Geographical variation and temporal trend in anemia among children 6-59 months of age in low- and middle-income countries during 2000-2018: forecasting the 2030 SDG target

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Md. Mehedi Hasan ◽  
Ricardo J Soares Magalhaes ◽  
Saifuddin Ahmed ◽  
Sonia Pervin ◽  
Md. Tariqujjaman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Credible Interval ◽  
World Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Severe Problem ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Geographical Variations ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract Objective: To examine geographical variations, trends, and projections in the prevalence of childhood anemia at national and subpopulation levels. Design: Repeated cross-sectional Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted during 2000-2018. Setting: 53 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) Participants: 776,689 children aged 6-59 months of age. Results: During the latest DHS rounds between 2005-2018, the prevalence of child anemia was >20% in 52 out of 53 countries and ranged from 15.9% in Armenia in 2016 to 87.8% in Burkina Faso in 2010. Out of 36 countries with at least two surveys during 2000-2018, the prevalence of child anemia decreased in 22 countries, highest in Zimbabwe (−4.2%) and increased in 14 countries, highest in Burundi (5.0%). Based on the trend, 11 and 22 out of 36 countries are projected to experience respectively moderate and severe public health problem according to the World Health Organization criteria (moderate problem: 20-39.9% and severe problem: ≥40%) due to child anemia in 2030, with the highest prevalence in Liberia (87.5%, 95% Credible Interval 52.0-98.8%). The prevalence of child anemia varied across the mother’s education and age, child sex, wealth quintiles, and place of residence, with the highest rate of child anemia among the poorest, rural, and low-educated mothers. These scenarios are projected to continue. The probability of reducing child anemia at <0.5% by 2030 is 0% for all study countries. Conclusions: The prevalence of child anemia varied between and within countries. None of the 36 LMICs is likely to eradicate child anemia by 2030.

scholarly journals Tobacco Control in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Changing the Present to Help the Future

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 187-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bethany Hipple Walters ◽  
Ionela Petrea ◽  
Harry Lando
Keyword(s):  
World Health Organization ◽  
World Health ◽  
Second Hand Smoke ◽  
Vulnerable Children ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The Past ◽  
Second Hand Smoke Exposure ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Low And Middle Income

While the global smoking rate has dropped in the past 30 years (from 41.2% of men in 1980 to 31.1% in 2012 and from 10.6% of women in 1980 to 6.2% in 2012), the number of tobacco smokers has increased due to population growth (Ng et al., 2014). This tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure continue to harm people worldwide. Those harmed are often vulnerable: children, those living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), those with existing diseases, etc. As noted by the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 80% of those who smoke live in a LMIC (World Health Organization, 2017). Furthermore, it is often those who are more socio-economically disadvantaged or less educated in LMICs that are exposed to second-hand smoke at home and work (Nazar, Lee, Arora, & Millett, 2015).

scholarly journals A Symptom-based COVID-19 Diagnostic Tool in case of Limited Testing Facilities

2020 ◽  
pp. 71-75
Author(s):  
Raiiq Ridwan ◽  
Md Robed Amin ◽  
Md Ridwanur Rahman
Keyword(s):  
World Health ◽  
Atypical Pneumonia ◽  
New Disease ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Transmission Of Disease ◽  
Limited Testing ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Since December 2019, when a cluster of atypical pneumonia cases were identified in Wuhan, China a new disease has spread across the world. COVID-19 has since become the biggest pandemic in a century, touching lives in almost every country in the world. At the outset of COVID-19, the World Health Organization advised for testing to become a priority so that patients with COVID-19 could be quickly identified, isolated and treated to interrupt transmission of disease. However, testing shortages have been an increasing problem in low and middle income countries. Even when tests are available, it has proved time-consuming. Therefore, we propose a symptom-based tool to assist in the diagnosis of COVID-19 management in low and middle income Countries. It is based on the symptoms that have so far been described in the literature and advises the frontline healthcare worker on how to diagnose the likelihood of having COVID-19 and separate the patient into Red (very likely), Yellow (possible) and Green (unlikely) categories. J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2020; 38(0): 71-75

scholarly journals Collaboration between traditional healers and psychiatrists in Sudan

