstruction. As climate changes accelerate, many researchers fear a period of irreversible and uncontrollable change. While the atmosphere continues to warm, it generates more intense rains, more frequent heat waves, and more ferocious storms. Thus, achieving better protection of developing countries from an increasing onslaught of natural disasters will only grow in importance. Even though Cuba's contribution to know-how has been recognized by United Nations' officials, progress toward more adequate preparation worldwide has been slow. To support other countries beyond conveying the lessons, Cuba now offers specially trained personnel to cooperate immediately with any country suffering a natural disaster.

Cardiovascular diseases in mega-countries: the challenges of the nutrition, physical activity and epidemiologic transitions, and the double burden of disease

PubMed Central

Barquera, Simon; Pedroza-Tobias, Andrea; Medina, Catalina

2016-01-01

Purpose of review There are today 11 mega-countries with more than 100 million inhabitants. Together these countries represent more than 60% of the world's population. All are facing noncommunicable chronic disease (NCD) epidemic where high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases are becoming the main public health concerns. Most of these countries are facing the double burden of malnutrition where undernutrition and obesity coexist, increasing the complexity for policy design and implementation. The purpose of this study is to describe diverse sociodemographic characteristics of these countries and the challenges for prevention and control in the context of the nutrition transition. Recent findings Mega-countries are mostly low or middle-income and are facing important epidemiologic, nutrition, and physical activity transitions because of changes in food systems and unhealthy lifestyles. NCDs are responsible of two-thirds of the 57 million global deaths annually. Approximately, 80% of these are in low and middle-income countries. Only developed countries have been able to reduce mortality rates attributable to recognized risk factors for NCDs, in particular high cholesterol and blood pressure. Summary Mega-countries share common characteristics such as complex bureaucracies, internal ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic heterogeneity, and complexities to implement effective health promotion and education policies across population. Priorities for action must be identified and successful lessons and experiences should be carefully analyzed and replicated. PMID:27389629

The influenza A(H1N1) epidemic in Mexico. Lessons learned

PubMed Central

Córdova-Villalobos, José A; Sarti, Elsa; Arzoz-Padrés, Jacqueline; Manuell-Lee, Gabriel; Méndez, Josefina Romero; Kuri-Morales, Pablo

2009-01-01

Several influenza pandemics have taken place throughout history and it was assumed that the pandemic would emerge from a new human virus resulting from the adaptation of an avian virus strain. Mexico, since 2003 had developed a National Preparedness and Response Plan for an Influenza Pandemic focused in risk communication, health promotion, healthcare, epidemiological surveillance, strategic stockpile, research and development. This plan was challenged on April 2009, when a new influenza A(H1N1) strain of swine origen was detected in Mexico. The situation faced, the decisions and actions taken, allowed to control the first epidemic wave in the country. This document describes the critical moments faced and explicitly point out the lessons learned focused on the decided support by the government, the National Pandemic Influenza Plan, the coordination among all the government levels, the presence and solidarity of international organizations with timely and daily information, diagnosis and the positive effect on the population following the preventive hygienic measures recommended by the health authorities. The international community will be able to use the Mexican experience in the interest of global health. PMID:19785747

Changing global essential medicines norms to improve access to AIDS treatment: Lessons from Brazil

PubMed Central

Nunn, A.; Fonseca, E. Da; Gruskin, S.

2009-01-01

Brazil's large-scale, successful HIV/AIDS treatment programme is considered by many to be a model for other developing countries aiming to improve access to AIDS treatment. Far less is known about Brazil's important role in changing global norms related to international pharmaceutical policy, particularly international human rights, health and trade policies governing access to essential medicines. Prompted by Brazil's interest in preserving its national AIDS treatment policies during World Trade Organisation trade disputes with the USA, these efforts to change global essential medicines norms have had important implications for other countries, particularly those scaling up AIDS treatment. This paper analyses Brazil's contributions to global essential medicines policy and explains the relevance of Brazil's contributions to global health policy today. PMID:19333805

Expanding contraceptive choice in the developing world: lessons from the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the Republic of Zambia.

PubMed

d'Arcangues, Catherine M; Ba-Thike, Katherine; Say, Lale

2013-12-01

Women need different forms of contraception over their lifetime. In the developed world, they have access to some 20 different methods. In developing countries, only a few options are available. This paper focuses on four under-used methods: intrauterine devices, implants, emergency contraception and female condoms. It examines reasons for their low uptake, strategies used for their adoption, and challenges in sustaining these efforts, in two countries: Laos and Zambia. In-country documentation and reports from international partners were reviewed; questionnaires were sent and interviews carried out with ministry officials, senior providers, and local representatives of international organisations and international non-governmental organisations. In Laos, the family planning programme is relatively young; its challenges include ensuring the sustainability of services and supplies, improving the quality of IEC to dispel misconceptions surrounding contraception, and developing novel distribution systems to reach rural populations. Zambia has a much older programme, which lost ground in the face of competing health priorities. Its challenges include strengthening the supply chain management, coordinating the multiple groups of providers and ensuring the sustainability of services in rural areas. The contrast offered by Laos and Zambia illustrates the importance of regular evaluation to identify priority areas for improving contraceptive delivery.

Competency-Based Training in International Perspective: Comparing the Implementation Processes Towards the Achievement of Employability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boahin, Peter; Eggink, Jose; Hofman, Adriaan

2014-01-01

This article undertakes a comparison of competency-based training (CBT) systems in a number of countries with the purpose of drawing lessons to support Ghana and other countries in the process of CBT implementation. The study focuses on recognition of prior learning and involvement of industry since these features seem crucial in achieving…

Lessons from Other Countries, and Rethinking (Slightly) Unemployment Insurance as Social Insurance against the Great Recession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neumark, David; Troske, Kenneth

2012-01-01

Caspar, Hartwig, and Moench do little to convince the authors of this paper that they have identified policy prescriptions that might usefully be applied to the United States. Caspar, Hartwig, and Moench suggest that in countries with high shares of temporary contract workers, employment reductions were sharper (because they could be). But does an…

Lessons Learned from Implementing E-Learning for the Education of Health Professionals in Resource-Constrained Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gupta, Manu; Marsden, Sophie; Oluka, Tony; Sharma, Reetu; Lucas, Henry

2017-01-01

The growing global demand for tertiary education has led to the increased use of e-learning approaches around the world. Demand has increased most rapidly in low and middle income countries (LMICs), which account for half of the students currently enrolled in higher educational institutions (HEIs). But the implementation of e-learning programmes…

Challenges in and lessons learned during the implementation of the 1-3-7 malaria surveillance and response strategy in China: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Lu, Guangyu; Liu, Yaobao; Beiersmann, Claudia; Feng, Yu; Cao, Jun; Müller, Olaf

2016-10-05

China has made great progress in malaria control over the last century and now aims to eliminate malaria by 2020. In 2012, the country launched its 1-3-7 surveillance and response strategy for malaria elimination. The strategy involves to case reporting within 1 day, case investigation within 3 days, and focus investigation and public health actions within 7 days. The aim of this study was to evaluate the challenges in and lessons learned during the implementation of the 1-3-7 strategy in China so far. This qualitative study was conducted in two provinces in China: Gansu province (northwestern China) and Jiangsu province (southeastern China) in 2014. Key informant interviews (n = 6) and in-depth interviews (n = 36) about the implementation aspects of the 1-3-7 strategy were conducted with malaria experts, health staff, laboratory practitioners, and village doctors at the provincial, city, county, township, and village levels. Broad themes related to the challenges in and lessons learned during the implementation of the 1-3-7 strategy were identified according to: case reporting within 1 day, case investigation within 3 days, focus investigation within 7 days, and the overall strategy. The major challenges outlined were related to respecting the timeline of surveillance procedures, the absence of or difficulties in following guidelines on conducting focus investigations, diagnostics, and the increasing number of returning migrant workers from malaria-endemic countries. Important lessons learned revolve around the importance of continuous capacity building, supervision and motivation, quality control, information technology support, applied research, governmental commitment, and intersectoral collaboration. Surveillance is a key intervention in malaria elimination programs. The Chinese 1-3-7 strategy has already proven to be successful but still needs to be improved. In particular, dealing appropriately with imported malaria cases through the screening of migrant workers from malaria-endemic countries is essential for achieving and sustaining malaria elimination in China. China has perfect preconditions for successful malaria elimination provided political commitment and financial investment are guaranteed. The 1-3-7 strategy may also be considered as a model for other countries.

Pharmacological treatment of severe psychiatric disorders in the developing world : lessons from India.

PubMed

Patel, Vikram; Andrade, Chittaranjan

2003-01-01

Severe psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder) cause much morbidity and disability in developing countries. Most of the evidence on the efficacy and effectiveness of drug treatments for these disorders is based on trials conducted in Western countries. Cultural, biological and health system factors may profoundly influence the applicability of such evidence in developing countries. Attitudes towards, and concepts about, psychiatric disorders vary across cultures, and these may influence the acceptability of drug treatments. Genetic and environmental factors may lead to variations in the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of psychotropic drugs across ethnic groups. This may explain why lower doses of psychotropic drugs tend to be used for non-Caucasian patients. There is a dearth of mental health professionals and care facilities in developing countries, especially in rural areas. Epidemiological studies show that, despite this lack of services, the outcome of schizophrenia is favourable in developing countries. This suggests that cultural, genetic or environmental factors may play as much of a role in influencing outcome as access to antipsychotic treatment. Regional drug policies may influence the availability and cost of psychotropic drugs. In particular, the Indian experience, where drugs are manufactured by several local pharmaceutical firms, thus bringing their cost down, may represent a unique deregulated drug industry. However, the impending impact of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement, with the strict enforcement of patent laws, will almost certainly lead to a rise in drug costs in the coming years. This may influence the choice and cost effectiveness of various drugs. The implications of these cross-cultural variations for policy and practice are the need to ensure a reliable supply of affordable psychotropic drugs in developing countries, trained healthcare professionals to use these drugs rationally, a concerted advocacy campaign to exclude drugs for severe psychiatric disorders from patent protection, and the development of psychosocial programmes to improve global outcomes.

Innovative farmers and regulatory gatekeepers: Genetically modified crops regulation and adoption in developing countries

PubMed Central

Sinebo, Woldeyesus; Maredia, Karim

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The regulation of genetically modified (GM) crops is a topical issue in agriculture and environment over the past 2 decades. The objective of this paper is to recount regulatory and adoption practices in some developing countries that have successfully adopted GM crops so that aspiring countries may draw useful lessons and best practices for their biosafatey regulatory regimes. The first 11 mega-GM crops growing countries each with an area of more than one million hectares in 2014 were examined. Only five out of the 11 countries had smooth and orderly adoption of these crops as per the regulatory requirement of each country. In the remaining 6 countries (all developing countries), GM crops were either introduced across borders without official authorization, released prior to regulatory approval or unapproved seeds were sold along with the approved ones in violation to the existing regulations. Rapid expansion of transgenic crops over the past 2 decades in the developing world was a result of an intense desire by farmers to adopt these crops irrespective of regulatory roadblocks. Lack of workable biosafety regulatory system and political will to support GM crops encouraged unauthorized access to GM crop varieties. In certain cases, unregulated access in turn appeared to result in the adoption of substandard or spurious technology which undermined performance and productivity. An optimal interaction among the national agricultural innovation systems, biosafety regulatory bodies, biotech companies and high level policy makers is vital in making a workable regulated progress in the adoption of GM crops. Factoring forgone opportunities to farmers to benefit from GM crops arising from overregulation into biosafety risk analysis and decision making is suggested. Building functional biosafety regulatory systems that balances the needs of farmers to access and utilize the GM technology with the regulatory imperatives to ensure adequate safety to the environment and human health is recommended. PMID:26954893

Coalitions on mental health and aging: lessons learned for policy and practice.

PubMed

Baskin, Frank; Marcus, Lisa; Mays, Willard; Rawlings, Robert; Bruner-Canhoto, Laney; O'Connor, Darlene

2011-01-01

Elders with mental health needs have been poorly served. Private and government agencies have given this issue a low priority, which is reflected in service delivery and funding. Coalitions have developed in states around the country and have engaged in a variety of tasks, including training techniques and collaborative efforts to advocate successfully for appropriate services. While accomplishments vary, the coalitions should continue their work, and others should organize in order to reach the goal of having accessible and appropriate elder mental health services.

AIDS Treatment In Brazil: Impacts And Challenges

PubMed Central

Nunn, Amy Stewart; Fonseca, Elize Massard da; Bastos, Francisco I.; Gruskin, Sofia

2009-01-01

Brazil has one of the developing world's largest, and arguably most successful, AIDS treatment programs. In this paper we review the treatment program, including controversial policies that Brazil has used to promote widespread local and global access to AIDS treatment. We also examine the lessons learned from this program and highlight the challenges Brazil faces, including the rising costs of AIDS treatment and changes in donors' funding priorities. Finally, we explore the relevance of Brazil's treatment program for other countries and its broad implications for global AIDS and health policy. PMID:19597210

Exceptional Financial Support for Introduction of Inactivated Polio Vaccine in Middle-Income Countries.

PubMed

Blankenhorn, Anne-Line; Cernuschi, Tania; Zaffran, Michel J

2017-07-01

In May 2012, the World Health Assembly declared the completion of poliovirus eradication a programmatic emergency for global public health and called for a comprehensive polio endgame strategy. The Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2013-2018 was developed in response to this call and demands that all countries using Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) only introduce at least 1 dose of Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) into routine immunization schedules by the end of 2015. In November 2013, the Board of Gavi (the Vaccine Alliance) approved the provision of support for IPV introduction in the 72 Gavi-eligible countries. Following analytical work and stakeholder consultations, the IPV Immunization Systems Management Group (IMG) presented a proposal to provide exceptional financial support for IPV introduction to additional OPV-only using countries not eligible for Gavi support and that would otherwise not be able to mobilize the necessary financial resources within the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan timelines. In June 2014, the Polio Oversight Board (POB) agreed to make available a maximum envelope of US $45 million toward supporting countries not eligible for Gavi funding. This article describes the design of the funding mechanism that was developed, its implementation and the lessons learned through this process. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Systemic Measures and Legislative and Organizational Frameworks Aimed at Preventing or Mitigating Drug Shortages in 28 European and Western Asian Countries.

PubMed

Bochenek, Tomasz; Abilova, Vafa; Alkan, Ali; Asanin, Bogdan; de Miguel Beriain, Iñigo; Besovic, Zeljka; Vella Bonanno, Patricia; Bucsics, Anna; Davidescu, Michal; De Weerdt, Elfi; Duborija-Kovacevic, Natasa; Fürst, Jurij; Gaga, Mina; Gailīte, Elma; Gulbinovič, Jolanta; Gürpınar, Emre U; Hankó, Balázs; Hargaden, Vincent; Hotvedt, Tor A; Hoxha, Iris; Huys, Isabelle; Inotai, Andras; Jakupi, Arianit; Jenzer, Helena; Joppi, Roberta; Laius, Ott; Lenormand, Marie-Camille; Makridaki, Despina; Malaj, Admir; Margus, Kertu; Marković-Peković, Vanda; Miljković, Nenad; de Miranda, João L; Primožič, Stanislav; Rajinac, Dragana; Schwartz, David G; Šebesta, Robin; Simoens, Steven; Slaby, Juraj; Sović-Brkičić, Ljiljana; Tesar, Tomas; Tzimis, Leonidas; Warmińska, Ewa; Godman, Brian

2017-01-01

Drug shortages have been identified as a public health problem in an increasing number of countries. This can negatively impact on the quality and efficiency of patient care, as well as contribute to increases in the cost of treatment and the workload of health care providers. Shortages also raise ethical and political issues. The scientific evidence on drug shortages is still scarce, but many lessons can be drawn from cross-country analyses. The objective of this study was to characterize, compare, and evaluate the current systemic measures and legislative and organizational frameworks aimed at preventing or mitigating drug shortages within health care systems across a range of European and Western Asian countries. The study design was retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive, and observational. Information was gathered through a survey distributed among senior personnel from ministries of health, state medicines agencies, local health authorities, other health or pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement authorities, health insurance companies and academic institutions, with knowledge of the pharmaceutical markets in the 28 countries studied. Our study found that formal definitions of drug shortages currently exist in only a few countries. The characteristics of drug shortages, including their assortment, duration, frequency, and dynamics, were found to be variable and sometimes difficult to assess. Numerous information hubs were identified. Providing public access to information on drug shortages to the maximum possible extent is a prerequisite for performing more advanced studies on the problem and identifying solutions. Imposing public service obligations, providing the formal possibility to prescribe unlicensed medicines, and temporary bans on parallel exports are widespread measures. A positive finding of our study was the identification of numerous bottom-up initiatives and organizational frameworks aimed at preventing or mitigating drug shortages. The experiences and lessons drawn from these initiatives should be carefully evaluated, monitored, and presented to a wider international audience for careful appraisal. To be able to find solutions to the problem of drug shortages, there is an urgent need to develop a set of agreed definitions for drug shortages, as well as methodologies for their evaluation and monitoring. This is being progressed.

