Health, Education, Social Protection News & Notes 14/2013

A bi-weekly newsletter supported by GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit)

06 July 2013
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Table of Contents: BOOKS ................................................................................ 4

2013 Pipeline Report - HIV, Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), and Tuberculosis (TB)........................ 4 Education at a Glance 2013 - OECD indicators...................................................................... 4 World Economic and Social Survey 2013: Sustainable Development Challenges................. 4

ONLINE PUBLICATIONS .................................................... 5

Global Health.............................................................................................................. 5
How AIDS Invented Global Health .......................................................................................... 5 Communicating the Economics of Social Determinants of Health and Health Inequalities .... 5 The seven sins and the seven virtues of Universal Health Coverage .................................... 5 Universal Access to Healthcare Campaign: Thoughts from African Civil Society on UHC .... 6

HIV - AIDS - STI ......................................................................................................... 6

Consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection ................................................................................................................................... 6 The next generation of the World Health Organizations global antiretroviral guidance ......... 6 JAIDS - Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes Free Supplement ................. 7 Global Update on HIV Treatment 2013: Results, Impact and Opportunities .......................... 7 Mapping Pathways: Developing evidence-based, people-centred strategies for the use of antiretrovirals as prevention .................................................................................................... 7 When to start antiretroviral therapy: the need for an evidence base during early HIV infection ................................................................................................................................... 8 Comparing Direct Costs of Facility-Based Shang Ring Provision versus a Standard Surgical Technique for Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision in Zambia ............................................. 8 2013 progress report on the Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive....................................................... 8 Mapping HIV clustering: a strategy for identifying populations at high risk of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa.................................................................................................................. 9 Laboratory diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus ......................................................................................................................................... 9

Sexual & Reproductive Health .................................................................................... 9

Reproductive health priorities: evidence from a resource tracking analysis of official development assistance in 2009 and 2010............................................................................. 9 It would be weird to have that on Facebook: young peoples use of social media and the risk of sharing sexual health information............................................................................... 10 Ending child marriage in the Arab Region............................................................................. 10 Standardizing and scaling up quality adolescent friendly health services in Tanzania ........ 10

Maternal & Child Health............................................................................................ 11

The contribution of HIV to pregnancy-related mortality: a systematic review and metaanalysis.................................................................................................................................. 11 Sustainable Development Starts and Ends with Safe, Healthy and Well-Educated Children ............................................................................................................................................... 11

HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 1

An Epidemiologic Investigation of Potential Risk Factors for Nodding Syndrome in Kitgum District, Uganda..................................................................................................................... 11

Malaria ..................................................................................................................... 12
Malaria eradication: is it possible? Is it worth it? Should we do it? ....................................... 12 Targeting imported malaria through social networks: a potential strategy for malaria elimination in Swaziland ........................................................................................................ 12 A Documentation of Malaria Program Implementation in Burkina Faso ............................... 12 Artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum: what is it really? ..................................... 13 Review of National-Level Malaria in Pregnancy Documents in Five PMI Focus Countries.. 13 Challenges in diagnosing paediatric malaria in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania........................... 13

Tuberculosis ............................................................................................................. 14
Xpert MTB/RIF diagnostic test for TB: a global update......................................................... 14

Non-communicable Diseases ................................................................................... 14

Noncommunicable Diseases and Youth: A Critical Window of Opportunity for Latin America and the Caribbean................................................................................................................. 14

Essential Medicines .................................................................................................. 14

Untangling the Web of Antiretroviral Price Reductions ......................................................... 14 International Drug Price Indicator Guide 2012 Edition....................................................... 15 The global impact of Indian generics on access to health .................................................... 15 Combatting Substandard and Falsified Medicines: A View from Rwanda ............................ 15 The Clinical Trials Industry in South Africa: Ethics, Rules and Realities .............................. 16

Social Protection....................................................................................................... 16
Distribution and Technology in Microinsurance .................................................................... 16 Health insurance in Ghana: evaluation of policy holders' perceptions and factors influencing policy renewal in the Volta region ......................................................................................... 16 Social protection floors and pension systems: the role of a "citizen's pension".................... 17 The Social Policies of Emerging Economies: Growth and Welfare in China And India........ 17 Effect of a conditional cash transfer programme on childhood mortality: a nationwide analysis of Brazilian municipalities ........................................................................................ 17

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene..................................................................................... 18

WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care .............................................................. 18 Progress on Sanitation and Drinking-Water - 2013 Update.................................................. 18

Human Resources.................................................................................................... 18
Stemming the impact of health professional brain drain from Africa: a systemic review of policy options......................................................................................................................... 18 Developing a tool to measure satisfaction among health professionals in sub-Saharan Africa ............................................................................................................................................... 19 Exploring Contraceptive Use Differentials in Sub-Saharan Africa through a Health Workforce Lens ..................................................................................................................... 19 Pediatric Disclosure Materials - Book 1: How to Keep Healthy ............................................ 19

Health Systems & Research ..................................................................................... 20

Health financing for universal coverage and health system performance: concepts and implications for policy ............................................................................................................ 20 Improving equity by removing healthcare fees for children in Burkina Faso ........................ 20 Conducting health survey research in a deep rural South African community: challenges and adaptive strategies ......................................................................................................... 20 Impact of clinical and health services research projects on decision-making: a qualitative study ...................................................................................................................................... 21 Handbook on Health Inequality Monitoring with a special focus on low- and middle-income countries ................................................................................................................................ 21

Information & Communication Technology ............................................................... 21

Patient Privacy in a Mobile World: A Framework to Address Privacy Law Issues in Mobile Health .................................................................................................................................... 21 Open Access, impact and quality: an even harder future for gatekeepers? ......................... 22 Accelerating Development: Building Capacities through Innovation .................................... 22

Education ................................................................................................................. 22
Does migration benefit the schooling of children left behind? Evidence from rural northwest China ..................................................................................................................................... 22

Harm Reduction & Drug Use .................................................................................... 23

World Drug Report 2013 ....................................................................................................... 23

HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 2

Factors Associated With Mortality of HIV-Positive Clients Receiving Methadone Maintenance Treatment in China .......................................................................................... 23

Millennium Development Goals ................................................................................ 23

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2013 ................................................................ 23 The Global Conversation Begins: Emerging Views for a New Development Agenda .......... 24 Putting Progress at Risk? MDG spending in developing countries....................................... 24

Development Assistance .......................................................................................... 24

Eradicating global poverty: a noble goal, but how do we measure it? .................................. 24

Others ...................................................................................................................... 25
Health literacy - The solid facts ............................................................................................. 25 Thinking about post-transitional demographic regimes: A reflection .................................... 25

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES ............................................ 25

The Lancet Global Health has launched ............................................................................... 25 QUAMED Newsletter - June 2013 ........................................................................................ 26 South African Medical Journal - Vol. 103, No. 7 ................................................................... 26 Bulletin of the World Health Organization Vol. 91, Nr. 7, July 2013 .................................. 26 Newsletter of the World Federation of Public Health Associations ....................................... 27 Outreach to Specific Populations (OSP) Listserver .............................................................. 27

INTERESTING WEB SITES .............................................. 27

Foreign Aid in Nepal.............................................................................................................. 27

CONFERENCES................................................................ 28
Call for abstracts: The Geneva Health Forum 2014 ............................................................. 28 Report on the First International Symposium on Self-Testing for HIV .................................. 28

CARTOON ......................................................................... 29 TIPS & TRICKS ................................................................. 29

Remembering those Passwords! .......................................................................................... 29

Fair Use: This Newsletter is produced under the principles of 'fair use'. We source relevant news articles, resources and research documents and strive to attribute sources by providing reference and/or direct links to authors and websites. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter, do not necessarily represent those of GIZ or the editor of HESP-News & Notes. While we make every effort to ensure that all facts and figures quoted by authors are accurate, GIZ and the editor of the Newsletter cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies contained in any articles. Please contact dneuvians@gmx.de if you believe that errors are contained in any article and we will investigate and provide feedback.

