The World Health Organization and Public Health Research and Practice in Tuberculosis in India

2012 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 341-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debabar Banerji

Two major research studies carried out in India fundamentally affected tuberculosis treatment practices worldwide. One study demonstrated that home treatment of the disease is as efficacious as sanatorium treatment. The other showed that BCG vaccination is of little protective value from a public health viewpoint. India had brought together an interdisciplinary team at the National Tuberculosis Institute (NTI) with a mandate to formulate a nationally applicable, socially acceptable, and epidemiologically sound National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP). Work at the NTI laid the foundation for developing an operational research approach to dealing with tuberculosis as a public health problem. The starting point for this was not operational research as enunciated by experts in this field; rather, the NTI achieved operational research by starting from the people. This approach was enthusiastically welcomed by the World Health Organization's Expert Committee on Tuberculosis of 1964. The NTP was designed to “sink or sail with the general health services of the country.” The program was dealt a major blow when, starting in 1967, a virtual hysteria was worked up to mobilize most of the health services for imposing birth control on the people. Another blow to the general health services occurred when the WHO joined the rich countries in instituting a number of vertical programs called “Global Initiatives.” An ill-conceived, ill-designed, and ill-managed Global Programme for Tuberculosis was one outcome. The WHO has shown rank public health incompetence in taking a very casual approach to operational research and has been downright quixotic in its thinking on controlling tuberculosis worldwide.

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i45-i46
Author(s):  
A Peletidi ◽  
R Kayyali

Abstract Introduction Obesity is one of the main cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.(1) In primary care, pharmacists are in a unique position to offer weight management (WM) interventions. Greece is the European country with the highest number of pharmacies (84.06 pharmacies per 100,000 citizens).(2) The UK was chosen as a reference country, because of the structured public health services offered, the local knowledge and because it was considered to be the closest country to Greece geographically, unlike Australia and Canada, where there is also evidence confirming the potential role of pharmacists in WM. Aim To design and evaluate a 10-week WM programme offered by trained pharmacists in Patras. Methods This WM programme was a step ahead of other interventions worldwide as apart from the usual measuring parameters (weight, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure (BP)) it also offered an AUDIT-C and Mediterranean diet score tests. Results In total,117 individuals participated. Of those, 97.4% (n=114), achieved the programme’s aim, losing at least 5% of their initial weight. The mean % of total weight loss (10th week) was 8.97% (SD2.65), and the t-test showed statistically significant results (P<0.001; 95% CI [8.48, 9.45]). The programme also helped participants to reduce their waist-to-height ratio, an early indicator of the CVD risk in both male (P=0.004) and female (P<0.001) participants. Additionally, it improved participants’ BP, AUDIT-C score and physical activity levels significantly (P<0.001). Conclusion The research is the first systematic effort in Greece to initiate and explore the potential role of pharmacists in public health. The successful results of this WM programme constitute a first step towards the structured incorporation of pharmacists in public’s health promotion. It proposed a model for effectively delivering public health services in Greece. This study adds to the evidence in relation to pharmacists’ CVD role in public health with outcomes that superseded other pharmacy-led WM programmes. It also provides the first evidence that Greek pharmacists have the potential to play an important role within primary healthcare and that after training they are able to provide public health services for both the public’s benefit and their clinical role enhancement. This primary evidence should support the Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association, to “fight” for their rights for an active role in primary care. In terms of limitations, it must be noted that the participants’ collected data were recorded by pharmacists, and the analysis therefore depended on the accuracy of the recorded data, in particular on the measurements or calculations obtained. Although the sample size was achieved, it can be argued that it is small for the generalisation of findings across Greece. Therefore, the WM programme should be offered in other Greek cities to identify if similar results can be replicated, so as to consolidate the contribution of pharmacists in promoting public health. Additionally, the study was limited as it did not include a control group. Despite the limitations, our findings provide a model for a pharmacy-led public health programme revolving around WM that can be used as a model for services in the future. References 1. Mendis S, Puska P, Norrving B, World Health Organization., World Heart Federation., World Stroke Organization. Global atlas on cardiovascular disease prevention and control [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization in collaboration with the World Heart Federation and the World Stroke Organization; 2011 [cited 2018 Jun 26]. 155 p. Available from: http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/publications/atlas_cvd/en/ 2. Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union. Pharmacy with you throughout life:PGEU Annual Report [Internet]. 2015. Available from: https://www.pgeu.eu/en/library/530:annual-report-2015.html


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
G Marchetti ◽  
M Simonelli ◽  
M G Dente ◽  
M Marceca ◽  
S Declich