Systemic Measures and Legislative and Organizational Frameworks Aimed at Preventing or Mitigating Drug Shortages in 28 European and Western Asian Countries

PubMed Central

Bochenek, Tomasz; Abilova, Vafa; Alkan, Ali; Asanin, Bogdan; de Miguel Beriain, Iñigo; Besovic, Zeljka; Vella Bonanno, Patricia; Bucsics, Anna; Davidescu, Michal; De Weerdt, Elfi; Duborija-Kovacevic, Natasa; Fürst, Jurij; Gaga, Mina; Gailīte, Elma; Gulbinovič, Jolanta; Gürpınar, Emre U.; Hankó, Balázs; Hargaden, Vincent; Hotvedt, Tor A.; Hoxha, Iris; Huys, Isabelle; Inotai, Andras; Jakupi, Arianit; Jenzer, Helena; Joppi, Roberta; Laius, Ott; Lenormand, Marie-Camille; Makridaki, Despina; Malaj, Admir; Margus, Kertu; Marković-Peković, Vanda; Miljković, Nenad; de Miranda, João L.; Primožič, Stanislav; Rajinac, Dragana; Schwartz, David G.; Šebesta, Robin; Simoens, Steven; Slaby, Juraj; Sović-Brkičić, Ljiljana; Tesar, Tomas; Tzimis, Leonidas; Warmińska, Ewa; Godman, Brian

2018-01-01

Drug shortages have been identified as a public health problem in an increasing number of countries. This can negatively impact on the quality and efficiency of patient care, as well as contribute to increases in the cost of treatment and the workload of health care providers. Shortages also raise ethical and political issues. The scientific evidence on drug shortages is still scarce, but many lessons can be drawn from cross-country analyses. The objective of this study was to characterize, compare, and evaluate the current systemic measures and legislative and organizational frameworks aimed at preventing or mitigating drug shortages within health care systems across a range of European and Western Asian countries. The study design was retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive, and observational. Information was gathered through a survey distributed among senior personnel from ministries of health, state medicines agencies, local health authorities, other health or pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement authorities, health insurance companies and academic institutions, with knowledge of the pharmaceutical markets in the 28 countries studied. Our study found that formal definitions of drug shortages currently exist in only a few countries. The characteristics of drug shortages, including their assortment, duration, frequency, and dynamics, were found to be variable and sometimes difficult to assess. Numerous information hubs were identified. Providing public access to information on drug shortages to the maximum possible extent is a prerequisite for performing more advanced studies on the problem and identifying solutions. Imposing public service obligations, providing the formal possibility to prescribe unlicensed medicines, and temporary bans on parallel exports are widespread measures. A positive finding of our study was the identification of numerous bottom-up initiatives and organizational frameworks aimed at preventing or mitigating drug shortages. The experiences and lessons drawn from these initiatives should be carefully evaluated, monitored, and presented to a wider international audience for careful appraisal. To be able to find solutions to the problem of drug shortages, there is an urgent need to develop a set of agreed definitions for drug shortages, as well as methodologies for their evaluation and monitoring. This is being progressed. PMID:29403372

Health Care Coverage Decision Making in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Experiences from 25 Coverage Schemes.

PubMed

Gutierrez, Hialy; Shewade, Ashwini; Dai, Minghan; Mendoza-Arana, Pedro; Gómez-Dantés, Octavio; Jain, Nishant; Khonelidze, Irma; Nabyonga-Orem, Juliet; Saleh, Karima; Teerawattananon, Yot; Nishtar, Sania; Hornberger, John

2015-08-01

Lessons learned by countries that have successfully implemented coverage schemes for health services may be valuable for other countries, especially low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which likewise are seeking to provide/expand coverage. The research team surveyed experts in population health management from LMICs for information on characteristics of health care coverage schemes and factors that influenced decision-making processes. The level of coverage provided by the different schemes varied. Nearly all the health care coverage schemes involved various representatives and stakeholders in their decision-making processes. Maternal and child health, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and HIV were among the highest priorities guiding coverage development decisions. Evidence used to inform coverage decisions included medical literature, regional and global epidemiology, and coverage policies of other coverage schemes. Funding was the most commonly reported reason for restricting coverage. This exploratory study provides an overview of health care coverage schemes from participating LMICs and contributes to the scarce evidence base on coverage decision making. Sharing knowledge and experiences among LMICs can support efforts to establish systems for accessible, affordable, and equitable health care.

Evolution, opportunity and challenges of transboundary water and energy problems in Central Asia.

PubMed

Guo, Lidan; Zhou, Haiwei; Xia, Ziqiang; Huang, Feng

2016-01-01

Central Asia is one of the regions that suffer the most prominent transboundary water and energy problems in the world. Effective transboundary water-energy resource management and cooperation are closely related with socioeconomic development and stability in the entire Central Asia. Similar to Central Asia, Northwest China has an arid climate and is experiencing a water shortage. It is now facing imbalanced supply-demand relations of water and energy resources. These issues in Northwest China and Central Asia pose severe challenges in the implementation of the Silk Road Economic Belt strategy. Based on the analysis of water and energy distribution characteristics in Central Asia as well as demand characteristics of different countries, the complexity of local transboundary water problems was explored by reviewing corresponding historical problems of involved countries, correlated energy issues, and the evolution of inter-country water-energy cooperation. With references to experiences and lessons of five countries, contradictions, opportunities, challenges and strategies for transboundary water-energy cooperation between China and Central Asia were discussed under the promotion of the Silk Road Economic Belt construction based on current cooperation conditions.

We Have a Better Idea. (An Experimental Project in Lesson Development) Phase I [and] The World to the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dynneson, Thomas L., Ed.; And Others

Social studies lessons developed by students in the elementary social studies education program at the University of Texas (Permian Basin) are provided. The lessons are presented according to the phase in which they were developed. Phase I consists of lessons created in the Fall, 1979; Phase II includes selected Phase I lessons which were revised,…

Large-scale road safety programmes in low- and middle-income countries: an opportunity to generate evidence.

PubMed

Hyder, Adnan A; Allen, Katharine A; Peters, David H; Chandran, Aruna; Bishai, David

2013-01-01

The growing burden of road traffic injuries, which kill over 1.2 million people yearly, falls mostly on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite this, evidence generation on the effectiveness of road safety interventions in LMIC settings remains scarce. This paper explores a scientific approach for evaluating road safety programmes in LMICs and introduces such a road safety multi-country initiative, the Road Safety in 10 Countries Project (RS-10). By building on existing evaluation frameworks, we develop a scientific approach for evaluating large-scale road safety programmes in LMIC settings. This also draws on '13 lessons' of large-scale programme evaluation: defining the evaluation scope; selecting study sites; maintaining objectivity; developing an impact model; utilising multiple data sources; using multiple analytic techniques; maximising external validity; ensuring an appropriate time frame; the importance of flexibility and a stepwise approach; continuous monitoring; providing feedback to implementers, policy-makers; promoting the uptake of evaluation results; and understanding evaluation costs. The use of relatively new approaches for evaluation of real-world programmes allows for the production of relevant knowledge. The RS-10 project affords an important opportunity to scientifically test these approaches for a real-world, large-scale road safety evaluation and generate new knowledge for the field of road safety.

To Legislate or Not to Legislate? A Comparison of the UK and South African Approaches to the Development and Implementation of Salt Reduction Programs

PubMed Central

Charlton, Karen; Webster, Jacqui; Kowal, Paul

2014-01-01

The World Health Organization promotes salt reduction as a best-buy strategy to reduce chronic diseases, and Member States have agreed to a 30% reduction target in mean population salt intake by 2025. Whilst the UK has made the most progress on salt reduction, South Africa was the first country to pass legislation for salt levels in a range of processed foods. This paper compares the process of developing salt reduction strategies in both countries and highlights lessons for other countries. Like the UK, the benefits of salt reduction were being debated in South Africa long before it became a policy priority. Whilst salt reduction was gaining a higher profile internationally, undoubtedly, local research to produce context-specific, domestic costs and outcome indicators for South Africa was crucial in influencing the decision to legislate. In the UK, strong government leadership and extensive advocacy activities initiated in the early 2000s have helped drive the voluntary uptake of salt targets by the food industry. It is too early to say which strategy will be most effective regarding reductions in population-level blood pressure. Robust monitoring and transparent mechanisms for holding the industry accountable will be key to continued progress in each of the countries. PMID:25230210

Privatization of solid waste collection services: Lessons from Gaborone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bolaane, Benjamin, E-mail: bolaaneb@mopipi.ub.bw; Isaac, Emmanuel, E-mail: eisaac300@gmail.com

Highlights: • We compared efficiency and effectiveness of waste collection by the public and private sector. • Public sector performs better than private sector in some areas and vice versa. • Outsourcing waste collection in developing countries is hindered by limited capacity on contractual issues. • Outsourcing collection in developing countries is hampered by inadequate waste information. • There is need to build capacity in the public sector of developing countries to support outsourcing. - Abstract: Formal privatization of solid waste collection activities has often been flagged as a suitable intervention for some of the challenges of solid waste managementmore » experienced by developing countries. Proponents of outsourcing collection to the private sector argue that in contrast to the public sector, it is more effective and efficient in delivering services. This essay is a comparative case study of efficiency and effectiveness attributes between the public and the formal private sector, in relation to the collection of commercial waste in Gaborone. The paper is based on analysis of secondary data and key informant interviews. It was found that while, the private sector performed comparatively well in most of the chosen indicators of efficiency and effectiveness, the public sector also had areas where it had a competitive advantage. For instance, the private sector used the collection crew more efficiently, while the public sector was found to have a more reliable workforce. The study recommends that, while formal private sector participation in waste collection has some positive effects in terms of quality of service rendered, in most developing countries, it has to be enhanced by building sufficient capacity within the public sector on information about services contracted out and evaluation of performance criteria within the contracting process.« less

"Talkin' about a revolution": How electronic health records can facilitate the scale-up of HIV care and treatment and catalyze primary care in resource-constrained settings.

PubMed

Braitstein, Paula; Einterz, Robert M; Sidle, John E; Kimaiyo, Sylvester; Tierney, William

2009-11-01

Health care for patients with HIV infection in developing countries has increased substantially in response to major international funding. Scaling up treatment programs requires timely data on the type, quantity, and quality of care being provided. Increasingly, such programs are turning to electronic health records (EHRs) to provide these data. We describe how a medical school in the United States and another in Kenya collaborated to develop and implement an EHR in a large HIV/AIDS care program in western Kenya. These data were used to manage patients, providers, and the program itself as it grew to encompass 18 sites serving more than 90,000 patients. Lessons learned have been applicable beyond HIV/AIDS to include primary care, chronic disease management, and community-based health screening and disease prevention programs. EHRs will be key to providing the highest possible quality of care for the funds developing countries can commit to health care. Public, private, and academic partnerships can facilitate the development and implementation of EHRs in resource-constrained settings.

A successful model of Road Traffic Injury surveillance in a developing country: process and lessons learnt.

PubMed

Razzak, Junaid Abdul; Shamim, Muhammad Shahzad; Mehmood, Amber; Hussain, Syed Ameer; Ali, Mir Shabbar; Jooma, Rashid

2012-05-16

Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs) are one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide with 90% of global mortality concentrated in the low and middle income countries. RTI surveillance is recommended to define the burden, identify high risk groups, plan intervention and monitor their impact. Despite its stated importance in the literature, very few examples of sustained surveillance systems are reported from low income countries. This paper shares the experience of setting up an urban RTI surveillance program in the emergency departments of five major hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. We describe the process of establishing a surveillance system including assembling a multi-institution research group, developing a data collection methodology, carrying out data collection and analysis and dissemination of information to the relevant stakeholders. In the absence of a road safety agency, the surveillance system required developing individual partnerships with industry, police, city government, media and many other stakeholders. Impact of the surveillance is demonstrated by some initiatives in the local trauma system and improvements in road design to effect hazard reduction. We demonstrated that a functional RTI surveillance program can be established, and effectively managed in a developing country, despite lack of infrastructure and limitation of resources. Data utilization in the absence of well defined road safety infrastructure within the government is a challenge. More effective actions are hampered by the limited capacity in the transport and health sectors to do in-depth analysis through road safety audits and trauma registries.

Ebola viral hemorrhagic disease outbreak in West Africa- lessons from Uganda.

PubMed

Mbonye, Anthony K; Wamala, Joseph F; Nanyunja, Miriam; Opio, Alex; Makumbi, Issa; Aceng, Jane Ruth

2014-09-01

There has been a rapid spread of Ebola Viral Hemorrhagic disease in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone since March 2014. Since this is the first time of a major Ebola outbreak in West Africa; it is possible there is lack of understanding of the epidemic in the communities, lack of experience among the health workers to manage the cases and limited capacities for rapid response. The main objective of this article is to share Uganda's experience in controlling similar Ebola outbreaks and to suggest some lessons that could inform the control of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The article is based on published papers, reports of previous Ebola outbreaks, response plans and experiences of individuals who have participated in the control of Ebola epidemics in Uganda. Lessons learnt: The success in the control of Ebola epidemics in Uganda has been due to high political support, effective coordination through national and district task forces. In addition there has been active surveillance, strong community mobilization using village health teams and other community resources persons, an efficient laboratory system that has capacity to provide timely results. These have coupled with effective case management and infection control and the involvement of development partners who commit resources with shared responsibility. Several factors have contributed to the successful quick containment of Ebola outbreaks in Uganda. West African countries experiencing Ebola outbreaks could draw some lessons from the Uganda experience and adapt them to contain the Ebola epidemic.

Crash Course in Course Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howell, Robert T.

2007-01-01

Many teachers find developing a new lesson or course quite difficult. It would be nice to have all necessary information, lesson plans and assessment materials ready at hand. But most often, they find themselves on their own when it comes to lesson and course development. The author faced this situation when he was asked to develop a lesson on…

Strengthening Indonesia’s Field Epidemiology Training Programme to address International Health Regulations requirements

PubMed Central

Samaan, Gina; Santoso, Hari; Kushadiwijaya, Haripurnomo; Juwita, Ratna; Mohadir, Andi; Aditama, Tjandra

2010-01-01

Abstract Problem According to the International Health Regulations (IHR), countries need to strengthen core capacity for disease surveillance and response systems. Many countries are establishing or enhancing their field epidemiology training programmes (FETPs) to meet human resource needs but face challenges in sustainability and training quality. Indonesia is facing these challenges, which include limited resources for field training and limited coordination in a newly decentralized health system. Approach A national FETP workplan was developed based on an evaluation of the existing programme and projected human resource needs. A Ministry of Health Secretariat linking universities, national and international partners was established to oversee revision and implementation of the FETP. Local setting The FETP is integrated into the curriculum of Indonesian universities and field training is conducted in district and provincial health offices under the coordination of the universities and the FETP Secretariat. Relevant changes The FETP was included in the Ministry of Health workforce development strategy through governmental decree. Curricula have been enhanced and field placements strengthened to provide trainees with better learning experiences. To improve sustainability of the FETP, links were established with the Indonesian Epidemiologists’ Association, local governments and donors to cultivate future FETP champions and maintain funding. Courses, competitions and discussion forums were established for field supervisors and alumni. These changes have increased the geographic distribution of students, intersectoral and international participation and the quality of student performance. Lessons learnt The main lesson learnt is that linkages with universities, ministries and international agencies such as the World Health Organization are critical for building a sustainable high-quality programme. The most critical factors were development of trusting relationships and clear definitions of the responsibilities of each stakeholder. PMID:20428389

Devolution and human resources in primary healthcare in rural Mali

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Devolution, as other types of decentralization (e.g. deconcentration, delegation, privatization), profoundly changes governance relations in the health system. Devolution is meant to affect performance of the health system by transferring responsibilities and authority to locally elected governments. The key question of this article is: what does devolution mean for human resources for health in Mali? This article assesses the key advantages and dilemmas associated with devolution such as responsiveness to local needs, downward accountability and health worker retention. Challenges of politics and capacities are also addressed in relation to human resources for health at the local level. Examples are derived from experiences in Mali with a capacity development programme and from case studies of other countries. It is not research findings that are presented, but highlights of key issues at stake aimed at inspiring the debate in Mali and elsewhere. A first lesson from the discussion suggests that in the context of human resources for health, decentralization of authority and resources is not the main issue. The challenge is to develop or strengthen accountability of those who decide and act, whether they are local politicians, bureaucrats or community representatives. If decentralization policies do not address public accountability, they will not fundamentally change human resource management, quality and equity of staffing. A second lesson is that successful devolution requires innovations in capacity development of all actors involved and in designing effective incentive measures. A final key conclusion is that the topic of devolution policy and its effects on human resources for health, and vice versa, merit more attention. A better understanding may lead to more appropriate policy designs and better preparation for the actors involved in countries that are embarking on decentralization, as is the case in Mali. PMID:21651817

Optimizing clinical operations as part of a global emergency medicine initiative in Kumasi, Ghana: application of Lean manufacturing principals to low-resource health systems.