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HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 3

BOOKS
2013 Pipeline Report - HIV, Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), and Tuberculosis (TB)
Drugs, Diagnostics, Vaccines, Preventive Technologies, Research Toward a Cure, and Immune-Based and Gene Therapies in Development by Polly Clayden, Simon Collins, Colleen Daniels et al. HIV i-Base and Treatment Action Group, 2013 295 pp. 1.7 MB: http://www.treatmentactiongroup.org/sites/tagone.drupalgardens.com/files/20130 6/2013%20Pipeline%20Report.pdf The authors set a seven-part agenda to speed the best medical products to all who need them everywhere. They call for research funders to continue investing in better products and to address global needs up front in their development. They demand that regulators expedite review of new medications in developing countries and close a pproval gaps between rich and poor countries and adult and paediatric indications. They urge authorities in developing and developed countries to speed the rational use of the best possible drug combinations regardless of patent status or manufacturer and to expedite the transition to high-quality first-line generic products when preferred drugs go off patent. ***

Education at a Glance 2013 - OECD indicators

OECD Publishing, July 2013 440 pp. 5.7 MB:
http://www.oecd.org/edu/eag2013%20(eng)--FINAL%2020%20June%202013.pdf

These indicators enable educational policy makers and practitioners alike to see their education systems in light of other countries performance and, together with the OECD country policy reviews, are designed to support and review the efforts that governments are making towards policy reform. Featuring more than 100 charts, 200 tables, and 100 000 figures, Education at a Glance provides key information on the ouput of educational institutions; the impact of learning across countries; the financial and human resources invested in education; access, participation and progression in education; and the learning environment and organisation of schools. ***

World Economic and Social Survey 2013: Sustainable Development Challenges

by Diana Alarcn, Nicole Hunt, S. Nazrul Islam et al. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the United Nations Secretariat, 2013 216 pp. 2.3 MB: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/wess/wess_curr ent/wess2013/WESS2013.pdf

HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 4

Achieving sustainable development will require global actions to deliver on the legitimate aspiration towards further economic and social progress, requiring growth and employment, and at the same time strengthening environmental protection. The World Economic and Social Survey 2013 aims towards contributing to the deliberations on sustainable development with a focus on three important cross-sectoral issues: sustainable cities, food security and energy transformation.

ONLINE PUBLICATIONS
Global Health How AIDS Invented Global Health
by Allan M. Brandt N Engl J Med 2013; 368:2149-2152; June 6, 2013 4 pp. 642 kB: http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp1305297 For more than the past decade, major academic medical centers, schools of public health, and universities have created global health programs and related institutes for multidisciplinary research and education. Thus, the institutionalization of this formulation is not only affecting services worldwide, but also changing the training of physicians, other health professionals, and students of public health. When the history of the HIV epidemic is eventually written, it will be important to recognize that without this epidemic there would be no global health movement as we know it today. ***

Communicating the Economics of Social Determinants of Health and Health Inequalities

World Health Organization, 2013 16 pp. 620 kB:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85260/1/9789241505536_eng.pdf

The strong links between socio-economic factors or public policies and health were documented in the World Health Organization (WHO) Commission on Social Determ inants of Health report. Yet even when health and health equity are seen as important markers of development, expressing the benefits of social determinants of health inte rventions in health and health equity terms alone is not always sufficiently persuasive in policy settings where health is not a priority. Improving understanding of economic rationales for intersectoral policy and programme interventions is therefore an important component of work for countries implementing social determinants of health recomme ndations. ***

The seven sins and the seven virtues of Universal Health Coverage
by Adriano Cattaneo, Giorgio Tamburlini, Angelo Stefanini et al. Statements and Debates on Global Health Policy, 26 June 2013

HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 5

Read online at:

http://getinvolvedinglobalhealth.blogspot.ch/2013/06/the-seven-sins-and-seven-virtues-of.html

Universal Health Coverage is likely to become the backbone on which the health development agenda beyond 2015 will be constructed. To avoid unintended effects, Universal Health Coverage should keep away from committing seven sins and should try to practice seven virtues. ***

Universal Access to Healthcare Campaign: Thoughts from African Civil Society on UHC
UHC Forward: June 2013 4 pp. 5.5 MB:
http://uhcforward.org/sites/uhcforward.org/files /Briefing_Paper_UHC.pdf

This briefing paper elicits the perspective of the African non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on the concept of universal health coverage (UHC). It defines the basic co ncepts and also explores the role NGOs can play to improve the definition and impleme ntation of UHC to improve health outcomes for all. It describes some of the common misunderstandings and misgivings expressed by NGOs, such as the belief that UHC is limited in scope and does not address the social determinants of health. Examples from African countries that have successfully implemented UHC are provided.

HIV - AIDS - STI Consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection
Recommendations for a public health approach World Health Organization, 30 June 2013 272 pp. 2.7 MB:
http://www.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85321/1/9789241505727_eng.pdf

New HIV treatment guidelines by WHO recommend offering antiretroviral therapy (ART) earlier. Recent evidence indicates that earlier ART will help people with HIV to live longer, healthier lives, and substantially reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to others. The move could avert an additional 3 million deaths and pr event 3.5 million more new HIV infections between now and 2025. ***

The next generation of the World Health Organizations global antiretroviral guidance
Gottfried Hirnschall, Anthony D Harries, Philippa J Easterbrook et al. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2013, 16:18757 (30 June 2013) 7 pp. 142 kB: http://www.jiasociety.org/index.php/jias/article/download/18757/3084

HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 6

The 2013 World Health Organizations (WHO) Consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection (see above) provide more than 50 new recommendations across the continuum of HIV care, including recommend ations on HIV testing, using antiretroviral drugs for prevention, linking individuals to HIV care and treatment services, initiating and maintaining antiretroviral therapy (ART) and monitoring treatment. Guidance is provided across all age groups and populations of adults, pregnant and breastfeeding women, adolescents and key populations. The guidelines are based on a public health approach to expanding the use of ARV drugs for HIV treatment and prevention, with a particular focus on resource-limited settings. ***

JAIDS - Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes Free Supplement

July 1, 2013 - Volume 63 - Supplement 2 http://journals.lww.com/jaids/toc/2013/07012 In this free supplement of the Journal of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, authors from diverse backgrounds, differing scientific expertise, and disciplines came together to contribute to a compendium on the state of HIV prevention globally. Topics included in this supplement range from prevention of HIV in specific populations such as adolescents, women, MSM, and drug users to discussions of specific methods for prevention such as HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis, topical microbicides, vaccines, treatment as prevention, prevention of mother to child transmission, and male circumcision. Each of the articles highlight what has been achieved, r emaining gaps in knowledge, and provides an agenda for future research endeavours. ***