Abstract Background The Universal Health Coverage (UHC) proposes that an ideal health system must be able to extend the health coverage to the whole population (universality), to guarantee all the necessary services (globality) and to do it without additional direct costs for the people (free of charge). The achievement of the UHC represents the target 3.8 of the Sustainable Developed Goals. The World Health Organization and the World Bank have developed an index to monitor the UHC (an algorithm that contains 16 indicators of essential health services), while for financial protection they rely on the incidence of catastrophic expenditure on health (percentage of families in which the living expenses for health without reimbursement exceed the10% of consumption). Objectives To strengthen the Italian operators' knowledge about the accessibility to health services in Italy and in countries around the world utilizing the UHC index and the incidence of catastrophic expenditure. Results The National Center for Global Health of the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) collected the documents and the data already produced and validated by the international scientific community. ISS in collaboration with the Department of Public Health and Infectious Disease of Sapienza University of Rome developed a workshop training program to bring the UHC concepts at national level in a simplified manner. This was developed in order to encourage a reflection and to strengthen the understanding of the complexity of the UHC. The framework and the program of the workshop will be presented during the conference. Conclusions Studying the UHC means focusing on the inequalities in health care. To increase the sensibility of professionals may be a resource to promote the health coverage for all in the national territory. Key messages Encouraging the discussion between professionals is possible to understand the complexity of the UHC. The achievement of the UHC may happen only through the improving of the knowledge about it.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denton Callander ◽  
Clarissa Moreira ◽  
Carol El-Hayek ◽  
Jason Asselin ◽  
Caroline van Gemert ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND New biomedical prevention interventions make the control or elimination of some blood-borne viruses (BBVs) and sexually transmissible infections (STIs) increasingly feasible. In response, the World Health Organization and governments around the world have established elimination targets and associated timelines. To monitor progress toward such targets, enhanced systems of data collection are required. This paper describes the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance (ACCESS). OBJECTIVE This study aims to establish a national surveillance network designed to monitor public health outcomes and evaluate the impact of strategies aimed at controlling BBVs and STIs. METHODS ACCESS is a sentinel surveillance system comprising health services (sexual health clinics, general practice clinics, drug and alcohol services, community-led testing services, and hospital outpatient clinics) and pathology laboratories in each of Australia’s 8 states and territories. Scoping was undertaken in each jurisdiction to identify sites that provide a significant volume of testing or management of BBVs or STIs or to see populations with particular risks for these infections (“priority populations”). Nationally, we identified 115 health services and 24 pathology laboratories as relevant to BBVs or STIs; purposive sampling was undertaken. As of March 2018, we had recruited 92.0% (104/113) of health services and 71% (17/24) of laboratories among those identified as relevant to ACCESS. ACCESS is based on the regular and automated extraction of deidentified patient data using specialized software called GRHANITE, which creates an anonymous unique identifier from patient details. This identifier allows anonymous linkage between and within participating sites, creating a national cohort to facilitate epidemiological monitoring and the evaluation of clinical and public health interventions. RESULTS Between 2009 and 2017, 1,171,658 individual patients attended a health service participating in ACCESS network comprising 7,992,241 consultations. Regarding those with unique BBV and STI-related health needs, ACCESS captured data on 366,441 young heterosexuals, 96,985 gay and bisexual men, and 21,598 people living with HIV. CONCLUSIONS ACCESS is a unique system with the ability to track efforts to control STIs and BBVs—including through the calculation of powerful epidemiological indicators—by identifying response gaps and facilitating the evaluation of programs and interventions. By anonymously linking patients between and within services and over time, ACCESS has exciting potential as a research and evaluation platform. Establishing a national health surveillance system requires close partnerships across the research, government, community, health, and technology sectors. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPOR DERR1-10.2196/11028


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1952 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 252-258

IN DECEMBER 1951 a general discussion of the significance of organized health services for school children was presented in this column, using certain specific health problems for illustration. Two recent reports, "Priorities in Health Services for Children of School Age" and "Report on the First Session of the Expert Committee on School Health Services, World Health Organization," were cited at that time. Both of these have material of considerable interest to practicing pediatricians and child health workers. The "Priorities" statement, published by a joint committee of the Children's Bureau, Public Health Service and Office of Education, presents the results of the deliberations of a group of consultants who met in Washington in the summer of 1949. The group included physicians, nurses, teachers and health educators. They addressed themelves particularly to the matter of assessing the factors which would determine what services should take precedence as a program gets under way, or when limited funds and facilities are available. At the very beginning this report points out that the phrase in the title—Health Services for Children of School Age—was chosen to emphasize the fact that such services stem from the community as a whole. Furthermore, "Parents have primary responsibility for the health of their children. Health service programs should be designed to assist parents in discharging this responsibility but not to assume it for them.