PubMed

Carter, Patrick M; Desmond, Jeffery S; Akanbobnaab, Christopher; Oteng, Rockefeller A; Rominski, Sarah D; Barsan, William G; Cunningham, Rebecca M

2012-03-01

Although many global health programs focus on providing clinical care or medical education, improving clinical operations can have a significant effect on patient care delivery, especially in developing health systems without high-level operations management. Lean manufacturing techniques have been effective in decreasing emergency department (ED) length of stay, patient waiting times, numbers of patients leaving without being seen, and door-to-balloon times for ST-elevation myocardial infarction in developed health systems, but use of Lean in low to middle income countries with developing emergency medicine (EM) systems has not been well characterized. To describe the application of Lean manufacturing techniques to improve clinical operations at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Ghana and to identify key lessons learned to aid future global EM initiatives. A 3-week Lean improvement program focused on the hospital admissions process at KATH was completed by a 14-person team in six stages: problem definition, scope of project planning, value stream mapping, root cause analysis, future state planning, and implementation planning. The authors identified eight lessons learned during our use of Lean to optimize the operations of an ED in a global health setting: 1) the Lean process aided in building a partnership with Ghanaian colleagues; 2) obtaining and maintaining senior institutional support is necessary and challenging; 3) addressing power differences among the team to obtain feedback from all team members is critical to successful Lean analysis; 4) choosing a manageable initial project is critical to influence long-term Lean use in a new environment; 5) data intensive Lean tools can be adapted and are effective in a less resourced health system; 6) several Lean tools focused on team problem-solving techniques worked well in a low-resource system without modification; 7) using Lean highlighted that important changes do not require an influx of resources; and 8) despite different levels of resources, root causes of system inefficiencies are often similar across health care systems, but require unique solutions appropriate to the clinical setting. Lean manufacturing techniques can be successfully adapted for use in developing health systems. Lessons learned from this Lean project will aid future introduction of advanced operations management techniques in low- to middle-income countries. © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Optimizing Clinical Operations as part of a Global Emergency Medicine Initiative in Kumasi, Ghana: Application of Lean Manufacturing Principals to Low Resource Health Systems

PubMed Central

Carter, Patrick M.; Desmond, Jeffery S.; Akanbobnaab, Christopher; Oteng, Rockefeller A.; Rominski, Sarah; Barsan, William G.; Cunningham, Rebecca

2012-01-01

Background Although many global health programs focus on providing clinical care or medical education, improving clinical operations can have a significant effect on patient care delivery, especially in developing health systems without high-level operations management. Lean manufacturing techniques have been effective in decreasing emergency department (ED) length of stay, patient waiting times, numbers of patients leaving without being seen, and door-to-balloon times for ST-elevation myocardial infarction in developed health systems; but use of Lean in low to middle income countries with developing emergency medicine systems has not been well characterized. Objectives To describe the application of Lean manufacturing techniques to improve clinical operations at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana and to identify key lessons learned to aid future global EM initiatives. Methods A three-week Lean improvement program focused on the hospital admissions process at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital was completed by a 14-person team in six stages: problem definition, scope of project planning, value stream mapping, root cause analysis, future state planning, and implementation planning. Results The authors identified eight lessons learned during our use of Lean to optimize the operations of an ED in a global health setting: 1) the Lean process aided in building a partnership with Ghanaian colleagues; 2) obtaining and maintaining senior institutional support is necessary and challenging; 3) addressing power differences among the team to obtain feedback from all team members is critical to successful Lean analysis; 4) choosing a manageable initial project is critical to influence long-term Lean use in a new environment; 5) data intensive Lean tools can be adapted and are effective in a less resourced health system; 6) several Lean tools focused on team problem solving techniques worked well in a low resource system without modification; 7) using Lean highlighted that important changes do not require an influx of resources; 8) despite different levels of resources, root causes of system inefficiencies are often similar across health care systems, but require unique solutions appropriate to the clinical setting. Conclusions Lean manufacturing techniques can be successfully adapted for use in developing health systems. Lessons learned from this Lean project will aid future introduction of advanced operations management techniques in low to middle income countries. PMID:22435868

Integrated Lesson Plans. Vocational and Academic Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henrico County Public Schools, Glen Allen, VA. Virginia Vocational Curriculum and Resource Center.

This packet contains 10 integrated academic and vocational education lesson plans developed by teams of high school teachers in Virginia. Six of the lesson plans were developed through collaborations of vocational and academic teachers. The other four, developed by teams of academic teachers, have strong vocational applications. The lesson plans…

Systematic documentation of new vaccine introduction in selected countries of the Latin American Region.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Lúcia H; Toscano, Cristiana M; Sanwogou, N Jennifer; Ruiz-Matus, Cuauhtémoc; Tambini, Gina; Roses-Periago, Mirta; Andrus, Jon K

2013-07-02

Countries in Latin America were among the first developing countries to introduce new vaccines, particularly rotavirus (RV) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), into their national immunization schedules. Experiences and lessons learned from these countries are valuable to donors, immunization partners, and policy makers in other countries wishing to make informed decisions on vaccine introduction. In order to enhance knowledge and promote understanding of the process of new vaccine introduction in the Latin American Region, with particular focus on RV and PCV, we conducted a systematic qualitative assessment. We evaluated the decision-making process, documented the structure in place, and reviewed key factors pertaining to new vaccine introduction. These include country morbidity and mortality data available prior to vaccine introduction, funding sources and mechanisms for vaccine introduction, challenges of implementation, and assessment of vaccine impact. From March 2010 to April 2011, we evaluated a subset of countries that had introduced RV and/or PCV in the past five years through interviews with key informants at the country level and through a systematic review of published data, gray literature, official technical documents, and country-specific health indicators. Countries evaluated were Bolivia, Brazil, Nicaragua, Peru, and Venezuela. In all countries, the potential of new vaccines to reduce mortality, as established by Millennium Development Goal 4, was an important consideration leading to vaccine introduction. Several factors-the availability of funds, the existence of sufficient evidence for vaccine introduction, and the feasibility of sustainable financing-were identified as crucial components of the decision-making process in the countries evaluated. The decision making process regarding new vaccine introduction in the countries evaluated does not follow a systematic approach. Nonetheless, existing evidence on efficacy, potential impact, and cost-effectiveness of vaccine introduction, even if not local data, was important in the decision making process for vaccine introduction. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementing the Synchronized Global Switch from Trivalent to Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccines-Lessons Learned From the Global Perspective.

PubMed

Ramirez Gonzalez, Alejandro; Farrell, Margaret; Menning, Lisa; Garon, Julie; Everts, Hans; Hampton, Lee M; Dolan, Samantha B; Shendale, Stephanie; Wanyoike, Sarah; Veira, Chantal Laroche; Châtellier, Gaël Maufras du; Kurji, Feyrouz; Rubin, Jennifer; Boualam, Liliane; Chang Blanc, Diana; Patel, Manish

2017-07-01

In 2015, the Global Commission for the Certification of Polio Eradication certified the eradication of type 2 wild poliovirus, 1 of 3 wild poliovirus serotypes causing paralytic polio since the beginning of recorded history. This milestone was one of the key criteria prompting the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to begin withdrawal of oral polio vaccines (OPV), beginning with the type 2 component (OPV2), through a globally synchronized initiative in April and May 2016 that called for all OPV using countries and territories to simultaneously switch from use of trivalent OPV (tOPV; containing types 1, 2, and 3 poliovirus) to bivalent OPV (bOPV; containing types 1 and 3 poliovirus), thus withdrawing OPV2. Before the switch, immunization programs globally had been using approximately 2 billion tOPV doses per year to immunize hundreds of millions of children. Thus, the globally synchronized withdrawal of tOPV was an unprecedented achievement in immunization and was part of a crucial strategy for containment of polioviruses. Successful implementation of the switch called for intense global coordination during 2015-2016 on an unprecedented scale among global public health technical agencies and donors, vaccine manufacturers, regulatory agencies, World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) regional offices, and national governments. Priority activities included cessation of tOPV production and shipment, national inventories of tOPV, detailed forecasting of tOPV needs, bOPV licensing, scaling up of bOPV production and procurement, developing national operational switch plans, securing funding, establishing oversight and implementation committees and teams, training logisticians and health workers, fostering advocacy and communications, establishing monitoring and validation structures, and implementing waste management strategies. The WHO received confirmation that, by mid May 2016, all 155 countries and territories that had used OPV in 2015 had successfully withdrawn OPV2 by ceasing use of tOPV in their national immunization programs. This article provides an overview of the global efforts and challenges in successfully implementing this unprecedented global initiative, including (1) coordination and tracking of key global planning milestones, (2) guidance facilitating development of country specific plans, (3) challenges for planning and implementing the switch at the global level, and (4) best practices and lessons learned in meeting aggressive switch timelines. Lessons from this monumental public health achievement by countries and partners will likely be drawn upon when bOPV is withdrawn after polio eradication but also could be relevant for other global health initiatives with similarly complex mandates and accelerated timelines. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Lesson and Impressions of the Ghanaian Capital Markets

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-31

with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa. Gold and cocoa production are major...sources of foreign exchange. Interestingly, the country’s largest source of foreign exchange is remittances from workers abroad. Oil production has...prominent industries include textiles, apparel, steel, tires, flour milling, cocoa processing, beverages, tobacco, simple consumer goods, and car, truck

A large-scale initiative to disseminate an evidence-based drug abuse prevention program in Italy: Lessons learned for practitioners and researchers.

PubMed

Velasco, Veronica; Griffin, Kenneth W; Antichi, Mariella; Celata, Corrado

2015-10-01

Across developed countries, experimentation with alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs often begins in the early adolescent years. Several evidence-based programs have been developed to prevent adolescent substance use. Many of the most rigorously tested and empirically supported prevention programs were initially developed and tested in the United States. Increasingly, these interventions are being adopted for use in Europe and throughout the world. This paper reports on a large-scale comprehensive initiative designed to select, adapt, implement, and sustain an evidence-based drug abuse prevention program in Italy. As part of a large-scale regionally funded collaboration in the Lombardy region of Italy, we report on processes through which a team of stakeholders selected, translated and culturally adapted, planned, implemented and evaluated the Life Skills Training (LST) school-based drug abuse prevention program, an evidence-based intervention developed in the United States. We discuss several challenges and lessons learned and implications for prevention practitioners and researchers attempting to undertake similar international dissemination projects. We review several published conceptual models designed to promote the replication and widespread dissemination of effective programs, and discuss their strengths and limitations in the context of planning and implementing a complex, large-scale real-world dissemination effort. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Building Evidence-Based Tobacco Treatment in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Lessons Learned by the Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies

PubMed Central

Asfar, Taghrid; Ward, Kenneth D.; Al-Ali, Radwan; Maziak, Wasim

2016-01-01

The tobacco epidemic in Syria is characterized by high rates of cigarettes smoking in men and dramatic reemergence of waterpipe smoking, especially among youths and women. The Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies (SCTS), an NIH-funded pioneer research and capacity building institution, has developed a research infrastructure and conducted three randomized clinical trials to develop and rigorously test culturally-appropriate tobacco treatment programs integrated into primary healthcare (PHC) centers. This review aimed to discuss challenges and lessons learned from the Syrian experience. Addressing these challenges may inform future cessation research activities in Syria and other developing countries. To develop a research infrastructure, the SCTS has established Syria’s first IRB and trained physicians/medical students in both tobacco treatment and research methods. Main challenges to conduct the cessation trials were difficulties of coordination between the local and international collaborators; high Smoking Rates among PHC providers; lack of pharmacological agents used in tobacco treatment; and difficulties of conducting research in a politically volatile region. Strategies to overcome these challenges were ensuring an active and regular involvement of all investigator; and advocating for a national smoking-cessation plan that involves training health care providers in smoking cessation treatment and make pharmacological agents used in smoking cessation available. PMID:27563356

A comparative study of the health care systems of Canada and Saudi Arabia: lessons and insights.

PubMed

Qutub, Akram F; Al-Jewair, Thikriat S; Leake, James L

2009-10-01

Understanding the structure of a health care system is essential in improving public health policies and health outcomes. To describe and compare the health care systems of Canada and Saudi Arabia; to discuss possible lessons that could be learned from both for policy-making purposes. A comprehensive method was used to describe the national health care systems of both countries. For each country, the system is described by: context, ownership, delivery, financing, organisational structure, target groups, and comprehensiveness of services. In Canada, the Medicare system provides comprehensive medical services except for dental, optometric, chiropractic, pharmacologic and home care services. The dental care system is financed privately (94%) and is owned and delivered by private for-profit dental practitioners. In Saudi Arabia, the government sector is owned, delivered, and financed by the government and provides free comprehensive medical and dental services. The same services are provided by the private sector, but under governmental supervision. Among the relevant lessons: access to care, accountability, quality assurance, mix and reimbursement of providers. Canada can learn about different approaches to socialising the dental care system. Saudi Arabia can improve the implementation of quality assurance practices and management.

Health aspects of the Tsunami disaster in Asia.

PubMed

Kapila, Mukesh; McGarry, Nichole; Emerson, Elizabeth; Fink, Sheri; Doran, Rodger; Rejto, Khadija; Profili, Maria Cristina

2005-01-01

This is a summary of the proceedings of the Conference on the Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia that was convened by the World Health Organization in Phuket, Thailand from 04-06 May 2005. It contains reviews of the experiences of the health sector and early recovery following the Earthquake and Tsunami with emphasis on what was done well and what could have been done better and the lessons learned that can be incorporated into actions that will mitigate the damage created by future events. It outlines the national and international responses and recovery and the actions taken and not taken by the international community in support of the countries affected. Specific issues addressed include: (1) needs assessments; (2) coordination; (3) filling gaps in essential services, and (4) capacity building at the country level. Each of these aspects is analyzed as to its: (1) appropriateness; (2) adequacy; (3) effectiveness; (4) efficiency; and (5) connectedness. Much of what occurred provided benefits to the stricken population, but there is substantial room for improvement through implementation of the lessons learned. These lessons must be converted into actions in order to mitigate the damage sustained and to enhance our responses to the damage from future events.

Alphabétisation à travers l'Initiative LIFE et le suivi de CONFINTEA VI au Maghreb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kissami, Mohamed Abdellatif

2011-08-01

Literacy education through the LIFE Initiative and follow-up of CONFINTEA VI in the Maghreb - Illiteracy is seriously compromising the economic and social development of the Maghreb countries. In Morocco and Mauritania, for instance, national strategies and literacy programmes have been implemented. These efforts ought to be assessed so that lessons can be learned from them and the contribution of the national and international initiatives implemented in recent years can be evaluated. The Sixth International Conference on Adult Education provided an opportunity to launch a Maghreb-wide literacy cooperation process. Drawing on the experience of two high-priority countries (Morocco and Mauritania), the countries of the Maghreb created a mechanism for ongoing exchange within the framework of the Forum on Literacy for the Maghreb Region. The second meeting of this Forum, which was held in May 2010 in Nouakchott, was devoted to monitoring the implementation of the Belém Framework for Action and resulted in the creation of a joint cooperation programme in this domain.