Global Update on HIV Treatment 2013: Results, Impact and Opportunities

WHO report in partnership with UNICEF and UNAIDS, June 2013 126 pp. 2.7 MB:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85326/1/9789241505734_eng.pdf

The massive global expansion of access to HIV treatment has transformed not only the HIV epidemic but the entire public health landscape, demonstrating that the right to health can be realized even in the most trying of circumstances. This publication reports on the progress being made in the global scale-up in the use of antiretroviral (ARV) medicines in low- and middleincome countries, the challenges that are being overcome or that await solutions and the opportunities for building on the achievements of the past decade. ***

Mapping Pathways: Developing evidence-based, people-centred strategies for the use of antiretrovirals as prevention
by Molly Morgan Jones, Jim Pickett, Joanna Chataway et al. RAND Corporation Europe, June 2013 131 pp. 3.2 MB: http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/R R300/RR326/RAND_RR326.pdf HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 7

Mapping Pathways is a multinational project to develop and nurture a research-driven, community-led global understanding of the emerging evidence base around the adoption of antiretroviral (ARV)-based prevention strategies to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The project is based on the premise that the current array of prevention options is not sufficient; new pathways to prevention, based on enhanced assessment and analysis of likely impact, are needed to address new infections adequately. ***

When to start antiretroviral therapy: the need for an evidence base during early HIV infection
by Jens D Lundgren, Abdel G Babiker, Fred M Gordin et al. BMC Medicine 2013, 11:148 (14 June 2013) 10 pp. 273 kB: http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1741-7015-11-148.pdf There is currently no evidence from randomized controlled trials to suggest that a strategy of initiating ART when the CD4 count is above 350 cells/l (versus deferring initiation to around 350 cells/l) results in benefit to the HIV+ person and data from observational studies are inconsistent. Large, clinical endpoint-driven randomized studies to determine the individual health benefits versus risks of earlier ART initiation are sorely needed. The counter-argument to this debate topic can be freely accessed here: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/11/147 ***

Comparing Direct Costs of Facility-Based Shang Ring Provision versus a Standard Surgical Technique for Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision in Zambia
John H.Bratt and Zude Zyambo Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes: 1 July 2013, Vol. 63, Issue 3, pp. e109-e112 4 pp. 92 kB: http://pdfs.journals.lww.com/jaids/2013/07010/Comparing_Direct_ Costs_of_Facility_Based_Shang.26.pdf Rapid scale-up of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is needed to realize potential reductions in HIV incidence in sub-Saharan Africa. New disposable VMMC devices such as the Shang Ring may offer several advantages over standard surgery, including lower costs. The authors compared direct costs of the Shang Ring and dorsal slit techniques for delivery of VMMC in the context of a randomized-controlled trial carried out in Zambia in 2011. They conclude that a Shang Ring team could provide services at a substantially lower average total cost due to the potential for more intensive use of staff and other fixed resources. ***

2013 progress report on the Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), 2013

HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 8

72 pp. 850 kB: http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/documents/ unaidspublication/2013/20130625_progress_global_plan_en.pdf The report outlines that seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa - Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia - have reduced new HIV infections among children by 50% since 2009. Two others - the United Republic of Tanzania and Zimbabwe - are also making substantial progress. It highlights that there were 130 000 fewer new HIV infections among children across the 21 Global Plan priority countries in Africa - a drop of 38% since 2009. ***

Mapping HIV clustering: a strategy for identifying populations at high risk of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa
by Diego F Cuadros, Susanne F Awad and Laith J Abu-Raddad International Journal of Health Geographics 2013, 12:28 9 pp. 1.6 MB: http://www.ij-healthgeographics.com/content/pdf/1476-072X-12-28.pdf The geographical structure of an epidemic is ultimately a consequence of the drivers of the epidemic and the population susceptible to the infection. The know your epidemic concept recognizes this geographical feature as a key element for identifying populations at higher risk of HIV infection where prevention interventions should be targeted. In an effort to clarify specific drivers of HIV transmission and identify priority populations for HIV prevention interventions, the authors conducted a comprehensive mapping of the spatial distribution of HIV infection across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). ***

Laboratory diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus

Editors: Magnus Unemo, Ronald Ballard, Catherine Ison et al. World Health Organization, 2013 240 pp. 3.7 MB: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85343/1/9789241505840_eng.pdf This new manual provides a basic understanding of the principles of laboratory tests in the context of screening and diagnostic approaches, as well as antimicrobial susceptibility testing, as components of STI control. The manual covers each disease in a separate chapter that provides detailed information on specimen collection, transport, and labor atory testing. Two useful annexes covering equipment, tests, media, reagents, and stains are included at the end of the manual.

Sexual & Reproductive Health Reproductive health priorities: evidence from a resource tracking analysis of official development assistance in 2009 and 2010
by Justine Hsu, Peter Berman, Anne Mills HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 9

The Lancet, Vol. 381, Issue 9879, pp. 1772-1782, 18 May 2013 11 pp. 187 kB: http://download.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS014067361360762X.pdf Information is scarce about the extent to which official development assistance (ODA) is spent on reproductive health to provide childbirth care; support family planning; address sexual health; and prevent, treat, and care for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. The authors analysed flows of ODA to reproductive health for 2009 and 2010, a ssessed their distribution by donor type and purpose, and investigated the extent to which disbursements respond to need. ***

It would be weird to have that on Facebook: young peoples use of social media and the risk of sharing sexual health information
by Paul Byron, Kath Albury, Clifton Evers Reproductive Health Matters, May 2013;21(41):35-44 10 pp. 223 kB: http://www.academia.edu/attachments/31262112/download_file Sexual health promoters who wish to harness the power of Facebook and other social media need to consider the role such websites play in young peoples presentations of themselves to others and the stigma of sexual health issues. The young people in this study were interested in sexual health information, but did not want to access it at the cost of their own sense of comfort and belonging in their social networks. ***

Ending child marriage in the Arab Region

by Farzaneh Roudi-Fahimi and Shaimaa Ibrahim Population Reference Bureau, May 2013 8 pp. 1.2 MB: http://www.prb.org/pdf13/child-marriage-arab-region.pdf This policy brief presents the latest data on child members of the League of Arab States (stretching from Morocco to Oman). It explains how ending child marriage would help countries achieve their Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that aim to combat poverty and improve health and quality of life for all. The brief emphasises the importance of taking a broad approach to end child marriage, including mandating more years of compulsory education, setting and enforcing the legal minimum age of marriage, raising community awareness about the harm caused by early marriage, and involving families to find ways to prevent child marriage. ***

Standardizing and scaling up quality adolescent friendly health services in Tanzania

by Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli, Elizabeth Mapella, Theopista John et al. BMC Public Health 2013, 13:579 (14 June 2013)

HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 10

7 pp. 406 kB: http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2458-13-579.pdf Adolescents in Tanzania require health services that respond to their sexual and reproductive health and other needs and are delivered in a friendly and non-judgemental manner. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) identified four key pro blems with what was being done to make health services adolescent friendly in the cou ntry. It is aware that the focus of the effort must now shift from the national to the regional, council and local levels.

