A platform for the international exchange of ideas: the Israel Journal of Health Policy Research celebrates its first decade

For ten years the Israel Journal of Health Policy Research has provided a platform for exchange of knowledge and insights on health policy. It is a unique attempt by scholars and practitioners in one small country to share their knowledge with the world and, in turn to learn from experience elsewhere. Never has this role been as important as during the COVID pandemic, a message that is very clear when we look at failings elsewhere.

Twenty Months Into the Pandemic: No SARS-CoV-2 Infections Among Health Care Workers Managing COVID-19 Cases in Bhutan

There is no international reporting of SARS-CoV-2 infections in health care workers (HCWs). Estimates suggest that a HCW dies every thirty minutes from COVID-19. This worsened the shortages and burnout of HCWs worldwide. Twenty months into the pandemic, Bhutan recorded over 2600 COVID-19 positive cases and three deaths. About 906 HCWs were directly involved in managing these laboratory confirmed cases but no infections occured amongst this group. This zero infection was possible through the clustered management of positive cases in four national COVID-19 centers, strategic deployment of HCWs, the uninterrupted provision of quality personal protectiPPE and repeated training on the correct use of PPE. This is an exemplary achievement for a small country with limited expertise and resources.

Mental health legislation in Luxembourg, a small country in Western Europe

The article provides a brief overview of the legislation governing involuntary admissions to psychiatric hospitals in Luxembourg. The legislation was completely overhauled in 2009 and several human rights principles are enshrined into it. Emphasis is placed on voluntary, community-based treatment, and where compulsory treatment is required, it uses the least restrictive treatment option. Mentally ill offenders are dealt with through separate specialist legislation. Young people under the age of 18 are often detained using family law.

Investigation of Spatial and Temporal Variability of Hydrological Drought in Slovenia Using the Standardised Streamflow Index (SSI)

Drought is a complex phenomenon with high spatial and temporal variability. Water scarcity has become a growing problem in Slovenia in recent decades. Therefore, the spatial and temporal variability of hydrological drought was investigated in this study by analysing the Standardized Streamflow Index (SSI). Monthly discharge data series from 46 gauging stations for the period 1961–2016 were used to calculate SSI values at five different time scales (1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months). The results indicate that the frequency and intensity of droughts in Slovenia has increased in recent decades at most of the analysed gauging stations and at all time scales considered. Spring and summer periods were identified as critical in terms of water deficit. SSI values vary independently from the location of the gauging station, confirming that drought is a regional phenomenon, even in a small country such as Slovenia. However, SSI values vary considerably depending on the time scale chosen. This was also confirmed by the results of the hierarchical clustering of the number of extreme droughts, as various time scales resulted in a different distribution of gauging stations by individual groups.

Design and Development of Isolating Pods to Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus or Other Viruses for Hospital and Domestic Purposes

Objectives: This project investigated into the design and construction of an isolation pod to keep infected people in quarantine, thus avoiding the spread of viruses such as the COVID-19. This product was made to be used in hospitals and at homes. Background: Mauritius is among the few countries, which has not had any cases of COVID-19 since for since May 2020 for a period of 150 days. It has opened its borders since October 2020, and since Mauritius being a small country, the spread of any type of virus can be imminent if not controlled properly. In case there is another spread of the COVID-19 in Mauritius, then the isolation pod could be used to keep infected people in quarantine. The aims of the study were to develop a prototype of an isolation cubicle that is collapsible and can be easily erected at homes or in hospitals, whenever the need arises. Methods: A prototype of the pod was made with metal bars welded together and tarpaulin materials were sewn together. A HEPA Fan Extractor was fitted inside the pod to allow the air to circulate. Results: the tests carried out the pod could easily be assembled, transported and stored for further usage. From the volunteers’ feedback, it was found that the pod was comfortable, spacious, and practical. The air monitoring tests carried on the carbon dioxide, temperature, and relative humidity were within the acceptable ranges.

Chinese utopia: Its evolution, poetic anchorage and modern transformation

The major forms of Chinese utopia include “the Land of Bliss”, the Taoist “small country with few inhabitants”, the Confucian “Great Unity”, Tao Yuanming’s “Peach Blossom Spring”, Kang Youwei’s “World of Great Unity” and its modern variations. Chinese utopia has evolved from reactive poetic retreat to active political remolding. It has developed from pastness to nowness in terms of temporal orientation, and from “nowhere” to “somewhere” and then to hereness in terms of spatial orientation. Chinese utopia has strong poetic anchorage, which is determined by the Heaven-Earth-man unity. Through the mechanism of texperience shift, Chinese utopia in the modern context is often transformed into a usable cultural or spiritual icon, or national political vision, policies, blueprints and concrete social practice. A comprehensive insight into the Chinese utopian tradition helps to understand the utopian-poetic-political entanglement in China.