Policy Support and Resources Mobilization for the National Schistosomiasis Control Programme in The People's Republic of China.

PubMed

Zhu, H; Yap, P; Utzinger, J; Jia, T-W; Li, S-Z; Huang, X-B; Cai, S-X

2016-01-01

Schistosomiasis remains a public health problem in many developing countries around the world. After the founding of The People's Republic of China, from 1949 till date, all levels of government, from central to local, have been attaching great importance to schistosomiasis control in The People's Republic of China. With considerable policy support and resources mobilization, the national schistosomiasis control programmes have been implemented during the past 65years. Here, we summarize the successful experience of schistosomiasis control during the process. Recommendations for the future management of the Chinese national schistosomiasis elimination programme are put forward after considering the remaining challenges, shortcomings and lessons learnt from 65years of schistosomiasis control drives in The People's Republic of China. They will help to sustain past achievements, foster the attainment of the ultimate goal of schistosomiasis elimination for the country and provide reference for schistosomiasis control programme in other countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

External quality assurance for HIV point-of-care testing in Africa: A collaborative country-partner approach to strengthen diagnostic services

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

It is important to consider the role of diagnostics and the critical need for quality diagnostics services in resource-limited settings. Accurate diagnostic tests play a key role in patient management and the prevention and control of most infectious diseases. As countries plan for implementation of HIV early infant diagnosis and viral load point-of-care testing, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has worked with countries and partners with an interest in external quality assurance to support quality point-of-care testing on the continent. Through a series of collaborative consultations and workshops, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has gathered lessons learned, tools, and resources and developed quality assurance models that will support point-of-care testing. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to the continued advancement of laboratory diagnostics in Africa and quality laboratory services and point-of-care testing. PMID:28879132

Preeclampsia in low and middle income countries-health services lessons learned from the PRE-EMPT (PRE-Eclampsia-Eclampsia Monitoring, Prevention and Treatment) project.

PubMed

von Dadelszen, Peter; Firoz, Tabassum; Donnay, France; Gordon, Rebecca; Justus Hofmeyr, G; Lalani, Shifana; Payne, Beth A; Roberts, James M; Teela, Katherine C; Vidler, Marianne; Sawchuck, Diane; Magee, Laura A

2012-10-01

The hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, in particular preeclampsia, matter because adverse events occur in women with preeclampsia and, to a lesser extent, in women with the other hypertensive disorders. These adverse events are maternal, perinatal, and neonatal and can alter the life trajectory of each individual, should that life not be ended by complications. In this review we discuss a number of priorities and dilemmas that we perceive to be facing health services in low and middle income countries as they try to prioritize interventions to reduce the health burden related to preeclampsia. These priorities and dilemmas relate to calcium for preeclampsia prevention, risk stratification, antihypertensive and magnesium sulphate therapy, and mobile health. Significant progress has been and is being made to reduce the impact of preeclampsia in low and middle income countries, but it remains a priority focus as we attempt to achieve Millennium Development Goal 5.

Bringing Art to Life through Living Paintings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stillwagon, Joanne

2005-01-01

In this article, the author relates how she and other art teachers developed a "living painting" lesson, an art lesson that incorporates art history and painting. The lesson was developed also in part to help new student-teachers plan a memorable lesson. With the living painting lesson, students will have to choose and recreate famous paintings…

Lesson Study and Teachers Knowledge Development: Collaborative Critique of a Research Model and Methods.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Catherine; Perry, Rebecca; Murata, Aki

During "lesson study" teachers formulate long-term goals for student learning and development, collaboratively work on "research lessons" to bring these goals to life, document and discuss student responses to these lessons, and revise the lessons in response to student learning. This document summarizes the content of a…

'One health' and development priorities in resource-constrained countries: policy lessons from avian and pandemic influenza preparedness in Zambia.

PubMed

Mwacalimba, Kennedy Kapala; Green, Judith

2015-03-01

'One World, One Health' has become a key rallying theme for the integration of public health and animal health priorities, particularly in the governance of pandemic-scale zoonotic infectious disease threats. However, the policy challenges of integrating public health and animal health priorities in the context of trade and development issues remain relatively unexamined, and few studies to date have explored the implications of global disease governance for resource-constrained countries outside the main centres of zoonotic outbreaks. This article draws on a policy study of national level avian and pandemic influenza preparedness between 2005 and 2009 across the sectors of trade, health and agriculture in Zambia. We highlight the challenges of integrating disease control interventions amidst trade and developmental realities in resource-poor environments. One Health prioritizes disease risk mitigation, sidelining those trade and development narratives which speak to broader public health concerns. We show how locally important trade and development imperatives were marginalized in Zambia, limiting the effectiveness of pandemic preparedness. Our findings are likely to be generalizable to other resource-constrained countries, and suggest that effective disease governance requires alignment with trade and development sectors, as well as integration of veterinary and public health sectors. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2014; all rights reserved.

Safety and Mission Assurance for In-House Design Lessons Learned from Ares I Upper Stage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Joel M.

2011-01-01

This viewgraph presentation identifies lessons learned in the course of the Ares I Upper Stage design and in-house development effort. The contents include: 1) Constellation Organization; 2) Upper Stage Organization; 3) Presentation Structure; 4) Lesson-Importance of Systems Engineering/Integration; 5) Lesson-Importance of Early S&MA Involvement; 6) Lesson-Importance of Appropriate Staffing Levels; 7) Lesson-Importance S&MA Team Deployment; 8) Lesson-Understanding of S&MA In-Line Engineering versus Assurance; 9) Lesson-Importance of Close Coordination between Supportability and Reliability/Maintainability; 10) Lesson-Importance of Engineering Data Systems; 11) Lesson-Importance of Early Development of Supporting Databases; 12) Lesson-Importance of Coordination with Safety Assessment/Review Panels; 13) Lesson-Implementation of Software Reliability; 14) Lesson-Implementation of S&MA Technical Authority/Chief S&MA Officer; 15) Lesson-Importance of S&MA Evaluation of Project Risks; 16) Lesson-Implementation of Critical Items List and Government Mandatory Inspections; 17) Lesson-Implementation of Critical Items List Mandatory Inspections; 18) Lesson-Implementation of Test Article Safety Analysis; and 19) Lesson-Importance of Procurement Quality.

Developing and implementing mental health policy in Zanzibar, a low income country off the coast of East Africa

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Zanzibar Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, concerned about mental health in the country, requested technical assistance from WHO in 1997. Aims This article describes the facilitation over many years by a WHO Collaborating Centre, of sustainable mental health developments in Zanzibar, one of the poorest countries in the world, using systematic approaches to policy design and implementation. Methods Based on intensive prior situation appraisal and consultation, a multi-faceted set of interventions combining situation appraisal to inform planning; sustained policy dialogue at Union and state levels; development of policy and legislation, development of strategic action plans, establishment of intersectoral national mental health implementation committee, establishment of national mental health coordination system, integration of mental health into primary care, strengthening of primary-secondary care liaison, rationalisation and strengthening of secondary care system, ensuring adequate supply of medicines, use of good practice guidelines and health information systems, development of services for people with intellectual disability, establishment of formal mechanism for close liaison between the mental health services and other governmental, non-governmental and traditional sectors, mental health promotion, suicide prevention, and research and development. Results The policy and legislation introduced in 1999 have resulted in enhanced mental health activities over the ensuing decade, within a setting of extreme low resource. However, advances ebb and flow and continued efforts are required to maintain progress and continue mental health developments. Lessons learnt have informed the development of mental health policies in neighbouring countries. Conclusions A multi-faceted and comprehensive programme can be effective in achieving considerable strengthening of mental health programmes and services even in extremely low resource settings, but requires sustained input and advocacy if gains are to be maintained and enhanced. PMID:21320308

Universal Health Coverage and Primary Healthcare: Lessons From Japan

PubMed Central

Bloom, Gerald

2017-01-01

A recent editorial by Naoki Ikegami has proposed three key lessons from Japan’s experience of achieving virtually universal coverage with primary healthcare services: the need to integrate the existing providers of primary healthcare services into the organised health system; the need to limit government commitments to finance hospital services and the need to empower providers of primary healthcare to influence decisions that influence their livelihoods. Although the context of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) differs in many ways from Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the lesson that short-term initiatives to achieve universal coverage need to be complemented by an understanding of the factors influencing long-term change management remains highly relevant. PMID:28812806

Lessons learned in shaping vaccine markets in low-income countries: a review of the vaccine market segment supported by the GAVI Alliance.

PubMed

Gilchrist, Shawn A N; Nanni, Angeline

2013-12-01

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) anticipated that growing demand for new vaccines could sufficiently impact the vaccines market to allow low-income countries (LICs) to self-finance new vaccines. But the time required to lower vaccine prices was underestimated and the amount that prices would decline overestimated. To better understand how prices in the LIC vaccine market can be impacted, the vaccine market was retrospectively examined. GAVI archives and the published literature on the vaccine markets in LICs were reviewed for the purpose of identifying GAVI's early assumptions for the evolution of vaccine prices, and contrasting these retrospectively with actual outcomes. The prices in Phases I and II of GAVI-supported vaccines failed to decline to a desirable level within a projected 5-year timeframe. GAVI-eligible countries were unable to sustain newly introduced vaccines without prolonged donor support. Two key lessons can be applied to future vaccine market-shaping strategies: (1) accurate demand forecasting together with committed donor funding can increase supply to the LIC vaccines market, but even greater strides can be made to increase the certainty of purchase; and (2) the expected time to lower prices took much longer than 5 years; market competition is inherently linked to the development time for new vaccines--a minimum of 5-10 or more years. Other factors that can lower vaccine prices include: large-scale production or alternate financing mechanisms that can hasten vaccine price maturation. The impacts of competition on vaccine prices in the LIC new-vaccines market occurred after almost 10 years. The time for research and development, acquisition of technological know-how and to scale production must be accounted for to more accurately predict significant declines on vaccine prices. Alternate financing mechanisms and the use of purchase agreements should also be considered for lowering prices when planning new vaccine introductions.

Lessons learnt from a three-year pilot field epidemiology training programme.

PubMed

Hoy, Damian; Durand, A Mark; Hancock, Thane; Cash, Haley L; Hardie, Kate; Paterson, Beverley; Paulino, Yvette; White, Paul; Merritt, Tony; Fitzgibbons, Dawn; Gopalani, Sameer Vali; Flint, James; Edwin A Merilles, Onofre; Kashiwabara, Mina; Biaukula, Viema; Lepers, Christelle; Souares, Yvan; Nilles, Eric; Batikawai, Anaseini; Huseynova, Sevil; Patel, Mahomed; Saketa, Salanieta T; Durrheim, David; Henderson, Alden; Roth, Adam

2017-01-01

The Pacific region has widely dispersed populations, limited financial and human resources and a high burden of disease. There is an urgent need to improve the availability, reliability and timeliness of useable health data. The purpose of this paper is to share lessons learnt from a three-year pilot field epidemiology training programme that was designed to respond to these Pacific health challenges. The pilot programme built on and further developed an existing field epidemiology training programme for Pacific health staff. The programme was delivered in country by epidemiologists working for Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network partners. The programme consisted of five courses: four one-week classroom-based courses and one field epidemiology project. Sessions were structured so that theoretical understanding was achieved through interaction and reinforced through practical hands-on group activities, case studies and other interactive practical learning methods. As of September 2016, 258 students had commenced the programme. Twenty-six course workshops were delivered and one cohort of students had completed the full five-course programme. The programme proved popular and gained a high level of student engagement. Face-to-face delivery, a low student-to-facilitator ratio, substantial group work and practical exercises were identified as key factors that contributed to the students developing skills and confidence. Close engagement of leaders and the need to quickly evaluate and adapt the curriculum were important lessons, and the collaboration between external partners was considered important for promoting a harmonized approach to health needs in the Pacific.

Reaching consensus: a review on sexual health training modules for professional capacity building.

PubMed

Karimian, Zahra; Azin, Seied Ali; Javid, Nasrin; Araban, Marzieh; Maasoumi, Raziyeh; Aghayan, Shahrokh; Merghati Khoie, Effat

2018-01-01

Background: Professional capacity building (PCB) is the focus point in health-related subjects.The present study was conducted to systematically review the existing sexual health training modules for health care providers. Methods: The following keywords were used to search: training, education, professional capacity, practitioner, sexual health, skill education, module, course, package and curriculum.The term MESH is referred to Medical Subject Headings and the following databases were investigated: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), The Cochrane Library and Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, SID,Magiran, and Iranmedex. All articles from 1980 to 2015 were extracted. Online modules were excluded. Considering that lesson plan was the basis of instruction, the modules were selected based on the characteristics of the lesson plans. Results: A total number of 38 published training modules in the field of sexuality we redetermined. In total, more than half of the modules (58%) were designed for medical doctor sand allied health professionals and the remaining (42%) were for nurses and midwives. Almost all the modules (97%) were introduced and utilized in developed countries, and only 3% were disseminated in developing countries. Conclusion: There are invaluable modules to build professional capacity in the field of sexual health. As a number of modules have been designed for nurses and midwifes, as the first-line health care providers, the use of these groups in sexual counseling and empowerment for sexual health is essential. No sexual health training program was designed in Iran. Therefore, designing such modules according to Iranian culture is strongly recommended.

Reaching consensus: a review on sexual health training modules for professional capacity building

PubMed Central

Karimian, Zahra; Azin, Seied Ali; Javid, Nasrin; Araban, Marzieh; Maasoumi, Raziyeh; Aghayan, Shahrokh; Merghati Khoie, Effat

2018-01-01

Background: Professional capacity building (PCB) is the focus point in health-related subjects.The present study was conducted to systematically review the existing sexual health training modules for health care providers. Methods: The following keywords were used to search: training, education, professional capacity, practitioner, sexual health, skill education, module, course, package and curriculum.The term MESH is referred to Medical Subject Headings and the following databases were investigated: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), The Cochrane Library and Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, SID,Magiran, and Iranmedex. All articles from 1980 to 2015 were extracted. Online modules were excluded. Considering that lesson plan was the basis of instruction, the modules were selected based on the characteristics of the lesson plans. Results: A total number of 38 published training modules in the field of sexuality we redetermined. In total, more than half of the modules (58%) were designed for medical doctor sand allied health professionals and the remaining (42%) were for nurses and midwives. Almost all the modules (97%) were introduced and utilized in developed countries, and only 3% were disseminated in developing countries. Conclusion: There are invaluable modules to build professional capacity in the field of sexual health. As a number of modules have been designed for nurses and midwifes, as the first-line health care providers, the use of these groups in sexual counseling and empowerment for sexual health is essential. No sexual health training program was designed in Iran. Therefore, designing such modules according to Iranian culture is strongly recommended. PMID:29423357

Health information systems: a survey of frameworks for developing countries.

PubMed

Marcelo, A B

2010-01-01

The objective of this paper is to perform a survey of excellent research on health information systems (HIS) analysis and design, and their underlying theoretical frameworks. It classifies these frameworks along major themes, and analyzes the different approaches to HIS development that are practical in resource-constrained environments. Literature review based on PubMed citations and conference proceedings, as well as Internet searches on information systems in general, and health information systems in particular. The field of health information systems development has been studied extensively. Despite this, failed implementations are still common. Theoretical frameworks for HIS development are available that can guide implementers. As awareness, acceptance, and demand for health information systems increase globally, the variety of approaches and strategies will also follow. For developing countries with scarce resources, a trial-and-error approach can be very costly. Lessons from the successes and failures of initial HIS implementations have been abstracted into theoretical frameworks. These frameworks organize complex HIS concepts into methodologies that standardize techniques in implementation. As globalization continues to impact healthcare in the developing world, demand for more responsive health systems will become urgent. More comprehensive frameworks and practical tools to guide HIS implementers will be imperative.