Maternal & Child Health The contribution of HIV to pregnancy-related mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis
by Clara Calvert and Carine Ronsmans AIDS 2013, 27:16311639 (June 19, 2013) 9 pp. 240 kB:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3678884/pdf/aids-27-1631.pdf

Although much is known about the contribution of HIV to adult mortality, remarkably little is known about the mortality attributable to HIV during pregnancy. In this article the a uthors estimate the proportion of pregnancy-related deaths attributable to HIV based on empirical data from a systematic review of the strength of association between HIV and pregnancy-related mortality. They conclude that the substantial excess of pregnancyrelated mortality associated with HIV highlights the importance of integrating HIV and reproductive health services in areas of high HIV prevalence and pregnancy-related mortality. ***

Sustainable Development Starts and Ends with Safe, Healthy and WellEducated Children
by Joy Guillemot United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), May 2013 22 pp. 688 kB: http://www.unicef.org/socialpolicy/files/Sustainable_Development _post_2015.pdf In this paper, we explore the dynamic and dramatic interplay between the realization of childrens rights and sustainable development. The evidence presented makes a powe rful case for why and how these issues must be directly addressed in the discussions t owards a Post-2015 Development Agenda and the eventual framework that will emerge. It is a call to action for decision-makers to invest in childrens rights and well-being as an integral means to achieving sustainable development. ***

An Epidemiologic Investigation of Potential Risk Factors for Nodding Syndrome in Kitgum District, Uganda
by Jennifer L. Foltz, Issa Makumbi, James J. Sejvar et al. HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 11

PLoS ONE 8(6): e66419 (18 June 2013) 9 pp. 332 kB:
http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchObject.action;jsessionid=4992FDF1341A227BB1205F EA8C840F92?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0066419&representation=PDF

Nodding Syndrome (NS), an unexplained illness characterized by spells of head bobbing, has been reported in Sudan and Tanzania, perhaps as early as 1962. Hypoth esized causes include sorghum consumption, measles, and onchocerciasis infection. NS appears to be increasing in Uganda since 2000 with 2009 parish prevalence as high as 46 cases per 1,000 5-to15-year old children. The authors found no supporting evidence for many proposed NS risk factors, revealed association with onchocerciasis, which for the first time was examined with serologic testing, and raised nutritional deficiencies and toxic exposures as possible aetiologies.

Malaria Malaria eradication: is it possible? Is it worth it? Should we do it?

by Jenny Liu, Sepideh Modrek, Roly D Gosling et al. The Lancet Global Health, Vol. 1, Issue 1, Pages e2 - e3, July 2013 2 pp. 38 kB: http://download.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/langlo/PIIS2214109X13700020.pdf Of the ten leading causes of death in the developing world, malaria is the only one with a real prospect for eradication. Progress is good. Our weapons are effective and conti nually improving. With adequate and sustained commitment, the task can be achieved. ***

Targeting imported malaria through social networks: a potential strategy for malaria elimination in Swaziland
by Kadiatou Koita, Joseph Novotny, Simon Kunene et al. Malaria Journal 2013, 12:219 (27 June 2013( 17 pp. 410 kB: http://www.malariajournal.com/content/pdf/1475-2875-12-219.pdf This study demonstrated that imported cases of malaria belonged to networks of people with similar travel patterns. The study may provide novel methods for screening highrisk groups of travellers using both snowball sampling and time-location sampling of networks to identify and treat additional malaria cases. Implementation of a proactive screening programme of importation networks may help Swaziland halt transmission and achieve malaria elimination by 2015. ***

A Documentation of Malaria Program Implementation in Burkina Faso

by Bill Brieger, Ousmane Badolo, Aisha Yansaneh et al. Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP)/USAID in Collaboration with the National Malaria Control Program, Burkina Faso, March 2013 HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 12

54 pp. 1.0 MB: http://www.mchip.net/sites/default/files/Malaria%20Program%20I mplementation%20in%20BFaso.pdf In collaboration with the National Malaria Control Program of Burkina Faso, MCHIP documented the status of malaria program implement ation by all partners in the country. This report describes best practices/strategies that have supported malaria programming successes, as well as existing bottlenecks in malaria program implementation and recommends how these could be overcome. ***

Artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum: what is it really?

by Pedro Eduardo Ferreira, Richard Culleton, Jose Pedro Gil et al. Trends in Parasitology, Vol. 29, Issue 7, pp. 318-320, 12 June 2013 3 pp. 560 kB:
http://download.cell.com/trends/parasitology/pdf/PIIS1471492213000743.pdf

Until very recently, artemisinin and its derivatives were the only commercially available antimalarial drugs for which there was no reported parasite resistance. The loss of effectiveness of artemisinin and its derivatives to drug resistance would constitute a major disaster in the fight against malaria. To properly assess the danger posed by artemisinin resistance, and therefore enable appropriate and proportionate responses, definitions of artemisinin resistance and Artemisinin combination therapies resistance, at both the clinical and parasitological levels, are needed. ***

Review of National-Level Malaria in Pregnancy Documents in Five PMI Focus Countries

by Patricia Gomez, Aimee Dickerson, Elaine Roman Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP) and Presidents Malaria Initiative (PMI), 2012 42 pp. 899 kB: http://www.mchip.net/sites/default/files/mchipfiles/MIP%20in%20 Five%20African%20Countries_0.pdf This is a review of malaria in pregnancy related policies, guidelines, training and supervision materials in five PMI focus countries (Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda). The review resulted in a report on findings and recommendations that are country-specific, as well as common discordant guidance from across countries and overall recommendations that can be applied beyond the countries whose documents were reviewed. ***

Challenges in diagnosing paediatric malaria in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

by Gro EA Strm, Christel G Haanshuus, Maulidi Fataki et al. Malaria Journal 2013, 12:228 (3 July 2013)

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19 pp. 1.4 MB: http://www.malariajournal.com/content/pdf/1475-2875-12-228.pdf As no clinical features clearly differentiate malaria from other febrile illnesses, and malaria diagnosis is challenged by often lacking laboratory equipment and expertise, ove rdiagnosis and overtreatment in children is common. The authors found that the current routine microscopy appears to result in overdiagnosis of malaria and, consequently, overuse of anti-malarials. Conversely, children with a false positive malaria diagnosis may die because they do not receive treatment for the true cause of their illness.

Tuberculosis Xpert MTB/RIF diagnostic test for TB: a global update

by Lesley Odendal HIV & AIDS Treatment in Practice (HATIP), Issue 204, 24 June 2013 7 pp. 210 kB: http://www.aidsmap.com/pdf/page/2685512/ The new Xpert MTB/RIF assay is recommended by the World Health Organization as the first-line test for TB diagnosis in individuals suspected of having HIV-associated TB or multi-drug resistant TB. The test can diagnose TB and drug-resistant TB in two hours, so reducing delays in the initiation of appropriate TB treatment. This edition examines data and lessons learnt from programmes where Xpert MTB/RIF has already been implemented in high-burden TB settings in countries such as South Africa, Kenya, India, Cambodia and Botswana.

