Violence prevention accelerators for children and adolescents in South Africa: A path analysis using two pooled cohorts
Background The INSPIRE framework was developed by 10 global agencies as the first global package for preventing and responding to violence against children. The framework includes seven complementary strategies. Delivering all seven strategies is a challenge in resource-limited contexts. Consequently, governments are requesting additional evidence to inform which ‘accelerator’ provisions can simultaneously reduce multiple types […]
Effectiveness of a girls’ empowerment programme on early childbearing, marriage and school dropout among adolescent girls in rural Zambia: Study protocol for a cluster randomized trial
Background: Adolescent pregnancies pose a risk to the young mothers and their babies. In Zambia, 35% of young girls in rural areas have given birth by the age of 18 years. Pregnancy rates are particularly high among out-of-school girls. Poverty, low enrolment in secondary school, myths and community norms all contribute to early childbearing. This […]
Impact of a complex gender-transformative intervention on maternal and child health outcomes in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: Protocol of a longitudinal parallel mixed-methods study
Background: In the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) programs targeting women are implemented. In the context of the ‘Mawe Tatu’ program more equitable intra-household decision-making is stipulated by accompanying women’s participation in VSLAs with efforts to engage men for more gender equality, expecting a positive […]
Scaling down to scale up: A health economic analysis of integrating point-of-care syphilis testing into antenatal care in Zambia during pilot and national rollout implementation
Maternal syphilis results in an estimated 500,000 stillbirths and neonatal deaths annually in Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the existence of national guidelines for antenatal syphilis screening, syphilis testing is often limited by inadequate laboratory and staff services. Recent availability of inexpensive rapid point-of-care syphilis tests (RST) can improve access to antenatal syphilis screening. A 2010 pilot […]
Echoes of old HIV paradigms: Reassessing the problem of engaging men in HIV testing and treatment through women’s perspectives
Background: With the introduction of 2016 World Health Organization guidelines recommending universal antiretroviral therapy (ART), there has been increased recognition of the lack of men engaging in HIV testing and treatment. Studies in sub-Saharan Africa indicate there have been challenges engaging men in HIV testing and HIV-positive men into treatment. Methods: This qualitative study explored […]
Lessons learned from setting up the Nahuche health and demographic surveillance system in the resourceconstrained context of northern Nigeria
Background: The present time reflects a period of intense effort to get the most out of public health interventions, with an emphasis on health systems reform and implementation research. Population health approaches to determine which combinations are better at achieving the goals of improved health and well-being are needed to provide a ready response to […]
Negligible hormonal response following dehorning in free-ranging white rhinoceros (ceratotherium simum)
The white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is experiencing unsustainable poaching losses fuelled by a demand for horn. Increasingly, private and state reserves are dehorning their rhinoceros populations in an attempt to reduce poaching pressure. Rhinoceroses use their horns in social interactions aswell as during resource access and so its partial removal as part of reserve management […]
Eye health indicators for universal health coverage: results of a global expert prioritisation process
Introduction In its recent World Report on Vision, the WHO called for an updated approach to monitor eye health as part of universal health coverage (UHC). This project sought to develop a consensus among eye health experts from all world regions to produce a menu of indicators for countries to monitor eye health within UHC. […]
Development and upgrading of public primary healthcare facilities with essential surgical services infrastructure: A strategy towards achieving universal health coverage in Tanzania
Background: Infrastructure development and upgrading to support safe surgical services in primary health care facilities is an important step in the journey towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Quality health service provision together with equitable geographic access and service delivery are important components that constitute UHC. Tanzania has been investing in infrastructure development to offer […]
Breastfeeding Interpersonal Communication, Mobile Phone Support, and Mass Media Messaging Increase Exclusive Breastfeeding at 6 and 24 Weeks Among Clients of Private Health Facilities in Lagos, Nigeria
Background: Although most health facilities in urban Nigeria are privately owned, interventions to promote optimal breastfeeding practices in private facilities have not previously been implemented. Objectives: We tested the impact of a breastfeeding promotion intervention on early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding among clients of private facilities in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: The intervention included […]