Developing a customised approach for strengthening tuberculosis laboratory quality management systems toward accreditation

PubMed Central

Trollip, Andre; Erni, Donatelle; Kao, Kekeletso

2017-01-01

Background Quality-assured tuberculosis laboratory services are critical to achieve global and national goals for tuberculosis prevention and care. Implementation of a quality management system (QMS) in laboratories leads to improved quality of diagnostic tests and better patient care. The Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme has led to measurable improvements in the QMS of clinical laboratories. However, progress in tuberculosis laboratories has been slower, which may be attributed to the need for a structured tuberculosis-specific approach to implementing QMS. We describe the development and early implementation of the Strengthening Tuberculosis Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (TB SLMTA) programme. Development The TB SLMTA curriculum was developed by customizing the SLMTA curriculum to include specific tools, job aids and supplementary materials specific to the tuberculosis laboratory. The TB SLMTA Harmonized Checklist was developed from the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation checklist, and incorporated tuberculosis-specific requirements from the Global Laboratory Initiative Stepwise Process Towards Tuberculosis Laboratory Accreditation online tool. Implementation Four regional training-of-trainers workshops have been conducted since 2013. The TB SLMTA programme has been rolled out in 37 tuberculosis laboratories in 10 countries using the Workshop approach in 32 laboratories in five countries and the Facility-based approach in five tuberculosis laboratories in five countries. Conclusion Lessons learnt from early implementation of TB SLMTA suggest that a structured training and mentoring programme can build a foundation towards further quality improvement in tuberculosis laboratories. Structured mentoring, and institutionalisation of QMS into country programmes, is needed to support tuberculosis laboratories to achieve accreditation. PMID:28879165

Evaluating Google Flu Trends in Latin America: Important Lessons for the Next Phase of Digital Disease Detection.

PubMed

Pollett, Simon; Boscardin, W John; Azziz-Baumgartner, Eduardo; Tinoco, Yeny O; Soto, Giselle; Romero, Candice; Kok, Jen; Biggerstaff, Matthew; Viboud, Cecile; Rutherford, George W

2017-01-01

 Latin America has a substantial burden of influenza and rising Internet access and could benefit from real-time influenza epidemic prediction web tools such as Google Flu Trends (GFT) to assist in risk communication and resource allocation during epidemics. However, there has never been a published assessment of GFT's accuracy in most Latin American countries or in any low- to middle-income country. Our aim was to evaluate GFT in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.  Weekly influenza-test positive proportions for the eight countries were obtained from FluNet for the period January 2011-December 2014. Concurrent weekly Google-predicted influenza activity in the same countries was abstracted from GFT. Pearson correlation coefficients between observed and Google-predicted influenza activity trends were determined for each country. Permutation tests were used to examine background seasonal correlation between FluNet and GFT by country.  There were frequent GFT prediction errors, with correlation ranging from r = -0.53 to 0.91. GFT-predicted influenza activity best correlated with FluNet data in Mexico follow by Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay. Correlation was generally highest in the more temperate countries with more regular influenza seasonality and lowest in tropical regions. A substantial amount of autocorrelation was noted, suggestive that GFT is not fully specific for influenza virus activity.  We note substantial inaccuracies with GFT-predicted influenza activity compared with FluNet throughout Latin America, particularly among tropical countries with irregular influenza seasonality. Our findings offer valuable lessons for future Internet-based biosurveillance tools. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Lessons learned from stakeholder-driven sustainability analysis of six national HIV programmes.

PubMed

Katz, Itamar; Glandon, Douglas; Wong, Wendy; Kargbo, Brima; Ombam, Regina; Singh, Shanti; Ramsammy, Leslie; Tal-Dia, Anta; Seck, Ibrahima; Osika, John S

2014-05-01

In light of the decline in donor HIV funding, HIV programmes increasingly need to assess their available and potential resources and maximize their utilization. This article presents lessons learned related to how countries have addressed the sustainability of HIV programmes in a stakeholder-driven sustainability analysis. During HIV/AIDS Programme Sustainability Analysis Tool (HAPSAT) applications in six countries (Benin, Guyana, Kenya, Lesotho, Sierra Leone and South Sudan), stakeholders identified key sustainability challenges for their HIV responses. Possible policy approaches were prepared, and those related to prioritization and resource mobilization are analysed in this article. The need to prioritize evidence-based interventions and apply efficiency measures is being accepted by countries. Five of the six countries in this study requested that the HAPSAT team prepare 'prioritization' strategies. Countries recognize the need to prepare for an alternative to 'universal access by 2015', acknowledging that their capacity might be insufficient to reach such high-coverage levels by then. There is further acceptance of the importance of reaching the most-at-risk, marginalized populations, as seen, for example, in South Sudan and Sierra Leone. However, the pace at which resources are shifting towards these populations is slow. Finally, only two of the six countries, Kenya and Benin, chose to examine options for generating additional financial resources beyond donor funding. In Kenya, three non-donor sources were recommended, yet even if all were to be implemented, it would cover only 25% of the funding needed. Countries are increasingly willing to address the challenges of HIV programme sustainability, yet in different ways and with varying urgency. To secure achievements made to date and maximize future impact, countries would benefit from strengthening their strategic plans, operational plans and funding proposals with concrete timelines and responsibilities for addressing sustainability issues.

Lessons from local engagement in Latin American health systems.

PubMed

Meads, Geoffrey D; Griffiths, Frances E; Goode, Sarah D; Iwami, Michiyo

2007-12-01

To examine the management of recent policies for stronger patient and public involvement in Latin American health systems, identifying common features and describing local practice examples of relevance to the UK. Participation is a core principle of many contemporary policies for health system reform. In Latin America, as in the UK, it is frequently associated with innovations in primary care services and their organizational developments. This shared interest in alternative models of local engagement offers new opportunities for collaborative research and policy development. Commissioned by UK policy makers, a 4-year research programme was designed to promote exchanges with international counterparts focusing on how modern reform policies are being implemented. The selected countries possessed comparable principles and timeframes for their reforms. A series of individual country case studies were undertaken. Data were drawn from literature and documentary reviews; semi-structured interviews with national policy makers and expert advisers; and with management representatives at local exemplar sites. The aggregate data were subjected to thematic analysis applying a model for sustainable development. Six common factors were identified in Latin American policies for stronger patient and public involvement. From these the most significant transferable learning for the UK relates to the position and status of professions and non-governmental agencies. Illustrative case exemplars were located in each of the eight countries studied.

Empowering teenagers to prevent pregnancy: lessons from South Africa.

PubMed

Jewkes, Rachel; Morrell, Robert; Christofides, Nicola

2009-10-01

Reducing rates of teenage pregnancy is an important part of the agenda of action for meeting most of the Millenium Development Goals. South Africa has important lessons for other countries in this regard as the rate of teenage pregnancy is high but has declined very substantially over the last twenty years. The country experiences waves of moral panic about teenage pregnancy, with assertions that current problems are rooted in accepting or even encouraging the sexual appetites of young people rather than sternly disciplining them. In this paper, we argue that the key to success in teenage pregnancy reduction has been an empowering social policy agenda that has sought to work with young people, making them aware of their rights and the risks of sexual intercourse. Furthermore, family responses and education policy have greatly reduced the potential negative impact of teenage pregnancy on the lives of teenage girls. There is tremendous scope for further progress in reducing teenage pregnancy and we argue that this lies in paying more attention to issues of gender and sexuality, including the terms and conditions under which teenagers have sex. There needs to be critical reflection and engagement with men and boys on issues of masculinity, including their role in child rearing, as well as examination within families of their engagement with supporting pregnancy prevention and responses to pregnancies.

Global health goals: lessons from the worldwide effort to eradicate poliomyelitis.

PubMed

Aylward, R Bruce; Acharya, Arnab; England, Sarah; Agocs, Mary; Linkins, Jennifer

2003-09-13

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative was launched in 1988. Assessment of the politics, production, financing, and economics of this international effort has suggested six lessons that might be pertinent to the pursuit of other global health goals. First, such goals should be based on technically sound strategies with proven operational feasibility in a large geographical area. Second, before launching an initiative, an informed collective decision must be negotiated and agreed in an appropriate international forum to keep to a minimum long-term risks in financing and implementation. Third, if substantial community engagement is envisaged, efficient deployment of sufficient resources at that level necessitates a defined, time-limited input by the community within a properly managed partnership. Fourth, although the so-called fair-share concept is arguably the best way to finance such goals, its limitations must be recognised early and alternative strategies developed for settings where it does not work. Fifth, international health goals must be designed and pursued within existing health systems if they are to secure and sustain broad support. Finally, countries, regions, or populations most likely to delay the achievement of a global health goal should be identified at the outset to ensure provision of sufficient resources and attention. The greatest threats to poliomyelitis eradication are a financing gap of US 210 million dollars and difficulties in strategy implementation in at most five countries.

Primary Health Care That Works: The Costa Rican Experience.

PubMed

Pesec, Madeline; Ratcliffe, Hannah L; Karlage, Ami; Hirschhorn, Lisa R; Gawande, Atul; Bitton, Asaf

2017-03-01

Long considered a paragon among low- and middle-income countries in its provision of primary health care, Costa Rica reformed its primary health care system in 1994 using a model that, despite its success, has been generally understudied: basic integrated health care teams. This case study provides a detailed description of Costa Rica's innovative implementation of four critical service delivery reforms and explains how those reforms supported the provision of the four essential functions of primary health care: first-contact access, coordination, continuity, and comprehensiveness. As countries around the world pursue high-quality universal health coverage to attain the Sustainable Development Goals, Costa Rica's experiences provide valuable lessons about both the types of primary health care reforms needed and potential mechanisms through which these reforms can be successfully implemented. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

How to Improve Integrated Care for People with Chronic Conditions: Key Findings from EU FP-7 Project INTEGRATE and Beyond.

PubMed

Borgermans, Liesbeth; Marchal, Yannick; Busetto, Loraine; Kalseth, Jorid; Kasteng, Frida; Suija, Kadri; Oona, Marje; Tigova, Olena; Rösenmuller, Magda; Devroey, Dirk

2017-09-25

Political and public health leaders increasingly recognize the need to take urgent action to address the problem of chronic diseases and multi-morbidity. European countries are facing unprecedented demand to find new ways to deliver care to improve patient-centredness and personalization, and to avoid unnecessary time in hospitals. People-centred and integrated care has become a central part of policy initiatives to improve the access, quality, continuity, effectiveness and sustainability of healthcare systems and are thus preconditions for the economic sustainability of the EU health and social care systems. This study presents an overview of lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care based on findings from the EU FP-7 Project Integrate, a literature review, other EU projects with relevance to this study, a number of best practices on integrated care and our own experiences with research and policy making in integrated care at the national and international level. Seven lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care were identified. The lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care show that a comprehensive systems perspective should guide the development of integrated care towards better health practices, education, research and policy.

How to Improve Integrated Care for People with Chronic Conditions: Key Findings from EU FP-7 Project INTEGRATE and Beyond

PubMed Central

Marchal, Yannick; Busetto, Loraine; Kalseth, Jorid; Kasteng, Frida; Suija, Kadri; Oona, Marje; Tigova, Olena; Rösenmuller, Magda; Devroey, Dirk

2017-01-01

Background: Political and public health leaders increasingly recognize the need to take urgent action to address the problem of chronic diseases and multi-morbidity. European countries are facing unprecedented demand to find new ways to deliver care to improve patient-centredness and personalization, and to avoid unnecessary time in hospitals. People-centred and integrated care has become a central part of policy initiatives to improve the access, quality, continuity, effectiveness and sustainability of healthcare systems and are thus preconditions for the economic sustainability of the EU health and social care systems. Purpose: This study presents an overview of lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care based on findings from the EU FP-7 Project Integrate, a literature review, other EU projects with relevance to this study, a number of best practices on integrated care and our own experiences with research and policy making in integrated care at the national and international level. Results: Seven lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care were identified. Conclusion: The lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care show that a comprehensive systems perspective should guide the development of integrated care towards better health practices, education, research and policy. PMID:29588630

Global Pediatric Oncology: Lessons From Partnerships Between High-Income Countries and Low- to Mid-Income Countries

PubMed Central

Antillon, Federico; Pedrosa, Francisco; Pui, Ching-Hon

2016-01-01

Partnerships between medical institutions in high-income countries (HICs) and low- to mid-income countries (LMICs) have succeeded in initiating and expanding pediatric cancer control efforts. The long-term goal is consistently a sustainable national pediatric cancer program. Here, we review the elements required for successful implementation, development, and long-term sustainability of pediatric cancer programs in LMICs that first arise as partnerships with institutions in HICs. Although plans must be adapted to each country's resources, certain components are unfailingly necessary. First, an essential step is provision of treatment regardless of ability to pay. Second, financial support for program development and long-term sustainability must be sought from sources both international and local, public and private. A local leader, typically a well-trained pediatric oncologist who devotes full-time effort to the project, should direct medical care and collaborate with hospital, governmental, and community leadership and international agencies. Third, nurses must be trained in pediatric cancer care and allowed to practice this specialty full-time. It is also essential to develop a grassroots organization, such as a foundation, dedicated solely to pediatric oncology. Its members must be trained and educated to provide pediatric cancer advocacy, fundraising, and (in concert with government) program sustainability. Finally, a project mentor in the HIC is crucial and should explore the possibility of collaborative research in the LMIC, which may offer significant opportunities. Relationships between the partnership's leaders and influential individuals in the community, hospital, grassroots foundation, and government will lay the foundation for productive collaboration and a sustainable pediatric oncology program. PMID:26578620

"Communities" in community engagement: lessons learned from autism research in South Korea and South Africa.

PubMed

Grinker, Roy Richard; Chambers, Nola; Njongwe, Nono; Lagman, Adrienne E; Guthrie, Whitney; Stronach, Sheri; Richard, Bonnie O; Kauchali, Shuaib; Killian, Beverley; Chhagan, Meera; Yucel, Fikri; Kudumu, Mwenda; Barker-Cummings, Christie; Grether, Judith; Wetherby, Amy M

2012-06-01

Little research has been conducted on behavioral characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from diverse cultures within the US, or from countries outside of the US or Europe, with little reliable information yet reported from developing countries. We describe the process used to engage diverse communities in ASD research in two community-based research projects-an epidemiologic investigation of 7- to 12-year olds in South Korea and the Early Autism Project, an ASD detection program for 18- to 36-month-old Zulu-speaking children in South Africa. Despite the differences in wealth between these communities, ASD is underdiagnosed in both settings, and generally not reported in clinical or educational records. Moreover, in both countries, there is low availability of services. In both cases, local knowledge helped researchers to address both ethnographic as well as practical problems. Researchers identified the ways in which these communities generate and negotiate the cultural meanings of developmental disorders. Researchers incorporated that knowledge, as they engaged communities in a research protocol, adapted and translated screening and diagnostic tools, and developed methods for screening, evaluating, and diagnosing children with ASD. © 2012 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using commercial advertising agencies in micronutrient promotion: lessons learned.

PubMed

Torres, M P

1998-01-01

Lack of knowledge, beliefs about food, customs, and poverty are the main factors preventing millions of people from eating enough micronutrient-rich foods. Globally, more than 2 billion people are at risk of iron, vitamin A, and iodine deficiencies. Opportunities for Micronutrient Intervention (OMNI), a 5-year project funded by the Office of Health and Nutrition, US Agency for International Development, is dedicated to preventing and controlling micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries. OMNI's general approaches to reducing micronutrient deficiencies include fortification, supplementation, and dietary diversification. For all of those approaches, the project has stressed a social marketing methodology to define and motivate feasible behavior changes which will benefit maternal and child health and nutrition. The Manoff Group, the OMNI partner most responsible for behavior change, has had many positive experiences using social marketing to address micronutrient malnutrition, breast-feeding, and child feeding in many countries. Focusing mainly upon supplementation and dietary diversification, OMNI's experience to date in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Bolivia is summarized.

Comprehensive strategies for the prevention and control of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in Africa: future directions.

PubMed

Muna, Walinjom F T

2013-01-01

The countries of the Sub Saharan African region have insufficient resources and healthcare systems that are poorly adapted to cope with the longstanding burden associated with communicable diseases and the ongoing HIV/AIDS pandemic. In addition, the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and their risk factors, poses additional challenges. These countries need to urgently develop strategies to address these challenges of disease prevention and control. These strategies will require a new vision and more relevant and 'suitable' vocabulary in dealing with healthcare design, planning and implementation (using a cross-sectorial approach). Lessons learnt from the past (e.g. primary health care) in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions of the world may equally prove useful in developing strategies for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. Any potential strategy must emphasize the crucial role of economic, social, and environmental health determinants as well as the use of appropriate health technology. © 2013.

Cyclone preparedness and response: an analysis of lessons identified using an adapted military planning framework.