Non-communicable Diseases Noncommunicable Diseases and Youth: A Critical Window of Opportunity for Latin America and the Caribbean
by Wendy Baldwin, Toshiko Kaneda, Lindsey Amato et al. Population Reference Bureau Policy Brief, June 2013 8 pp. 1.3 MB:
http://www.prb.org/pdf13/noncommunicable-diseases-latin-america-youth-policybrief.pdf

The four major NCDs - cardiovascular disease, most cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases - will account for approximately 81% of deaths in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) by 2030 and 89% of all deaths in high-income countries. Adolescents and youth are a tremendous resource that are overlooked in the fight against NCDs, yet they are a natural partner for preventing NCDs.

Essential Medicines Untangling the Web of Antiretroviral Price Reductions

16th Edition July 2013 Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF), July 2013 HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 14

100 pp. 2.1 MB:

http://msfaccess.org/sites/default/files/AIDS_Report_UTW16_ENG_2013.pdf

With nearly 10 million people now receiving treatment for HIV and another 26 million eligible to receive it the price of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to put people on treatment remains a critical one. This edition of Untangling the Web finds that although the price of first- and secondline ARVs have come down thanks to increased generic competition, third-line or salvage regimens remain exorbitantly priced, with middle-income countries such as Armenia paying more than US$ 13,000 per person per year for raltegravir, just one of the three or four drugs needed in a third-line cocktail. Patents remain a barrier on newer drugs and in middle-income countries, and will need to be overcome to ensure future access to them. ***

International Drug Price Indicator Guide 2012 Edition

Edited by Julie. E. Frye Management Sciences for Health (MSH), June 2013 307 pp. 1.4 MB: http://erc.msh.org/dmpguide/pdf/DrugPriceGuide_2012_en.pdf The Guide provides a spectrum of prices from 23 sources, including pharmaceutical suppliers, international development organizations, and government agencies. The Guide assists supply officers to determine the probable cost of pharmaceutical products for their programs, allows users to compare current prices paid to prices available on the international market or assess the potential financial impact of changes to a medicines list, and helps to support rational medicine use education. ***

The global impact of Indian generics on access to health

Raffaella M Ravinetto, Thomas PC Dorlo, Jean-Michel Caudron et al. Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol. X, No. 2; April-June 2013 4 pp. 352 kB: http://www.quamed.org/media/23823/ijme-2013-apr-june__impact_of_indian_generics.pdf A global equity effort is needed to make quality medicines accessible to all, irrespective of the income of the countries and of the individuals, and as a part of the global effort to ensure the human right of access to health for everybody. The Indian pharmaceutical sector currently plays a pivotal and unique role in this effort: not only locally for Indians, but on a larger scale, thanks to its increasingly important role in supplying affordable generic medicines to the humanitarian and not-for-profit sector in the developing world A well-regulated and transparent pharmaceutical sector in India is essential to further building and maintaining universal access to quality healthcare and true global equity in the right to health for all. ***

Combatting Substandard and Falsified Medicines: A View from Rwanda

by Agnes Binagwaho, Roger Bate, Michel Gasana et al. PLoS Med 10(7): e1001476 (2 July 2013) HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 15

3 pp. 121 kB:

http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/fetchObject.action;jsessionid=4B6B79D820CD4BC50F1BB1FA9 1D268BC?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001476&representation=PDF

The authors describe Rwanda's experience of pharmacovigilance for malaria and tuberculosis, and call for a global treaty and leadership by the World Health Organization to address the global manufacture and trade in substandard and falsified medicines. ***

The Clinical Trials Industry in South Africa: Ethics, Rules and Realities
by Nina Lakhani Wemos Foundation, July 2013 45 pp. 245 kB:
http://www.wemos.nl/files/Documenten%20Informatief/Bestanden%20voor %20%27Medicijnen%27/Clinical_Trials_Industry_South_Africa_2013_v3.pdf

Pharmaceutical companies are still failing to comply with the rules for carrying out drug trials. The Wemos Foundation has discovered that subjects are being exposed to u nnecessary risks in drug trials which - to make matters worse - are not always in their best interests. Herewith Wemos issues a report that exposes some of the unethical drug trials taking place.

Social Protection Distribution and Technology in Microinsurance

Experiences and lessons learnt from microinsurance providers in India and Brazil by Michiel Berende Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, February 2013 28 pp. 582 kB: http://german-practice-collection.org/en/download-centre/doc_download/1159 Microinsurance is a successful instrument in terms of managing risks and reducing the vulnerability of low-income households and equally promising in terms of enhancing access to social protection, especially for low-income households. However, access to microinsurance products remains low in most developing countries, owing to the pilot n ature and limited scope of most microinsurance approaches currently in place, amongst other reasons. One of the key challenges is therefore how to overcome this limited ou treach and improve access to microinsurance products. ***

Health insurance in Ghana: evaluation of policy holders' perceptions and factors influencing policy renewal in the Volta region
by Daniel Boateng and Dadson Awunyor-Vitor International Journal for Equity in Health 2013, 12:50 (3 July 2013)

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18 pp. 165 kB: http://www.equityhealthj.com/content/pdf/1475-9276-12-50.pdf Health insurance is an important mechanism that succours individuals, states and the nation at large. The purpose of this study was to assess individual's attitude towards health insurance policy and the factors that influence respondents' decision to renew their health insurance policy when it expires. Reasons cited for non-renewal of insurance included poor service quality (58%), lack of money (49%) and taste of other sources of care (23%). Efforts therefore must be put in by all stakeholders including the community to educate the individuals on the benefits of health insurance to ensure all have optimal access. ***

Social protection floors and pension systems: the role of a "citizen's pension"
by Charles Knox-Vydmanov HelpAge International, 2012 4 pp. 504 kB: http://www.pension-watch.net/download/50ffb6fa4fc18 There is growing recognition that developing countries need to prioritise extending national floors of social protection. But, what are social protection floors, and what link do they have to the pension system? This briefing, the 9th in the Pension Watch series, aims to answer these questions, and to introduce the concept of a "citizen's pension" as a particularly relevant approach in developing countries. ***

The Social Policies of Emerging Economies: Growth and Welfare in China And India
by Arjan de Haan International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC - IG), Working Paper Number 110, June 2013 28 pp. 336 kB: http://www.ipc-undp.org/pub/IPCWorkingPaper110.pdf Social policies play a critical role in the transformation of emerging economies. This paper discusses this with reference to China and India, with their very distinctive public policy approaches. It describes how the great transformation of both countries shapes social policy responses, the institutions and ideas that give very different shapes to the two countries policies and the way policies vis--vis minorities are situated in both countries social policies. The conclusion argues for the distinct research agenda that follows from this conceptualisation of social policy. ***

Effect of a conditional cash transfer programme on childhood mortality: a nationwide analysis of Brazilian municipalities
by Davide Rasella, Rosana Aquino, Carlos AT Santos et al. The Lancet, Vol. 382, Issue 9886, pp. 57-64, 6 July 2013

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8 pp. 179 kB: http://download.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140673613607151.pdf The authors aimed to assess the effect of the Bolsa Familia Programme (BFP) - a widespread conditional cash transfer programme - on deaths of children younger than 5 years. They conclude that a conditional cash transfer programme can greatly contribute to a decrease in childhood mortality overall, and in particular for deaths attributable to poverty-related causes such as malnutrition and diarrhoea, in a large middle-income country such as Brazil.