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 71-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. A. Sorketti ◽  
N. Z. Zuraida ◽  
M. H. Habil
Keyword(s):  
World Health Organization ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Belief System ◽  
Psychosocial Problems ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
World Health ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Low And Middle Income

The importance of traditional healing in low- and middle-income countries cannot be under estimated. It is generally perceived as part of the prevailing belief system and traditional healers are often seen as the primary agents for psychosocial problems in these countries; estimates of their service share range from 45% to 60% (World Health Organization, 1992). The World Health Organization (2000) estimated that 80% of people living in rural areas in low- and middle-income countries depend on traditional medicine for their health needs.

scholarly journals Bringing Preventive RSV Monoclonal Antibodies to Infants in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Challenges and Opportunities

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 961
Author(s):  
Jintanat Ananworanich ◽  
Penny M. Heaton
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
World Health ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in infants. Most deaths occur in infants under 3 months old, and those living in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). There are no maternal or infant RSV vaccines currently approved. An RSV monoclonal antibody (mAb) could fill the gap until vaccines are available. It could also be used when a vaccine is not given, or when there is insufficient time to vaccinate and generate an antibody response. The only currently approved RSV mAb, palivizumab, is too costly and needs monthly administration, which is not possible in LMICs. It is imperative that a safe, effective, and affordable mAb to prevent severe RSV LRTI be developed for infants in LMICs. Next generation, half-life extended mAbs in clinical development, such as nirsevimab, show promise in protecting infants against RSV LRTI. Given that a single dose could cover an entire 5-month season, there is an opportunity to make RSV mAbs affordable for LMICs by investing in improvements in manufacturing efficiency. The challenges of using RSV mAbs in LMICs are the complexities of integrating them into existing healthcare delivery programs and surveillance systems, both of which are needed to define seasonal patterns, and monitor for escape mutants. Collaboration with key stakeholders such as the World Health Organization and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, will be essential for achieving this goal.

scholarly journals Cervical cancer screening – The challenges of complete pathways of care in low-income countries: Focus on Malawi

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 174550652091480
Author(s):  
Heather A Cubie ◽  
Christine Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
Human Papillomavirus ◽  
World Health ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Low Resource ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Pathways Of Care ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally, with approximately 580,000 new diagnoses in 2018. Approximately, 90% of deaths from this disease occur in low- and middle-income countries, especially in areas of high HIV prevalence, and largely due to limited prevention and screening opportunities and scarce treatment options. In this overview, we describe the opportunities and challenges faced in many low- and middle-income countries in delivery of cervical cancer detection, treatment and complete pathways of care. In particular, drawing on our experience and that of colleagues, we describe cervical screening and pathways of care provision in Malawi, as a case study of a low-resource country with high incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer. Screening methods such as cytology – although widely used in high-income countries – have limited relevance in many low-resource settings. The World Health Organization recommends screening using human papillomavirus testing wherever possible; however, although human papillomavirus primary testing is more sensitive and detects precancers and cancers earlier than cytology, there are currently costs, infrastructure considerations and specificity issues that limit its use in low- and middle-income countries. The World Health Organization accepts the alternative screening approach of visual inspection with acetic acid as part of ‘screen and treat’ programmes as a simple and inexpensive test that can be undertaken by trained health workers and hence give wider screening coverage; however, subjectivity and variability in interpretation of findings between providers raise issues of false positives and overtreatment. Cryotherapy using either nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide is an established treatment for precancerous lesions within ‘screen and treat’ programmes; more recently, thermal ablation has been recognized as suitable to low-resource settings due to lightweight equipment, short treatment times, and hand-held battery-operated and solar-powered models. For larger lesions and cancers, complete clinical pathways (including loop excision, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and palliative care) are required for optimal care of women. However, provision of each of these components of cancer control is often limited due to limited infrastructure and lack of trained personnel. Hence, global initiatives to reduce cervical mortality need to adopt a holistic approach to health systems strengthening.