PubMed

Tatham, Peter; Oloruntoba, Richard; Spens, Karen

2012-01-01

The United Kingdom uses the Defence Lines of Development (DLOD) framework to analyse and understand the key components and costs of a military capability. Rooted in the Resource Based View (RBV) of a firm, an adapted DLOD approach is employed to explore, analyse and discuss the preparedness, planning and response strategies of two markedly different countries (Australia and Bangladesh) when faced with a major cyclone event of a comparable size. Given the numerous similarities in the challenges facing military forces in a complex emergency and humanitarian agencies in a natural disaster, the paper demonstrates the applicability of the DLOD framework as an analysis and planning tool in the cyclone preparedness planning and response phases, and more broadly within the disaster management area. In addition, the paper highlights the benefit to disaster managers, policymakers and researchers of exploiting comparative cross-learning opportunities from disaster events, drawn from different sectors and countries. © 2012 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2012.

Toward greater inclusion: lessons from Peru in confronting challenges of multi-sector collaboration.

PubMed

Buffardi, Anne L; Cabello, Robinson; Garcia, Patricia J

2012-09-01

Despite widespread enthusiasm for broader participation in health policy and programming, little is known about the ways in which multi-sector groups address the challenges that arise in pursuing this goal. Based on the experience of Peru's National Multi-sector Health Coordinating Body (CONAMUSA), this article characterizes these challenges and identifies organizational strategies the group has adopted to overcome them. Comprising nine government ministries, nongovernmental organizations, academia, religious institutions, and international cooperation agencies, CONAMUSA has faced three principal challenges: 1) selecting representatives, 2) balancing membership and leadership across sectors, and 3) negotiating role transition and conflict. In response, the group has instituted a rotation system for formal leadership responsibiliti es, and professionalized management functions; created electoral systems for civil society; and developed conflict of interest guidelines. This case study offers lessons for other countries trying to configure multi-sector groups, and for donors who mandate their creation, tempering unbridled idealism toward inclusive participation with a dose of healthy realism and practical adaptation.

South-to-North, Cross-Disciplinary Training in Global Health Practice: Ten Years of Lessons Learned from an Infectious Disease Field Course in Jamaica

PubMed Central

Scarlett, Henroy P.; Nisbett, Richard A.; Stoler, Justin; Bain, Brendan C.; Bhatta, Madhav P.; Castle, Trevor; Harbertson, Judith; Brodine, Stephanie K.; Vermund, Sten H.

2011-01-01

Global commerce, travel, and emerging and resurging infectious diseases have increased awareness of global health threats and opportunities for collaborative and service learning. We review course materials, knowledge archives, data management archives, and student evaluations for the first 10 years of an intensive summer field course in infectious disease epidemiology and surveillance offered in Jamaica. We have trained 300 students from 28 countries through collaboration between the University of the West Indies and U.S. partner universities. Participants were primarily graduate students in public health, but also included health professionals with terminal degrees, and public health nurses and inspectors. Strong institutional synergies, committed faculty, an emphasis on scientific and cultural competencies, and use of team-based field research projects culminate in a unique training environment that provides participants with career-developing experiences. We share lessons learned over the past decade, and conclude that South-to-North leadership is critical in shaping transdisciplinary, cross-cultural, global health practice. PMID:21896794

Ready or not, disasters happen.

PubMed

Orr, Martha L

2002-01-01

The New York State Nurses Association was--as was the entire country--plunged into disaster response mode by 9:30 am on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Although the association had engaged in limited disaster planning prior to this event, that planning was in terms of an internal disaster such as a fire in our headquarters building. There was no plan for responding to a community catastrophe of the magnitude being experienced. The association faced unique challenges--including the fact that our New York City offices are located near ground zero--but was fortunate in having expert resource persons on staff and available to organize a response. Since September, the association has applied the lessons learned from this experience and developed a comprehensive disaster plan for the future. The purpose of this article is to share those lessons learned with the community of nursing associations in the hope that others can use the information to build effective disaster plans of their own.

Communication for extension: developing country experience.

PubMed

Meyer, A J

1985-01-01

This paper characterizes several major approaches to the use of communication in support of agricultural extension and suggests directions for change. The approaches discussed include: direct farmer contact, farmer forums, open broadcasting, advertising and social marketing, print media, multiple channel systems (campaigns and distance teaching), and comprehensive communication systems. Although all programs should be able to use media in interaction with training and the coordination of other inputs, this approach has not been comprehensively implemented in extension programs. There are few examples of cases where multiple methods have been brought together under a comprehensive communications strategy and institutionalized as part of an ongoing extension system. Lessons from social marketing in other sectors have not been exploited, while lessons from distance teaching have been underutilized. In addition, the networking and feedback functions of communication in extenson have not been given adequate attention. There is substantial potential for increasing the coverage and impact of agricultural extension through the more systematic and comprehensive use of communication.

Skylab lessons learned as applicable to a large space station, 1967-1974. Ph.D. Thesis - Catholic Univ. of Am.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, W. C.

1976-01-01

This report records some of the lessons learned during Skylab development. The approach taken is to list lessons which could have wide application in the development of a large space station. The lessons are amplified and explained in light of the background and experiences of the Skylab development.

Learning from Lessons: studying the structure and construction of mathematics teacher knowledge in Australia, China and Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Man Ching Esther; Clarke, David J.; Clarke, Doug M.; Roche, Anne; Cao, Yiming; Peter-Koop, Andrea

2018-03-01

The major premise of this project is that teachers learn from the act of teaching a lesson. Rather than asking "What must a teacher already know in order to practice effectively?", this project asks "What might a teacher learn through their activities in the classroom and how might this learning be optimised?" In this project, controlled conditions are created utilising purposefully designed and trialled lesson plans to investigate the process of teacher knowledge construction, with teacher selective attention proposed as a key mediating variable. In order to investigate teacher learning through classroom practice, the project addresses the following questions: To what classroom objects, actions and events do teachers attend and with what consequence for their learning? Do teachers in different countries attend to different classroom events and consequently derive different learning benefits from teaching a lesson? This international project combines focused case studies with an online survey of mathematics teachers' selective attention and consequent learning in Australia, China and Germany. Data include the teacher's adaptation of a pre-designed lesson, the teacher's actions during the lesson, the teacher's reflective thoughts about the lesson and, most importantly, the consequences for the planning and delivery of a second lesson. The combination of fine-grained, culturally situated case studies and large-scale online survey provides mutually informing benefits from each research approach. The research design, so constituted, offers the means to a new and scalable vision of teacher learning and its promotion.

American Colony in Africa: Lessons Learned from Other Former Colonial Powers in West Africa That Can Be Applied to the United States’ Relationship with Liberia

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-10

ultimate success or failure of Liberia in post -colonial Africa. Liberia’s three neighboring countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Guinea all...Liberia in post -colonial Africa. Liberia’s three neighboring countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Guinea all have unique relationships with...between Liberia and the US, both countries have had significant issues defining their post -colonial relationship with each other. Though the US has many

In Celebration of the Silk Road. Sixth Grade Lesson. Schools of California Online Resources for Education (SCORE): Connecting California's Classrooms to the World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desler, Gail

In this grade 6 interdisciplinary language arts and social studies unit, students are required to assume the role of a team and describe their country's participation in trade along the Silk Road. Countries represented in the unit include Egypt, Italy, Iraq, India, Israel, and China. The team is asked to create a display showing artifacts, journal…

Career Guidance Lesson Plans for Grades K-12. Developed as Part of New Jersey Comprehensive Career Development Guidelines Program in Neptune Township Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neptune Township Public Schools, NJ.

This document contains the career development scope and sequence and 39 lesson plans for career guidance activities, for grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12, developed for use in the Neptune Township Public Schools (New Jersey). Each one-to-two-page lesson plan includes information on subject area, competency, indicators, lesson objectives, resources, time…

Improving the redistribution of the security lessons in healthcare: An evaluation of the Generic Security Template.

PubMed

He, Ying; Johnson, Chris

2015-11-01

The recurrence of past security breaches in healthcare showed that lessons had not been effectively learned across different healthcare organisations. Recent studies have identified the need to improve learning from incidents and to share security knowledge to prevent future attacks. Generic Security Templates (GSTs) have been proposed to facilitate this knowledge transfer. The objective of this paper is to evaluate whether potential users in healthcare organisations can exploit the GST technique to share lessons learned from security incidents. We conducted a series of case studies to evaluate GSTs. In particular, we used a GST for a security incident in the US Veterans' Affairs Administration to explore whether security lessons could be applied in a very different Chinese healthcare organisation. The results showed that Chinese security professional accepted the use of GSTs and that cyber security lessons could be transferred to a Chinese healthcare organisation using this approach. The users also identified the weaknesses and strengths of GSTs, providing suggestions for future improvements. Generic Security Templates can be used to redistribute lessons learned from security incidents. Sharing cyber security lessons helps organisations consider their own practices and assess whether applicable security standards address concerns raised in previous breaches in other countries. The experience gained from this study provides the basis for future work in conducting similar studies in other healthcare organisations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mentorship and coaching to support strengthening healthcare systems: lessons learned across the five Population Health Implementation and Training partnership projects in sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Manzi, Anatole; Hirschhorn, Lisa R; Sherr, Kenneth; Chirwa, Cindy; Baynes, Colin; Awoonor-Williams, John Koku

2017-12-21

Despite global efforts to increase health workforce capacity through training and guidelines, challenges remain in bridging the gap between knowledge and quality clinical practice and addressing health system deficiencies preventing health workers from providing high quality care. In many developing countries, supervision activities focus on data collection, auditing and report completion rather than catalyzing learning and supporting system quality improvement. To address this gap, mentorship and coaching interventions were implemented in projects in five African countries (Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia) as components of health systems strengthening (HSS) strategies funded through the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's African Health Initiative. We report on lessons learned from a cross-country evaluation. The evaluation was designed based on a conceptual model derived from the project-specific interventions. Semi-structured interviews were administered to key informants to capture data in six categories: 1) mentorship and coaching goals, 2) selection and training of mentors and coaches, 3) integration with the existing systems, 4) monitoring and evaluation, 5) reported outcomes, and 6) challenges and successes. A review of project-published articles and technical reports from the individual projects supplemented interview information. Although there was heterogeneity in the approaches to mentorship and coaching and targeted areas of the country projects, all led to improvements in core health system areas, including quality of clinical care, data-driven decision making, leadership and accountability, and staff satisfaction. Adaptation of approaches to reflect local context encouraged their adoption and improved their effectiveness and sustainability. We found that incorporating mentorship and coaching activities into HSS strategies was associated with improvements in quality of care and health systems, and mentorship and coaching represents an important component of HSS activities designed to improve not just coverage, but even further effective coverage, in achieving Universal Health Care.

Peace, love and Florence Nightingale.

PubMed

McDonald, Country Joe

Legendary Woodstock music festival star Country Joe McDonald has a fascination with Florence Nightingale, dating from his work with Vietnam war veterans. Although her theories have diminished in popularity, he believes her life has lessons for modern nurses.

Early institutional lessons from the CVISN model deployments : checklists for success

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-10-01

In 1996, a model deployment program launched deployment of CVISN in eight states across the country: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington. Representatives of these states are attending workshops and...

Lessons from the recent rise in use of female sterilization in Malawi.

PubMed

Jacobstein, Roy

2013-03-01

Although female sterilization is the most widely used modern contraceptive method in the world, most family planning programs in Africa have had difficulty providing it. Malawi, however, despite daunting constraints, has made female sterilization widely and equitably accessible, thereby increasing method choice and helping its citizens better meet their reproductive intentions. Ten percent of currently married Malawian women of reproductive age rely on female sterilization for contraceptive protection, compared with less than 2 percent across Africa, and demand to limit births now exceeds demand to space births. Malawi's female sterilization prevalence surpasses that of some high-resource countries. Key service-delivery factors enabling this achievement include supportive policies, strong public-private partnerships, and mobile services delivered at no cost by dedicated providers. Challenges remain, but Malawi's achievement offers lessons for other countries with low availability of female sterilization and similar resource constraints. © 2013 The Population Council, Inc.

The Effectiveness of International Non-Governmental Organizations' Response Operations during Public Health Emergency: Lessons Learned from the 2014 Ebola Outbreak in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Shin, Yoon Ah; Yeo, Jungwon; Jung, Kyujin

2018-04-01

International Nongovernmental Organizations (INGOs) have played critical roles in improving the quality of primary health care in ordinary time and, indeed, responding to epidemic crises in developing countries. Due to a lack of empirical research for effectiveness of their responding activities, the legitimacy and accountability of nonprofits' engagement in the health crisis as a critical responder is doubted. This paper aims to examine the effectiveness of INGOs in a context of managing a fatal epidemic outbreak of Ebola in Sierra Leone during May-November, 2014; building healthcare infrastructures, providing medical supplies, educating local residents, and training response staffs. The analysis results show that development of healthcare infrastructures and provision of medical supplies have been significantly effective in terms of decreasing the severity of the crisis in chiefdoms. The findings imply that policy tools, which allow INGOs to enter to the field in a timely manner, can improve the effectiveness of INGOs' responses in current and future epidemic outbreaks in developing countries where people suffer from a lack of health infrastructures.

The Effectiveness of International Non-Governmental Organizations’ Response Operations during Public Health Emergency: Lessons Learned from the 2014 Ebola Outbreak in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Shin, Yoon Ah; Yeo, Jungwon

2018-01-01

International Nongovernmental Organizations (INGOs) have played critical roles in improving the quality of primary health care in ordinary time and, indeed, responding to epidemic crises in developing countries. Due to a lack of empirical research for effectiveness of their responding activities, the legitimacy and accountability of nonprofits’ engagement in the health crisis as a critical responder is doubted. This paper aims to examine the effectiveness of INGOs in a context of managing a fatal epidemic outbreak of Ebola in Sierra Leone during May–November, 2014; building healthcare infrastructures, providing medical supplies, educating local residents, and training response staffs. The analysis results show that development of healthcare infrastructures and provision of medical supplies have been significantly effective in terms of decreasing the severity of the crisis in chiefdoms. The findings imply that policy tools, which allow INGOs to enter to the field in a timely manner, can improve the effectiveness of INGOs’ responses in current and future epidemic outbreaks in developing countries where people suffer from a lack of health infrastructures. PMID:29614756

The effect of increased private sector involvement in solid waste collection in five cities in Ghana.

PubMed

Oduro-Kwarteng, Sampson; van Dijk, Meine Pieter

2013-10-01

Private sector involvement in solid waste management in developing countries has increased, but the effect is not always clear. This study assesses how it has been organized in five cities in Ghana, what has been its effect and what lessons for private sector development in developing countries can be drawn. Data were collected from 25 private companies and a sample of 1200 households. More than 60% of solid waste in Ghanaian cities is now collected by private enterprises. Sometimes, and increasingly, competitive bidding takes place, although sometimes no bidding is organized leading to rendering of this service and no contract being signed. Local governments and local solid waste companies have not changed to more customer-oriented delivery because of the slow pace of charging users and the resulting low rate of cost recovery. The participation of the population has been limited, which contributes to low cost recovery. However, a gradual better functioning of the system put in place is shown. We observed an increasing use of competitive bidding, signing of contracts and city-wide user charging.

Cigarette taxation in China: lessons from international experiences

PubMed Central

Hu, T.

1997-01-01

This paper draws upon the experiences of foreign countries in implementing tobacco taxation to provide lessons the Chinese government can use when considering the feasibility of raising additional taxes on cigarettes. Based on current international data and Chinese published data, this paper concludes that there is still leeway to raise existing taxes. The Chinese government should consider conducting some pilot experiments in tobacco tax increases, with some of the new revenues allocated for tobacco control programmes as well as for financing healthcare services among the poor. 


 PMID:9291224

Telemedicine in Western Africa: lessons learned from a pilot project in Mali, perspectives and recommendations.

PubMed

Geissbuhler, Antoine; Ly, Ousmane; Lovis, Christian; L'Haire, Jean-François

2003-01-01

to evaluate the feasibility, potential and risks of an internet-based telemedicine network in developing countries of Western Africa. a project for the development of a national telemedicine network in Mali was initiated in 2001, using internet-based technologies for distance learning and teleconsultations. the telemedicine network has been in productive use for 12 months and has enabled various collaboration channels, including North-South, South-South, and South-North distance learning and teleconsultations. It also unveiled a set of potential problems: a) limited pertinence of North-South collaborations when there are major differences in available resources or socio-cultural contexts between the collaborating parties; b) risk of induced digital divide if the periphery of the health system is not involved in the development of the network, and c) need for the development of local medical contents management skills. the identified risks must be taken into account when designing large-scale telemedicine projects in developing countries and can be mitigated by the fostering of South-South collaboration channels, the use of satellite-based internet connectivity in remote areas, and the valorization of local knowledge and its publication on-line.