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care
First Global Patient Safety Challenge - Clean Care is Safer Care by John Boyce, Yves Chartier, Marie-Noelle Chrati et al. World Health Organization, 2009 270 pp. 4.2 MB: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK144013/pdf/TOC.pdf The WHO guidelines on hand hygiene in health care provide health-care workers (HCWs), hospital administrators and health authorities with a thorough review of evidence on hand hygiene in health care and specific recommendations to improve pra ctices and reduce transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to patients and HCWs. ***

Progress on Sanitation and Drinking-Water - 2013 Update

World Health Organization and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply and Sanitation, 2013 40 pp. 5.3 MB:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/81245/1/9789241505390_eng.pdf

In 2011, almost two thirds (64%) of the world population relied on improved sanitation facilities, while 15% continued to defecate in the open. Since 1990, almost 1.9 billion people have gained access to an improved sanitation facility. The world, however, r emains off track to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) sanitation target, which requires reducing the proportion of people without access from 51% in 1990, to 25% by 2015. The greatest progress has been made in Eastern Asia, where sanitation coverage has increased from 27% in 1990 to 67% in 2011

Human Resources Stemming the impact of health professional brain drain from Africa: a systemic review of policy options
by Edward Zimbudzi The Journal of Public Health in Africa, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2013)

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20 pp. 2.2 MB:

http://www.publichealthinafrica.org/index.php/jphia/article/view/238/pdf

Africa has been losing professionally trained health workers who are the core of the health system of this continent for many years. Faced with an increased burden of disease and coupled by a massive exodus of the health workforce, the health systems of many African nations are risking complete paralysis. Several studies have suggested policy options to reduce brain drain from Africa. The purpose of this paper is to review possible policies which can stem the impact of health professional brain drain from Africa. ***

Developing a tool to measure satisfaction among health professionals in sub-Saharan Africa

by Adama Faye, Pierre Fournier, Idrissa Diop et al. Human Resources for Health 2013, 11:30 (4 July 2013) 23 pp. 513 kB: http://www.human-resources-health.com/content/pdf/1478-4491-11-30.pdf In sub-Saharan Africa, lack of motivation and job dissatisfaction have been cited as causes of poor healthcare quality and outcomes. Measurement of health workers' satisfaction adapted to sub-Saharan African working conditions and cultures is a challenge. The objective of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to measure satisfaction among health professionals in the sub-Saharan African context. ***

Exploring Contraceptive Use Differentials in Sub-Saharan Africa through a Health Workforce Lens
by Sara Pacqu-Margolis, Carie Cox, and Amanda Puckett CapacityPlus Technical Brief Nr.11 Read online at: http://www.capacityplus.org/exploring-contraceptiveuse-differentials-in-sub-saharan-africa-health-workforce-lens The publication presents findings from a study that explored if and how health workforce measures differ between eastern and western Africa, in an effort to identify factors that may have helped some countries to achieve important gains in contraceptive prevalence while other countries have not. The findings raise questions about whether government commitment and certain policy choices vis-a-vis health workforce distribution and qualifications - even when absolute leevels of health worker density are low - could make a difference in the provision of family planning services. ***

Pediatric Disclosure Materials - Book 1: How to Keep Healthy

by Janine Clayton, Virginia Allread, Dana Greeson et al. JSI/AIDSTAR-One, 2013 25 pp. 4.9 MB: http://www.jsi.com/JSIInternet/Inc/Common/_download_pub.cfm?id=13250&lid=3 HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 19

This is the first in a series of booklets designed to aid caregivers of children living with HIV in the step-by-step disclosure process. The booklets are available for download in color and black and white. Accompanying cue cards offer guidance for health care providers to use in introducing these booklets to care givers. The other booklets in this s eries include: Knowing about Myself Living a Life of Health Teen Talk, a question-and-answer guide for adolescents living with HIV

Health Systems & Research Health financing for universal coverage and health system performance: concepts and implications for policy
by Joseph Kutzin Bulletin of the World Health Organization - 17 June 2013 21 pp. 161 kB: http://www.who.int/bulletin/online_first/12-113985.pdf Unless the concept is clearly understood, universal coverage (or universal health coverage, UHC) can be used to justify practically any health financing reform or scheme. This paper unpacks the definition of health financing for universal coverage as used in the World Health Organizations World health report 2010 to show how UHC embodies specific health system goals and intermediate objectives and, broadly, how health financing reforms can influence these. ***

Improving equity by removing healthcare fees for children in Burkina Faso

by V. Ridde, S. Haddad, R. Heinmller J Epidemiol Community Health Published online June 17, 2013 7 pp. 516 kB:
http://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2013/06/16/jech-2012-202080.full.pdf+html

This study evaluated the effects on healthcare access inequities of an intervention exempting children under 5 years from user fees in Burkina Faso. The authors conclude that exempting children under five from user fees is effective and helps reduce inequ ities of access. It benefits vulnerable populations, although their service utilisation remains constrained by limitations in geographic accessibility of services. ***

Conducting health survey research in a deep rural South African community: challenges and adaptive strategies
by Marisa Casale, Tyler Lane, Lebo Sello et al. Health Research Policy and Systems 2013, 11:14 (24 April 2013) 11 pp. 446 kB: http://www.health-policy-systems.com/content/pdf/1478-4505-11-14.pdf HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 20

In many parts of the developing world, rural health requires focused policy attention, informed by reliable, representative health data. Yet there is surprisingly little published material to guide health researchers who face the unique set of hurdles associated with conducting field research in remote rural areas. Documenting and sharing field experiences can provide valuable information for other researchers planning to conduct fieldwork in similar contexts. ***

Impact of clinical and health services research projects on decisionmaking: a qualitative study
by Maite Solans-Domnech, Paula Adam, Imma Guillamn et al. Health Research Policy and Systems 2013, 11:15 (10 May 2013) 11 pp. 679 kB: http://www.health-policy-systems.com/content/pdf/1478-4505-11-15.pdf In this study and according to key informants, the impact of research projects on decision-making can be direct (the application of a finding or innovation) or indirect, contributing to a more complex change in clinical practice and healthcare organization, both having other contextual factors. The channels used to transfer this new knowledge to clinical practice are complex. Specifically, the relationships between managers and r esearch teams and the mutual knowledge of their activity have shown to be effective in applying research funding to practice and decision-making. ***

Handbook on Health Inequality Monitoring with a special focus on low- and middle-income countries
by Ahmad Reza Hosseinpoor, Nicole Bergen, Jennifer H. Lee et al. World Health Organization, 2013 126 pp. 2.0 MB:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85345/1/9789241548632_eng.pdf

The handbook elaborates on the steps of health inequality monitoring, including selecting relevant health indicators and equity stratifiers, obtaining data, analysing data, r eporting results and implementing changes. Throughout the handbook, examples from low- and middle-income countries are presented to illustrate how concepts are relevant and applied in real-world situations. The final section of the handbook presents an expanded example of national-level health inequality monitoring of reproductive, maternal and child health.