1957 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 539-540

The annual report of the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the year 1956 was a comprehensive account of the year's accomplishments, in which particular emphasis was laid on the eradication of certain communicable diseases, especially malaria, on WHO's role in the development of national health services and on the effect of the research stimulated, promoted or coordinated by WHO on the national health administrations. The report also referred to the responsibility of WHO in a new field of public health—the peaceful uses of atomic energy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  

Abstract The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for urgent action and global partnership in order to solve the worlds' most complex problems, arguing that we cannot have good health and wellbeing or reduce inequalities without solving the consequences that come with climate change, the necessity of need for quality education and the importance of responsible consumption and production. The public health (PH) arena touches all of these problems. According to the 10 Essential Public Health Operations (EPHO) defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), PH services are meant to deliver health protection, health promotion and disease prevention to populations. In order to do that, these EPHO, and particularly EPHO3, include climate change, green health services and sustainable development as important issues to take into account when identifying current and future weaknesses in health services and PH interventions, and inform the development of new policies, programs or projects to address them. This workshop aims to provide useful insight on the current climate change situation and its impact on the populations' health across the globe; the importance of the contribution of PH in the creation of green health services; what we can do on an individual level to contribute to the achievement of the SDG; and how PH policies, programs and projects can contribute to EPHO3 and the achievement of better and sustainable population health states. This workshop provides up-to-date knowledge on what is happening in the world regarding sustainability, green health services and climate change's health impacts, which practical measures every PH professional can implement in their daily lives to improve their individual carbon footprint and contribute to the achievement of the SDG, as well as examples of actual PH policies, programs and projects that are evidence-based and which health professionals can apply to their work in order to be more sustainable and contribute to the achievement of EPHO3. The workshop has a 'regular workshop' format with 90 minutes total. It is separated into 3 parts, each with a different speaker (15 minutes each, with a regular presentation type format): What is happening? World overview (Teresa Garcia)What can everyone do about it? The science behind creating a habit and sustainable individual choices that contribute to the SDG (Raquel Vareda)What can Public Health do about it? Relevant PH policies, programs and projects that are evidence-based and contribute to better PH and sustainable health systems (Juan Rachadell) Between presentations there will be a 5-minute break for Q&A. In the last 30 minutes, the participants will work in small groups to discuss PH projects in which they're currently/have been involved, and they'll be asked to choose or imagine a project and present a more sustainable way of creating and applying it. All projects will be shared and commented on by every group and by the trainers of the workshop. Key messages As an individual, you will learn practical actions that you can take in order to contribute to EPHO3 and the SDGs. As a PH professional, you will learn which projects, programs and policies are currently aiming for a more sustainable world.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 748-752
Author(s):  
Swapnali Khabade ◽  
Bharat Rathi ◽  
Renu Rathi

A novel, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causes severe acute respiratory syndrome and spread globally from Wuhan, China. In March 2020 the World Health Organization declared the SARS-Cov-2 virus as a COVID- 19, a global pandemic. This pandemic happened to be followed by some restrictions, and specially lockdown playing the leading role for the people to get disassociated with their personal and social schedules. And now the food is the most necessary thing to take care of. It seems the new challenge for the individual is self-isolation to maintain themselves on the health basis and fight against the pandemic situation by boosting their immunity. Food organised by proper diet may maintain the physical and mental health of the individual. Ayurveda aims to promote and preserve the health, strength and the longevity of the healthy person and to cure the disease by properly channelling with and without Ahara. In Ayurveda, diet (Ahara) is considered as one of the critical pillars of life, and Langhana plays an important role too. This article will review the relevance of dietetic approach described in Ayurveda with and without food (Asthavidhi visheshaytana & Lanhgan) during COVID-19 like a pandemic.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeya Sutha M

UNSTRUCTURED COVID-19, the disease caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a highly contagious disease. On January 30, 2020 the World Health Organization declared the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. As of July 25, 2020; 15,947,292 laboratory-confirmed and 642,814 deaths have been reported globally. India has reported 1,338,928 confirmed cases and 31,412 deaths till date. This paper presents different aspects of COVID-19, visualization of the spread of infection and presents the ARIMA model for forecasting the status of COVID-19 death cases in the next 50 days in order to take necessary precaution by the Government to save the people.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Robin ROOM ◽  
Jenny CISNEROS ÖRNBERG

This article proposes and discusses the text of a Framework Convention on Alcohol Control, which would serve public health and welfare interests. The history of alcohol’s omission from current drug treaties is briefly discussed. The paper spells out what should be covered in the treaty, using text adapted primarily from the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, but for the control of trade from the 1961 narcotic drugs treaty. While the draft provides for the treaty to be negotiated under the auspices of the World Health Organization, other auspices are possible. Excluding alcohol industry interests from the negotiation of the treaty is noted as an important precondition. The articles in the draft treaty and their purposes are briefly described, and the divergences from the tobacco treaty are described and justified. The text of the draft treaty is provided as Supplementary Material. Specification of concrete provisions in a draft convention points the way towards more effective global actions and agreements on alcohol control, whatever form they take.


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