A Comprehensive Approach to Motorcycle-Related Head Injury Prevention: Experiences from the Field in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Uganda.

PubMed

Craft, Greig; Van Bui, Truong; Sidik, Mirjam; Moore, Danielle; Ederer, David J; Parker, Erin M; Ballesteros, Michael F; Sleet, David A

2017-11-30

Motorcyclists account for 23% of global road traffic deaths and over half of fatalities in countries where motorcycles are the dominant means of transport. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 69% and death by 42%; however, both child and adult helmet use are low in many countries where motorcycles are a primary mode of transportation. In response to the need to increase helmet use by all drivers and their passengers, the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative (GHVI) was established to increase helmet use in three countries where a substantial portion of road users are motorcyclists and where helmet use is low. The GHVI approach includes five strategies to increase helmet use: targeted programs, helmet access, public awareness, institutional policies, and monitoring and evaluation. The application of GHVI to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Uganda resulted in four key lessons learned. First, motorcyclists are more likely to wear helmets when helmet use is mandated and enforced. Second, programs targeted to at-risk motorcyclists, such as child passengers, combined with improved awareness among the broader population, can result in greater public support needed to encourage action by decision-makers. Third, for broad population-level change, using multiple strategies in tandem can be more effective than using a single strategy alone. Lastly, the successful expansion of GHVI into Cambodia and Uganda has been hindered by the lack of helmet accessibility and affordability, a core component contributing to its success in Vietnam. This paper will review the development of the GHVI five-pillar approach in Vietnam, subsequent efforts to implement the model in Cambodia and Uganda, and lessons learned from these applications to protect motorcycle drivers and their adult and child passengers from injury.

Lessons Learned From Option B+ in the Evolution Toward "Test and Start" From Malawi, Cameroon, and the United Republic of Tanzania.

PubMed

Kalua, Thokozani; Tippett Barr, Beth A; van Oosterhout, Joep J; Mbori-Ngacha, Dorothy; Schouten, Erik J; Gupta, Sundeep; Sande, Amakobe; Zomba, Gerald; Tweya, Hannock; Lungu, Edgar; Kajoka, Deborah; Tih, Pius; Jahn, Andreas

2017-05-01

The acceleration of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) activities, coupled with the rollout of 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, led to important discussions and innovations at global and country levels. One paradigm-shifting innovation was Option B+ in Malawi. It was later included in WHO guidelines and eventually adopted by all 22 Global Plan priority countries. This article presents Malawi's experience with designing and implementing Option B+ and provides complementary narratives from Cameroon and Tanzania. Malawi's HIV program started in 2002, but by 2009, the PMTCT program was lagging far behind the antiretroviral therapy (ART) program because of numerous health system challenges. When WHO recommended Option A and Option B for PMTCT in 2010, it was clear that Malawi's HIV program would not be able to successfully implement either option without increasing existing barriers to PMTCT services and potentially decreasing women's access to care. Subsequent stakeholder discussions led to the development of Option B+. Operationalizing Option B+ required several critical considerations, including the complete integration of ART and PMTCT programs, systematic reduction of barriers to facilitate doubling the number of ART sites in less than a year, building consensus with stakeholders, and securing additional resources for the new program. During the planning and implementation process, several lessons were learned which are considerations for countries transitioning to "treat-all": Comprehensive change requires effective government leadership and coordination; national clinical guidelines must accommodate health system limitations; ART services and commodities should be decentralized within facilities; the general public should be well informed about major changes in the national HIV program; and patients should be educated on clinic processes to improve program monitoring.

South Asian co-operation in population education. Materials jointly developed for common use by South Asian population education programmes.

PubMed

1992-01-01

Southern Asian population education programs have developed common materials on population and family life education. Countries involved were Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The development of materials occurred as a byproduct of workshop conducted in Nepal from December 3-7, 1990 and December 2-10, 1991 in Sri Lanka. The 1st meeting was organized by UNESCO's Population Education Advisory team, and 6 curriculum topics were identified. Pretesting of materials was conducted between meetings. The final product was a set of 10 posters and 2 comic strips on the quality of life developed by India for elementary level use; a family life and sex education syllabus developed by Sri Lanka for secondary school use; 5 modules with teacher's guides and sample lessons for secondary school use; 5 modules and a teacher's guide on transmission of values on population education by Pakistan; 25 flip charts on maternal and child health for illiterates developed by Nepal; and a field guide on environmental protection for nonformal field workers developed by Bangladesh. Materials were designed through brainstorming sessions, designing of materials by experts, review by other groups, and retesting on target audiences. Revision followed pretesting. The plan for assuring use of materials was to have UNESCO print prototypes and then participants would seek financial support for country supplies. A suggestion was made to leave ample space for insertion of local language captions. Another suggestion was that the cartoon strip "Girls are Pearls" be printed on students' exercise books for all member countries. Member countries should also have available selected materials translated into English and distributed. UNESCO should continue to play the role of facilitator of information and expertise exchange among member countries. Another mutually cooperative activity was the Group Training Course on Population Education for the South Asian subregion held in December 1991.

Developing Assessment through Lesson Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischman, Davida; Wasserman, Kelli

2017-01-01

Lesson study cultivates teachers' capacity for formative assessment by placing student thinking front and center throughout. Lesson study is a form of professional development in which a team of teachers determines a mathematical focus, collaboratively studies student thinking about the topic, designs a lesson about this content, implements the…

Setting priorities for safe motherhood programme evaluation: a participatory process in three developing countries.

PubMed

Madi, Banyana Cecilia; Hussein, Julia; Hounton, Sennen; D'Ambruoso, Lucia; Achadi, Endang; Arhinful, Daniel Kojo

2007-09-01

A participatory approach to priority setting in programme evaluation may help improve the allocation and more efficient use of scarce resources especially in low-income countries. Research agendas that are the result of collaboration between researchers, programme managers, policy makers and other stakeholders have the potential to ensure rigorous studies are conducted on matters of local priority, based on local, expert knowledge. This paper describes a process involving key stakeholders to elicit and prioritise evaluation needs for safe motherhood in three developing countries. A series of reiterative consultations with safe motherhood stakeholders from each country was conducted over a period of 36 months. In each country, the consultation process consisted of a series of participatory workshops; firstly, stakeholder's views on evaluation were elicited with parallel descriptive work on the contexts. Secondly, priorities for evaluation were identified from stakeholders; thirdly, the evaluation-priorities were refined; and finally, the evaluation research questions, reflecting the identified priorities, were agreed and finalised. Three evaluation-questions were identified in each country, and one selected, on which a full scale evaluation was undertaken. While there is a great deal written about the importance of transparent and participatory priority setting in evaluation; few examples of how such processes could be implemented exist, particularly for maternal health programmes. Our experience demonstrates that the investment in a participatory priority-setting effort is high but the process undertaken resulted in both globally and contextually-relevant priorities for evaluation. This experience provides useful lessons for public health practitioners committed to bridging the research-policy interface.

Quest for quality care and patient safety: the case of Singapore

PubMed Central

Lim, M

2004-01-01



 Quality of care in Singapore has seen a paradigm shift from a traditional focus on structural approaches to a broader multidimensional concept which includes the monitoring of clinical indicators and medical errors. Strong political commitment and institutional capacities have been important factors for making the transition. What is still lacking, however, is a culture of rigorous programme evaluation, public involvement, and patient empowerment. Despite these imperfections, Singapore has made considerable strides and its experience may hold lessons for other small developing countries in the common quest for quality care and patient safety. PMID:14757804

Population-level approaches to universal health coverage in resource-poor settings: lessons from tobacco control policy in Vietnam.

PubMed

Higashi, Hideki; Khuong, Tuan A; Ngo, Anh D; Hill, Peter S

2011-07-01

Population-based health promotion and disease prevention approaches are essential elements in achieving universal health coverage; yet they frequently do not appear on national policy agendas. This paper suggests that resource-poor countries should take greater advantage of such approaches to reach all segments of the population to positively affect health outcomes and equity, especially considering the epidemic of chronic non-communicable diseases and associated modifiable risk factors. Tobacco control policy development and implementation in Vietnam provides a case study to discuss opportunities and challenges associated with such strategies.

Teaching Disaster Preparedness to Rural Communities in El Salvador.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barton, T.

2014-12-01

Natural disasters are becoming more common around the world, and it is widely accepted that developing nations show the highest rates of vulnerability. It makes sense to focus preparedness and mitigation efforts in these countries. However, it is important to realize that different teaching styles are required for different cultures with varying education systems and classroom atmospheres. The pedagogical models we use in the US can't be directly exported. A realistic assessment of the situation seen during two years living and working in rural El Salvador is presented, along with methods used and lessons learned.

Financing for public veterinary services to ensure that they meet international standards.

PubMed

Stemshorn, B; Zussman, D

2012-08-01

It is vital that public Veterinary Services develop the skills to address the challenging questions posed by national Treasury officials, who exercise an important mandate to ensure that expenditures are efficient and effective in serving the public interest. Examples of such questions are considered in this paper, along with systems and strategies for preparing for such reviews, including the use of the Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) evaluation tools of the World Organisation for Animal Health. Some lessons and observations are drawn from PVS Evaluation and PVS Gap Analysis missions in nine countries.

Social Mobilization and Community Engagement Central to the Ebola Response in West Africa: Lessons for Future Public Health Emergencies

PubMed Central

Gillespie, Amaya M; Obregon, Rafael; El Asawi, Rania; Richey, Catherine; Manoncourt, Erma; Joshi, Kshiitij; Naqvi, Savita; Pouye, Ade; Safi, Naqibullah; Chitnis, Ketan; Quereshi, Sabeeha

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Following the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern regarding the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in July 2014, UNICEF was asked to co-lead, in coordination with WHO and the ministries of health of affected countries, the communication and social mobilization component—which UNICEF refers to as communication for development (C4D)—of the Ebola response. For the first time in an emergency setting, C4D was formally incorporated into each country's national response, alongside more typical components such as supplies and logistics, surveillance, and clinical care. This article describes the lessons learned about social mobilization and community engagement in the emergency response to the Ebola outbreak, with a particular focus on UNICEF's C4D work in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The lessons emerged through an assessment conducted by UNICEF using 4 methods: a literature review of key documents, meeting reports, and other articles; structured discussions conducted in June 2015 and October 2015 with UNICEF and civil society experts; an electronic survey, launched in October and November 2015, with staff from government, the UN, or any partner organization who worked on Ebola (N = 53); and key informant interviews (N = 5). After triangulating the findings from all data sources, we distilled lessons under 7 major domains: (1) strategy and decentralization: develop a comprehensive C4D strategy with communities at the center and decentralized programming to facilitate flexibility and adaptation to the local context; (2) coordination: establish C4D leadership with the necessary authority to coordinate between partners and enforce use of standard operating procedures as a central coordination and quality assurance tool; (3) entering and engaging communities: invest in key communication channels (such as radio) and trusted local community members; (4) messaging: adapt messages and strategies continually as patterns of the epidemic change over time; (5) partnerships: invest in strategic partnerships with community, religious leaders, journalists, radio stations, and partner organizations; (6) capacity building: support a network of local and international professionals with capacity for C4D who can be deployed rapidly; (7) data and performance monitoring: establish clear C4D process and impact indicators and strive for real-time data analysis and rapid feedback to communities and authorities to inform decision making. Ultimately, communication, community engagement, and social mobilization need to be formally placed within the global humanitarian response architecture with proper funding to effectively support future public health emergencies, which are as much a social as a health phenomenon. PMID:28031301

Social Mobilization and Community Engagement Central to the Ebola Response in West Africa: Lessons for Future Public Health Emergencies.

PubMed

Gillespie, Amaya M; Obregon, Rafael; El Asawi, Rania; Richey, Catherine; Manoncourt, Erma; Joshi, Kshiitij; Naqvi, Savita; Pouye, Ade; Safi, Naqibullah; Chitnis, Ketan; Quereshi, Sabeeha

2016-12-23

Following the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern regarding the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in July 2014, UNICEF was asked to co-lead, in coordination with WHO and the ministries of health of affected countries, the communication and social mobilization component-which UNICEF refers to as communication for development (C4D)-of the Ebola response. For the first time in an emergency setting, C4D was formally incorporated into each country's national response, alongside more typical components such as supplies and logistics, surveillance, and clinical care. This article describes the lessons learned about social mobilization and community engagement in the emergency response to the Ebola outbreak, with a particular focus on UNICEF's C4D work in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The lessons emerged through an assessment conducted by UNICEF using 4 methods: a literature review of key documents, meeting reports, and other articles; structured discussions conducted in June 2015 and October 2015 with UNICEF and civil society experts; an electronic survey, launched in October and November 2015, with staff from government, the UN, or any partner organization who worked on Ebola (N = 53); and key informant interviews (N = 5). After triangulating the findings from all data sources, we distilled lessons under 7 major domains: (1) strategy and decentralization: develop a comprehensive C4D strategy with communities at the center and decentralized programming to facilitate flexibility and adaptation to the local context; (2) coordination: establish C4D leadership with the necessary authority to coordinate between partners and enforce use of standard operating procedures as a central coordination and quality assurance tool; (3) entering and engaging communities: invest in key communication channels (such as radio) and trusted local community members; (4) messaging: adapt messages and strategies continually as patterns of the epidemic change over time; (5) partnerships: invest in strategic partnerships with community, religious leaders, journalists, radio stations, and partner organizations; (6) capacity building: support a network of local and international professionals with capacity for C4D who can be deployed rapidly; (7) data and performance monitoring: establish clear C4D process and impact indicators and strive for real-time data analysis and rapid feedback to communities and authorities to inform decision making. Ultimately, communication, community engagement, and social mobilization need to be formally placed within the global humanitarian response architecture with proper funding to effectively support future public health emergencies, which are as much a social as a health phenomenon. © Gillespie et al.

From Creeks to the Classroom: Hands-on Curriculum Units on the Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salter, I. Y.

2005-12-01

Archway School is in the process of developing 6 curriculum units to teach middle school students about the ecology and environmental science of the San Francisco Bay Area. This is being accomplished through integrated classroom, field trip, and creek restoration project activities. The creek where restoration work takes place becomes an outdoor laboratory for a wide array of classroom lessons tied to both National and California Science Education Standards. The entire curriculum, including all lesson plans, assessments, and examples of student work are being made available, free of charge, to teachers and educators via the Internet. Although the units were initially developed to teach about the natural and geological history of the San Francisco Bay Area, classroom activities are structured such that they could be used at any school and restoration work could be undertaken at any creek in the country. This presentation will showcase the curriculum and provide information so that educators may bring it home to their own institutions. Teachers will get a "tour" of 3 of the 6 curriculum units (Ecology, Watersheds, Earth History) and then have an opportunity to view activities that highlight the strengths of the program.

The importance of using open source technologies and common standards for interoperability within eHealth: Perspectives from the Millennium Villages Project

PubMed Central

Borland, Rob; Barasa, Mourice; Iiams-Hauser, Casey; Velez, Olivia; Kaonga, Nadi Nina; Berg, Matt

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the importance of using open source technologies and common standards for interoperability when implementing eHealth systems and illustrate this through case studies, where possible. The sources used to inform this paper draw from the implementation and evaluation of the eHealth Program in the context of the Millennium Villages Project (MVP). As the eHealth Team was tasked to deploy an eHealth architecture, the Millennium Villages Global-Network (MVG-Net), across all fourteen of the MVP sites in Sub-Saharan Africa, the team recognized the need for standards and uniformity but also realized that context would be an important factor. Therefore, the team decided to utilize open source solutions. The MVP implementation of MVG-Net provides a model for those looking to implement informatics solutions across disciplines and countries. Furthermore, there are valuable lessons learned that the eHealth community can benefit from. By sharing lessons learned and developing an accessible, open-source eHealth platform, we believe that we can more efficiently and rapidly achieve the health-related and collaborative Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). PMID:22894051

The past, present, and future of urgent matters: lessons learned from a decade of emergency department flow improvement.