Information & Communication Technology Patient Privacy in a Mobile World: A Framework to Address Privacy Law Issues in Mobile Health
by Thomson Reuters Foundation, mHealth Alliance, Baker & McKenzie et al., 2013

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116 pp. 1.7 MB: http://www.trust.org/contentAsset/raw-data/03172beb-0f11-438e94be-e02978de3036/file The report provides a global outlook on Patient Privacy in Mobile Health. It covers global legislation, the regulation landscape, seven country case studies, and a framework for addressing security and privacy issues related to mobile health. ***

Open Access, impact and quality: an even harder future for gatekeepers?
by Fabio Turone Epidemiology Biostatistics and Public Health - 2013, Volume 10, Number 2 3 pp. 874 kB: http://academia.edu/attachments/31429197/download_file With the advent of open access publishing, coupled with easy electronic access to journals, many of the historical constraints towards access to the literature both as an author and as a reader have recently been reshaped, and are still changing, raising among others issues about the quality of what is published. ***

Accelerating Development: Building Capacities through Innovation

Annual Report 2012 International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD), 2013 74 pp. 6.0 MB:
http://annualreport.iicd.org/2012/docs/IICD_Annual_Report_2012.pdf

IICDs mission is to enable 15 million low-income people in developing countries to access and use ICTs to address the challenges they face. We work towards this mission in the understanding that ICTs offer opportunities for increased wellbeing and sustainable economic development in all sectors. IICDs activities focus not on the technologies, but on people. IICDs vision is a world in which people are fully able to use information and technology to shape their future and that of their society.

Education Does migration benefit the schooling of children left behind? Evidence from rural northwest China
by Feng Hu Demographic Research, Volume 29, Article 2, pp. 33-70 - Published 4 July 2013 40 pp. 743 kB: http://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol29/2/29-2.pdf The findings of this study may be of interest to other developing countries with large internal migration flows and to the relevant policy makers, as the results suggest that r eHESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 22

mittances sent home by out-migrants may serve as a channel for investing in human capital in the migrants' regions of origin, and especially for investing in the human capital of girls.

Harm Reduction & Drug Use World Drug Report 2013

by Sandeep Chawla, Angela Me, Suzanne Kunnen et al. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, May 2013 151 pp. 12.6 MB(!): http://www.unodc.org/unodc/secured/wdr/wdr2013/World_Drug_ Report_2013.pdf The World Drug Report presents a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in drug markets. It covers production, trafficking, consumption and related health cons equences. Chapter 1 of this years report examines the global situation and the latest trends in the different drug markets and the extent of illicit drug use, as well as the related health impact. ***

Factors Associated With Mortality of HIV-Positive Clients Receiving Methadone Maintenance Treatment in China
by Enwu Liu, Keming Rou, Jennifer M. McGoogan et al. J Infect Dis. (2013) - First published online: April 16, 2013 12 pp. 435 kB:
http://jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/05/07/infdis.jit163.full.pdf+html

Little is known about mortality of opiate users attending methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinics. The authors found high mortality rates among HIV-positive MMT clients, yet decreased risk of death, with earlier ART initiation and higher methadone doses. A higher daily methadone dose was associated with reduced mortality in both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected clients, independent of ART.

Millennium Development Goals The Millennium Development Goals Report 2013

United Nations, New York, 1 July 2013 64 pp. 6.5 MB: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/report-2013/mdg-report2013-english.pdf With the deadline for the MDGs on the horizon, progress can be reported in most areas, despite the impact of the global economic and financial crisis. Several important targets have or will be met by 2015, assuming continued commitment by national governments, the international community, civil society and the private sector. But progress in many areas is far from sufficient. Redoubled efforts are urgently needed, particularly in regions most behind to jumpstart advancement and achieve maximum gains. The world comHESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 23

munity should take pride in its accomplishments thus far, while building on existing momentum to reach as many goals as possible by 2015 and to realize gains for all. ***

The Global Conversation Begins: Emerging Views for a New Development Agenda
by Gina Lucarelli, Paul Ladd, Sarah Huegler et al. United Nations Development Group, 2013 72 pp. 2.7 MB: http://zunia.org/sites/default/files/media/nodefiles/th/453914_the_global_conversation_begins.pdf Since August 2012 the United Nations system has facilitated an unprecedented series of consultations with people the world over to seek their views on a new development agenda to build on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This global conversation responds to a growing call for active participation in shaping the world we want. Taking place well before governments sit down to negotiate and finalize such a new agenda, the consultations underway provide evidence and perspectives to governments on the challenges people face in improving their lives and those of their families and communities. ***

Putting Progress at Risk? MDG spending in developing countries

Development Finance International (DFI) and Oxfam International, May 2013 64 pp. 1.6 MB: http://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/putting-progressat-risk-mdgs-160513-en.pdf This report is the first ever to track what developing countries are spending on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), finding that recent spending increases explain the rapid progress on the MDGs. But the vast majority of countries are spending much less than they have promised, or than is needed. This Government Spending Watch report suggests that developing countries need to make data on MDG spending more accessible to their citizens.

Development Assistance Eradicating global poverty: a noble goal, but how do we measure it?
by Emma Samman, Martin Ravallion, Lant Pritchett et al. Overseas Development Institute, June 2013 16 pp. 1.7 MB: http://www.odi.org.uk/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publicationsopinion-files/8440.pdf All agree that eradicating absolute poverty should remain at the forefront of a new goal on poverty, but opinions differ as to what constitutes extreme poverty and how we HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 24

should measure it. Proposals to broaden the definition of poverty include incorporating relative poverty, a poverty line high enough to reflect poverty in rich countries too, and a measure of multidimensional deprivation. Disagreement exists over whether international dollars are the best way to measure poverty, with a proposal for efforts toward i nternationally consistent national poverty measurement.

Others Health literacy - The solid facts

Edited by Ilona Kickbusch, Jrgen M. Pelikan, Franklin Apfel et al. World Health Organization - Regional Office for Europe, 2013 86 pp. 3.0 MB:
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/190655/e96854.pdf

As societies grow more complex and people are increasingly bombarded with health information and misinformation, health literacy becomes essential. People with strong health literacy skills enjoy better health and well-being, while those with weaker skills tend to engage in riskier behaviour and have poorer health. With evidence from the r ecent European Health Literacy Survey, this report identifies practical and effective ways public health and other sector authorities and advocates can strengthen health literacy in a variety of settings, including educational settings, workplaces, marketplaces, health systems, new and traditional media and political arenas. ***

Thinking about post-transitional demographic regimes: A reflection

by Chris Wilson Demographic Research, Vol. 28, Article 46, pp. 1373-1388, Published 27 June 2013 18 pp. 388 kB: http://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol28/46/28-46.pdf For the last 70 years the concept of the demographic transition has provided a basis for understanding and predicting population trends in the developing world. However, a m ajority of the developing worlds population will soon be post-transitional - what will happen then? This paper attempts to outline where answers to this question might be found. It suggests that a valuable way to organise the study of these issues is the co ncept of the demographic regime. The paper concludes with a set of suggestions for f uture research on the topic.