scholarly journals Enablers and Barriers of Zinc Fortification; Experience from 10 Low- and Middle-Income Countries with Mandatory Large-Scale Food Fortification

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 2051
Author(s):  
Ann Tarini ◽  
Mari S. Manger ◽  
Kenneth H. Brown ◽  
Mduduzi N. N. Mbuya ◽  
Laura A. Rowe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zinc Deficiency ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Child Growth ◽  
World Health ◽  
Food Fortification ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Zinc Fortification ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Adequate zinc nutrition is important for child growth, neurodevelopment, immune function, and normal pregnancy outcomes. Seventeen percent of the global population is estimated to be at risk for inadequate zinc intake. However, zinc is not included in the fortification standards of several low- and middle-income countries with mandatory fortification programs, despite data suggesting a zinc deficiency public health problem. To guide policy decisions, we investigated the factors enabling and impeding the inclusion of zinc as a fortificant by conducting in-depth interviews with 17 key informants from 10 countries. Findings revealed the decision to include zinc was influenced by guidance from international development partners and enabled by the assessment of zinc deficiency, mandatory regional food fortification standards which included zinc, the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for zinc fortification, and the low cost of zinc compound commonly used. Barriers included the absence of zinc from regional fortification standards, limited available data on the efficacy and effectiveness of zinc fortification, and the absence of national objectives related to the prevention of zinc deficiency. To promote zinc fortification there is a need to put the prevention of zinc deficiency higher on the international nutrition agenda and to promote large-scale food fortification as a key deficiency mitigation strategy.

scholarly journals An open-source molecular diagnostic platform approach for outbreak and epidemic preparedness

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Devy M. Emperador ◽  
Laura T. Mazzola ◽  
Cassandra Kelly-Cirino
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Business Model ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
World Health ◽  
Molecular Diagnostic ◽  
Outbreak Response ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Background: Diagnostic development for outbreak pathogens has typically followed a disease-specific reactive rather than proactive response. Given the diversity of outbreak pathogens, particularly those prioritised by the World Health Organization Research and Development Blueprint, a more flexible and proactive approach to epidemic preparedness is needed to expand access to critical molecular diagnostic tests in peripheral and resource-constrained deployment settings.Objective: New and more sustainable directives are needed to spur the development of high-quality products, particularly for epidemics more often found in low- and middle-income countries. To leverage and de-risk the development process, we present the benefits and challenges of an open-source business model for co-development of molecular diagnostic tests for decentralised settings.Methods: We identify key outbreak pathogens that are available only for testing in high infrastructure laboratories and compare in-country installed base platforms that could be leveraged for menu expansion. Key strengths and challenges for development are highlighted for both platform and assay developers, with discussion of how to leverage and de-risk the process through an open-source development model.Results: Depending on the specific partner strengths, options for partnership roles are presented. The proposed open-source business model addresses the particular challenges in the detection of outbreak- and epidemic-prone pathogens in low- and middle-income countries, reduces development and deployment risks to support outbreak response, strengthens diagnostic capacity and creates a viable market for product developers.Conclusion: We hope this model for a collaborative and open-source approach for molecular diagnostics serves to encourage stakeholders to consider co-development partnerships to improve outbreak preparedness and epidemic/pandemic response.

scholarly journals Recruitment of consultant psychiatrists from low- and middle-income countries

2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (6) ◽  
pp. 15-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Ndetei ◽  
Salman Karim ◽  
Malik Mubbashar
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Fellowship Programme ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Rich Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

The UK's 2-year International Fellowship Programme for consultant doctors has inadvertently highlighted the long-standing issues of the costs and benefits of such recruitment for the countries of origin, and of whether it is ethical for rich countries to recruit health personnel not only from other rich countries but also from low- and middle-income countries. The ‘brain drain’ from poor to rich countries has been recognised for decades; it occurs in the health sector as well as other sectors, such as education, science and engineering. It has had serious ramifications for the health service infrastructure in low-income countries, where poverty, morbidity, disability and mortality are increasing rather than decreasing, and it is a matter of serious concern for both the World Health Organization and the International Monetary Fund (Carrington & Detragiache, 1998; Lee, 2003).

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