PubMed

McClelland, Mark Stephen; Lazar, Danielle; Sears, Vickie; Wilson, Marcia; Siegel, Bruce; Pines, Jesse M

2011-12-01

Over the past decade, emergency departments (ED) have encountered major challenges due to increased crowding and a greater public focus on quality measurement and quality improvement. Responding to these challenges, many EDs have worked to improve their processes and develop new and innovative models of care delivery. Urgent Matters has contributed to ED quality and patient flow improvement by working with hospitals throughout the United States. Recognizing that EDs across the country are struggling with many of the same issues, Urgent Matters-a program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)-has sought to identify, develop, and disseminate innovative approaches, interventions, and models to improve ED flow and quality. Using a variety of techniques, such as learning networks (collaboratives), national conferences, e-newsletters, webinars, best practices toolkits, and social media, Urgent Matters has served as a thought leader and innovator in ED quality improvement initiatives. The Urgent Matters Seven Success Factors were drawn from the early work done by program participants and propose practical guidelines for implementing and sustaining ED improvement activities. This article chronicles the history, activities, lessons learned, and future of the Urgent Matters program. © 2011 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Professional Development Training. ACTWU Insurance Department.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Sabrina Budasi

This curriculum guide provides materials for a 10-week professional development training course. A course outline and list of topics is followed by the plans for the 10 lessons. Components of these lesson plans include topics; objectives; materials needed; lesson outline with activities and discussion; and student handouts. Lesson topics are as…

Inductive & Deductive Science Thinking: A Model for Lesson Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bilica, Kim; Flores, Margaret

2009-01-01

Middle school students make great learning gains when they participate in lessons that invite them to practice their developing scientific reasoning skills; however, designing developmentally appropriate, clear, and structured lessons about scientific thinking and reasoning can be difficult. This challenge can be met through lessons that teach…

Universal health care and equity: evidence of maternal health based on an analysis of demographic and household survey data.

PubMed

Neal, Sarah; Channon, Andrew Amos; Carter, Sarah; Falkingham, Jane

2015-06-16

The drive toward universal health coverage (UHC) is central to the post 2015 agenda, and is incorporated as a target in the new Sustainable Development Goals. However, it is recognised that an equity dimension needs to be included when progress to this goal is monitored. WHO have developed a monitoring framework which proposes a target of 80% coverage for all populations regardless of income and place of residence by 2030, and this paper examines the feasibility of this target in relation to antenatal care and skilled care at delivery. We analyse the coverage gap between the poorest and richest groups within the population for antenatal care and presence of a skilled attendant at birth for countries grouped by overall coverage of each maternal health service. Average annual rates of improvement needed for each grouping (disaggregated by wealth quintile and urban/rural residence) to reach the goal are also calculated, alongside rates of progress over the past decades for comparative purposes. Marked inequities are seen in all groups except in countries where overall coverage is high. As the monitoring framework has an absolute target countries with currently very low coverage are required to make rapid and sustained progress, in particular for the poorest and those living in rural areas. The rate of past progress will need to be accelerated markedly in most countries if the target is to be achieved, although several countries have demonstrated the rate of progress required is feasible both for the population as a whole and for the poorest. For countries with currently low coverage the target of 80% essential coverage for all populations will be challenging. Lessons should be drawn from countries who have achieved rapid and equitable progress in the past.

Domestic scan tour report : land use and transportation coordination : lessons learned from domestic scan tour

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-03-01

Designing transportation systems that enhance mobility, economic opportunity, and community livability is a major challenge for many communities across the country. In the United States, political leaders, planning professionals, and private citizens...

Progress in health-related millennium development goals in the WHO South-East Asia Region.

PubMed

Singh, Poonam Khetrapal

2012-01-01

Home to 25% of the world's population and bearing 30% of the Global disease burden, the South-East Asia Region [1] of the World Health Organization has an important role in the progress of global health. Three of the eight million development goal (MDG) goals that relate to health are MDG 4, 5, and 6. There is progress in all three goals within the countries of the region, although the progress varies across countries and even within countries. With concerted and accelerated efforts in some countries and certain specific areas, the region will achieve the targets of the three health MDGs. The key challenges are in sustainable scaling up of evidence-based interventions to improve maternal and child health and controlling communicable diseases. This will require continued focus and investments in strengthening health systems that provide individual and family centered comprehensive package of interventions with equitable reach and that which is provided free at the point of service delivery. Important lessons that have been learnt in implementing the MDG agenda in the past two decades will inform setting up of the post MDG global health agenda. This article provides a snap shot of progress thus far, key challenges and opportunities in WHO South-East Asia Region and lays down the way forward for the global health agenda post 2015.

Advance market commitment for pneumococcal vaccines: putting theory into practice.

PubMed

Cernuschi, Tania; Furrer, Eliane; Schwalbe, Nina; Jones, Andrew; Berndt, Ernst R; McAdams, Susan

2011-12-01

Markets for life-saving vaccines do not often generate the most desired outcomes from a public health perspective in terms of product quantity, quality, affordability, programmatic suitability and/or sustainability for use in the lowest income countries. The perceived risks and uncertainties about sustainably funded demand from developing countries often leads to underinvestment in development and manufacturing of appropriate products. The pilot initiative Advance Market Commitment (AMC) for pneumococcal vaccines, launched in 2009, aims to remove some of these market risks by providing a legally binding forward commitment to purchase vaccines according to predetermined terms. To date, 14 countries have already introduced pneumococcal vaccines through the AMC with a further 39 countries expected to introduce before the end of 2013.This paper describes early lessons learnt on the selection of a target disease and the core design choices for the pilot AMC. It highlights the challenges faced with tailoring the AMC design to the specific supply situation of pneumococcal vaccines. It points to the difficulty - and the AMC's apparent early success - in establishing a long-term, credible commitment in a constantly changing unpredictable environment. It highlights one of the inherent challenges of the AMC: its dependence on continuous donor funding to ensure long-term purchases of products. The paper examines alternative design choices and aims to provide a starting point to inform discussions and encourage debate about the potential application of the AMC concept to other fields.

Lessons from temporal and spatial patterns in global use of N and P fertilizer on cropland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouwman, A. F.; Beusen, A. H. W.; Lassaletta, L.; van Apeldoorn, D. F.; van Grinsven, H. J. M.; Zhang, J.; Ittersum van, M. K.

2017-01-01

In recent decades farmers in high-income countries and China and India have built up a large reserve of residual soil P in cropland. This reserve can now be used by crops, and in high-income countries the use of mineral P fertilizer has recently been decreasing with even negative soil P budgets in Europe. In contrast to P, much of N surpluses are emitted to the environment via air and water and large quantities of N are transported in aquifers with long travel times (decades and longer). N fertilizer use in high-income countries has not been decreasing in recent years; increasing N use efficiency and utilization of accumulated residual soil P allowed continued increases in crop yields. However, there are ecological risks associated with the legacy of excessive nutrient mobilization in the 1970s and 1980s. Landscapes have a memory for N and P; N concentrations in many rivers do not respond to increased agricultural N use efficiency, and European water quality is threatened by rapidly increasing N:P ratios. Developing countries can avoid such problems by integrated management of N, P and other nutrients accounting for residual soil P, while avoiding legacies associated with the type of past or continuing mismanagement of high-income countries, China and India.

Lessons from temporal and spatial patterns in global use of N and P fertilizer on cropland

PubMed Central

Bouwman, A. F.; Beusen, A. H. W.; Lassaletta, L.; van Apeldoorn, D. F.; van Grinsven, H. J. M.; Zhang, J.; Ittersum van, M. K.

2017-01-01

In recent decades farmers in high-income countries and China and India have built up a large reserve of residual soil P in cropland. This reserve can now be used by crops, and in high-income countries the use of mineral P fertilizer has recently been decreasing with even negative soil P budgets in Europe. In contrast to P, much of N surpluses are emitted to the environment via air and water and large quantities of N are transported in aquifers with long travel times (decades and longer). N fertilizer use in high-income countries has not been decreasing in recent years; increasing N use efficiency and utilization of accumulated residual soil P allowed continued increases in crop yields. However, there are ecological risks associated with the legacy of excessive nutrient mobilization in the 1970s and 1980s. Landscapes have a memory for N and P; N concentrations in many rivers do not respond to increased agricultural N use efficiency, and European water quality is threatened by rapidly increasing N:P ratios. Developing countries can avoid such problems by integrated management of N, P and other nutrients accounting for residual soil P, while avoiding legacies associated with the type of past or continuing mismanagement of high-income countries, China and India. PMID:28084415

Improving Teaching through Lesson Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rock, Tracy C.; Wilson, Cathy

2005-01-01

This article presents a professional development initiative developed by a university-school partnership based on the Japanese lesson-study model described by Stigler and Hiebert (1999) in "The Teaching Gap." Lesson study ("jugyoukenkyu"), an inquiry model of teacher professional development, is used extensively throughout…

Transition to Science Teacher Educator: Tensions Experienced While Learning to Teach Lesson Sequencing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiebke, Heidi; Park Rogers, Meredith

2014-01-01

This self-study investigated the tensions that I (Heidi) encountered when teaching elementary preservice teachers how to develop a coherent sequence of five science lessons. Four lesson planning components guided me in developing a series of lessons to support the preservice teachers with this exercise. Employing self-study methodology, data…

Professional Development through Lesson Study: Teaching the Derivative Using Geogebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verhoef, Nellie C.; Coenders, Fer; Pieters, Jules M.; van Smaalen, Daan; Tall, David O.

2015-01-01

This study focuses on mathematics teachers' professional development through elements of Japanese lesson study. The teachers designed a research lesson with regard to sense-making of the derivative using the integration of GeoGebra. In the second year of the four-year lesson study project, seven secondary school teachers--from different Dutch…

Knowledge Growth of Mathematics Teachers during Professional Activity Based on the Task of Lesson Explaining

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peng, Aihui

2007-01-01

"Lesson explaining" has been developed in China from an evaluative resource to an effective form of teacher professional development with the value of emphasizing teacher reflective practice. This paper begins with a general description of lesson explaining. Then an example of "explaining" a mathematics lesson for teaching…

Best Practice Lesson Plans: A Lesson Plan in Cognitive Restructuring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sayre, Gary W.

2006-01-01

This particular lesson was developed for Cognitive Skills I, a central course in cognitive restructuring at the Mt. Olive Correctional Center. In this lesson the author developed a series of classroom activities to allow students to examine and assess current beliefs they possess, and to understand how these beliefs--whether judged rational or…

Lesson Study for Professional Development and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, Robyn; Stacey, Kaye

2011-01-01

In this paper we demonstrate that "lesson study" may be adapted from its primary use as a professional development strategy for use as a research strategy, especially to identify principles of good lesson design. We report on a project undertaken in two Australian secondary schools where lesson study research was used to investigate the…

Maximize Life Global Cancer Awareness Campaign: improving the lives of cancer patients while increasing global awareness of their needs.

PubMed

Garcia-Gonzalez, Pat; Schwartz, Erin L

2012-01-01

In October 2010 The Max Foundation, in partnership with 30 cancer patient associations in emerging countries, organized a global cancer awareness campaign. The aims of the campaign were: (i) to increase awareness of the needs of people living with cancer in developing countries; (ii) to increase local visibility of patient associations in their countries; (iii) to collect more than 10,000 signatures to the World Cancer Declaration (WCD); and (iv) to improve the lives of cancer survivors by providing them with an opportunity to express their feelings about the disease. The campaign was developed as a global effort, to be implemented by local patient associations through their volunteer survivors and caregivers. The methodology at the global level included developing the framework, branding, and communication tools, while making available limited funding and heavy logistical support. Local patient associations were encouraged to adapt the initiative to a culturally accepted format. Key elements of the campaign were the mix of low tech and high tech elements to allow low tech populations to participate while promoting the initiative using social media and high tech tools. Additionally, the participation of survivors and caregivers ensured the campaign provided immediate benefit to cancer patients. Finally, the addition of the World Cancer Declaration provided a strong unifying component. More than 60 events were held in 31 countries around the world, collecting more than 13,000 signatures to the World Cancer Declaration and a similar number of support messages to cancer survivors representing 84 countries. Local events gained local media visibility in many countries, and the campaign was promoted in multiple international forums and Web sites. This initiative involving mobilization of volunteers and the development of a global initiative as a grassroots movement taught important lessons on media outreach and selection of leaders for a cancer awareness campaign.

Targeting populations at higher risk for malaria: a survey of national malaria elimination programmes in the Asia Pacific.

PubMed

Wen, Shawn; Harvard, Kelly E; Gueye, Cara Smith; Canavati, Sara E; Chancellor, Arna; Ahmed, Be-Nazir; Leaburi, John; Lek, Dysoley; Namgay, Rinzin; Surya, Asik; Thakur, Garib D; Whittaker, Maxine Anne; Gosling, Roly D

2016-05-10

Significant progress has been made in reducing the malaria burden in the Asia Pacific region, which is aggressively pursuing a 2030 regional elimination goal. Moving from malaria control to elimination requires National Malaria Control Programmes (NMCPs) to target interventions at populations at higher risk, who are often not reached by health services, highly mobile and difficult to test, treat, and track with routine measures, and if undiagnosed, can maintain parasite reservoirs and contribute to ongoing transmission. A qualitative, free-text questionnaire was developed and disseminated among 17 of the 18 partner countries of the Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN). All 14 countries that responded to the survey identified key populations at higher risk of malaria in their respective countries. Thirteen countries engage in the dissemination of malaria-related Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials. Eight countries engage in diagnostic screening, including of mobile and migrant workers, military staff, and/or overseas workers. Ten countries reported distributing or recommending the use of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) among populations at higher risk with fewer countries engaging in other prevention measures such as indoor residual spraying (IRS) (two countries), spatial repellents (four countries), chemoprophylaxis (five countries), and mass drug administration (MDA) (three countries). Though not specifically tailored to populations at higher risk, 11 countries reported using mass blood surveys as a surveillance tool and ten countries map case data. Most NMCPs lack a monitoring and evaluation structure. Countries in the Asia Pacific have identified populations at higher risk and targeted interventions to these groups but there is limited information on the effectiveness of these interventions. Platforms like APMEN offer the opportunity for the sharing of protocols and lessons learned related to finding, targeting and successfully clearing malaria from populations at higher risk. The sharing of programme data across borders may further strengthen national and regional efforts to eliminate malaria. This exchange of real-life experience is invaluable to NMCPs when scarce scientific evidence on the topic exists to aid decision-making and can further support NMCPs to develop strategies that will deliver a malaria-free Asia Pacific by 2030.

An intellectual property sharing initiative in agricultural biotechnology: development of broadly accessible technologies for plant transformation.

PubMed

Chi-Ham, Cecilia L; Boettiger, Sara; Figueroa-Balderas, Rosa; Bird, Sara; Geoola, Josef N; Zamora, Pablo; Alandete-Saez, Monica; Bennett, Alan B

2012-06-01

The Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture (PIPRA) was founded in 2004 by the Rockefeller Foundation in response to concerns that public investments in agricultural biotechnology benefiting developing countries were facing delays, high transaction costs and lack of access to important technologies due to intellectual property right (IPR) issues. From its inception, PIPRA has worked broadly to support a wide range of research in the public sector, in specialty and minor acreage crops as well as crops important to food security in developing countries. In this paper, we review PIPRA's work, discussing the failures, successes, and lessons learned during its years of operation. To address public sector's limited freedom-to-operate, or legal access to third-party rights, in the area of plant transformation, we describe PIPRA's patent 'pool' approach to develop open-access technologies for plant transformation which consolidate patent and tangible property rights in marker-free vector systems. The plant transformation system has been licensed and deployed for both commercial and humanitarian applications in the United States (US) and Africa, respectively. © 2012 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2012 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Hickory Dickory Dock: Navigating through Data Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niezgoda, Deborah A.; Moyer-Packenham, Patricia S.

2005-01-01

Training is conducted that provides opportunities for students to apply counting, number sense, data collection and graphing skills. The lessons were taught at the end of the school year in a kindergarten classroom in a Title I school in Fairfax Country, Virgina.

Passport to the Millennium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yost, Mary Grace

2001-01-01

Describes a year-long social studies program called "Passport to the Millennium." Students "travel" around the world learning about the history, geography, culture, and economy of different countries. The program is appropriate for students in elementary to secondary grades. Includes a sample lesson plan. (CMK)

Ideas and Inspirations: Good News about Diabetes Prevention and Management in Indian Country

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... Combined Councils Patient Education Primary Care Provider Risk Management Veteran Resources Community Health Behavioral Health Environmental Health ... Tools Diabetes Education Lesson Plan Outlines Integrating Case Management Into Your Practice [PDF – 290 KB] Integrating DSMES ...