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
The Lancet Global Health has launched
July 2013, Volume 1, Number 1, e1 - 54 http://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/issue/current The Lancet is delighted to announce the launch of The Lancet Global Health, their new open access journal. The Lancet has long been a HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 25

champion of global health research and their new online only journal follows this tradition by publishing high-quality original research, commentary, correspondence and blogs with direct relevance to practitioners and communities in low- and middle-income countries. ***

QUAMED Newsletter - June 2013

For those of you who are interested with the quality of medicines, the QUAMED June newsletter was just released and is available here: http://www.quamed.org/media/25574/nl3_inside.html Contents: Five new QUAMED partners A map of our activities New version of the online database Conference OFDA / QUAMED at Interaction, Washington DC Study on the quality of medicines in DRC 8th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health - Copenhagen Joint audit with the World Bank Publication Other news from the pharmaceutical world ***

South African Medical Journal - Vol. 103, No. 7

The July 2013 issue of the South African Medical Journal is available online (open access) at http://www.samj.org.za In this issue: The South African medico-legal landscape Evidence-based medicine boiling the frog? ENT matters HPV in the news again A tool for preventing trial co-enrolment Modern diabetes care ***

Bulletin of the World Health Organization Vol. 91, Nr. 7, July 2013
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/91/7/en/index.html Highlights from the July 2013 issue: Global health and the BRICS (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa) Maternal and child health in the post-2015 agenda Technology transfer for hearing aids Interview: transparency in clinical trials Patterns of development aid for health in Africa Getting iodized salt to children in India The global burden of congenital toxoplasmosis estimated Tobacco-control policies projected to avert millions of deaths *** HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 26

Newsletter of the World Federation of Public Health Associations

http://www.wfpha.org/online-newsletter/items/wfpha-newsletter-may-2013.html The May 2013 newsletter of the World Federation of Public Health Associations is now available online. The newsletter includes the following topics: News from the WFPHA e.g. Moving towards a stronger WFPHA: 47th WFPHA General Assembly Meeting on 19 May 2013 Output from 1st Arab World Conference on Public Health News from our Members e.g. New Members at WFPHA WFPHA Member's communication e.g. WFPHA Annual Report 2012 Members Newsletters WFPHA Committees & Working Groups e.g. News from the Membership Committee What's on? e.g. Public Seminar: Health in the Post 2015 Agenda Upcoming Events e.g. Global Conference on Health Promotion 2013 ***

Outreach to Specific Populations (OSP) Listserver

Outreach & Special Populations Branch, Division of Specialized Information Services, U.S. National Library of Medicine http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/outreach/osplistserv.html This free information system will provide health information professionals, librarians, a dvocates, healthcare professionals, students and others with an opportunity to share i nformation and discuss outreach to specific populations through quality information, capacity building and community engagement. This discussion forum will enable participants to stay informed about health information resources, services and programs tailored to specific populations, as well as connect with colleagues in the field and benefit from discussions that address best practices, challenges and gaps associated with health information outreach to specific populations.

INTERESTING WEB SITES

Foreign Aid in Nepal
http://portal.mof.gov.np/ This site provides public access to the Aid Management Platform (AMP), the online system that the Government and development partners use to manage aid in Nepal. Find out what development partners are working on and whats being achieved, read profiles of donors and sectors, use the interactive map to see exactly where projects and nearly 700 foreign aid programmes are located and how aid matches up with various develo pment indicators, and view in-depth reports. ***

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CONFERENCES
Call for abstracts: The Geneva Health Forum 2014
15-17 April, 2014 Geneva, Switzerland Global Health: Interconnected Challenges, Integrated Solutions 13 thematic tracks taking stock of the various topics covered since 2006 will guide the submission process and allow our diverse audience to contribute to shaping the programme. Questions have been added to each track description to provide hints on the various dimensions of integration: http://ghf.globalhealthforum.net/tracks/ At the Geneva Health Forum (GHF) we deliberately create mechanisms that allow practitioners / frontliners to participate and contribute to global health discussions. We have created an abstract submission path that caters to practitioners and is in a straightforward Q&A format. This complements the scientific submission path, which caters mainly to academia. It also allows for uploading of short audio visuals which sometimes are much more powerful than a long presentation. You will find all details on submissions on: http://ghf.globalhealthforum.net/submission/ Please note that a selected number of travel grants are offered to submitters from LICs (World Bank list: http://bit.ly/19h64u7) whose abstract will be accepted for an oral presentation. You are therefore urged to diffuse the information also to your partners in eligible countries. Deadline for submission: July 31st, 2013 More information about the Geneva Health Forum is available at: http://ghf.globalhealthforum.net/overview/ ***

Report on the First International Symposium on Self-Testing for HIV

Geneva, Switzerland, 8-9 April 2013 The Legal, Ethical, Gender, Human Rights and Public Health Implications of HIV SelfTesting Scale-Up World Health Organization, 2013 41 pp. 918 kB: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85267/1/9789241505628_eng.pdf The use of HIV rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for HIV self-testing (HIVST) allows individuals to screen for HIV infection in private, but does not provide a definitive diagnosis. Nevertheless, HIVST does have the potential for early identification of HIV infected ind ividuals in order to facilitate timely treatment initiation, and to augment the public health approach to HIV testing services in high prevalence countries. The aim of the meeting was to develop a consensus statement and to publish a framework and series of papers to catalyse and support policy change regarding HIVST.

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CARTOON

TIPS & TRICKS

Remembering those Passwords!
Passwords are designed to be difficult to break, so that only the right person (or a person determined enough) can access it. And this becomes more difficult as every programme, website and card seems to require its own password. Also, within the last six months, password requirements seems to have increased from a six-character string to an eight-character string. Its enough to make a guy want to tear his hair out! Ideally, a password should be a random string of eight to sixteen characters that will be easy for you to remember. It is not entirely clear how ANY random string is supposed to be easy to remember. One way to make a password LOOK random, though, is to place numbers, capital letters or symbols into the password. For instance, a completely lousy password that many non-computer people use as their password for just about anything is password. Though this is the first thing that any hacker or hacking programme tries. A NON-lousy version of the same thing that would be just as easy to remember is Pa$$w0rd. At a glance, this looks like a random string of letters and symbols, but the person who placed that as their password will know the key. You could also replace some of the letters with numbers, such as Pa55w0rd. Another trick, if you just want an alphabetical password, is what is called character shift. This means that, instead of using the letter, you use the key directly to its right. You cant use left, because there are no characters on the keys directly to the left of the q, a and z buttons. By doing this you also wind up with some characters in your pas sword if it contains p, l or m. So, using this method, password becomes {sddeptf. When it comes to adding numbers to your passwords, pick a date that is significant to you and use that. For instance, if your sons birthday is 27.12.89. So, for instance, if you were to use that as your significant date, and wanted to use both letters and numbers in a password, you might use the first three letters of your name (e.g. Donald) and your HESP-News & Notes - 14/2013 - page 29

sons birthday, Don271289. One thing that you DONT want to do, however, is to use the same password for everything. If you do that, then once someone figures out one password, they know all of them. So you would have to figure out a system by which you could create unique passwords as needed from this formula. For those of you with too many passwords and a short memory the computer may come to your rescue. There a several programmes to keep your passwords safe. One of the best and free one is Keepass. You can put all your passwords in one database, which is locked with one master key or a key file. So you only have to remember one single master password or select the key file to unlock the whole database. It is also available for mobile devices (iPad, Smartphone etc.) and can be synchronized between all of them. Best regards, Dieter Neuvians MD

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