Health Systems News and Research

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African health care systems: what went wrong?

The last century witnessed unparalleled improvements in the health indicators of many countries in the African Region, particularly reductions in child mortality.

8 Dec 2004

New technologies boost immunisation rates, safety

As global health leaders struggle to meet the United Nations goal of reducing mortality among the world's poorest children, vaccines are attracting more and more attention. The purchase of the vaccine is just the beginning, however, as the effectiveness of a vaccine is only as good as its delivery system.

6 Dec 2004

More than 11 million children in developing countries die every year from preventable illness

More than 11 million children in developing countries die every year from preventable illness, while as many as 500 000 women don't survive during pregnancy or childbirth. More than 39 million people are living with HIV/AIDS and the epidemic is growing.

4 Dec 2004

Direct cash payments to poor families improves the takeup of antenatal and infant health services

Results of a study from Honduras in this week’s issue of THE LANCET show how direct cash payments from government to poor families improves the takeup of antenatal and infant health services.

4 Dec 2004

Rimonabant could be safer for treating obesity than previous weight-loss drugs

ECRI, a nonprofit health services research agency, recently published a Health Technology Forecast profile on a novel pharmaceutical agent that is in development for the treatment of obesity.

30 Nov 2004

4 million extra health workers needed worldwide

Authors of a public-health article in this week’s issue of THE LANCET are calling for urgent international action to address the chronic lack of investment in human resources which is limiting the chance of tackling diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB.

29 Nov 2004

Shortages of health workers threaten health initiatives

A new study has for the first time quantified the dangerous scarcity of health care workers around the globe, ensuring future failures of most developing country health initiatives without the effective addition of 4 million health workers to stave off catastrophic health, economic and political consequences.

24 Nov 2004

Effective research could prevent half of the world's deaths

Health systems research has the potential to produce dramatic improvements in health worldwide and to meet some of the major development challenges in the new millennium.

11 Nov 2004

Geriatricians call for creative and wide-reaching solutions to end-of-life care for patients with dementia

Three University of Chicago geriatricians are calling for creative and wide-reaching solutions to the problem of sub-optimal end-of-life care for patients with dementia.

14 Oct 2004

Study shows how people with severe and persistent mental illnesses live their everyday lives

A study by two Indiana University Bloomington professors in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation is beginning to suggest how people with severe and persistent mental illnesses live their everyday lives.

13 Oct 2004

SARS survivor to share his personal and professional experience of SARS

A Hong Kong SARS survivor who helped lead the territory's response to the disease from his hospital bed will be sharing his personal and professional experience of SARS at an international conference in Wellington next month.

13 Oct 2004

Contrary to popular belief, epidemics do not occur spontaneously after a natural disaster

The belief that dead bodies pose a serious health threat often leads authorities to take misguided action, such as mass burials, which can add to the burden of suffering already experienced by survivors. This theme arose Thursday following reports that the death count in Haiti due to flooding from Tropical Storm Jeanne has now climbed above 1,013.

26 Sep 2004

Drug shortages are having major negative effects on patient care and hospital costs

A study to be published in the October 1, 2004, issue of the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy finds that ongoing drug shortages are having far-ranging, negative effects on patient care and hospital costs.

26 Sep 2004

PAHO aids relief efforts in Caribbean

Disaster experts from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are working with other international and local agencies to carry out relief efforts in nine Caribbean countries affected by hurricanes and tropical storms

23 Sep 2004

Liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver and other diseases related to hepatitis B infection will continue to increase

Liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver and other diseases related to hepatitis B infection will continue to kill people in the prime of life and burden health systems with chronically sick people unless childhood immunization against hepatitis B is stepped up

20 Sep 2004

WHO urges Member States to act now to avoid a major HIV/AIDS epidemic

Dr Shigeru Omi, World Health Organization Regional Director for the Western Pacific, has warned of the danger of HIV "bridging" into the general population from infected individuals with high-risk behaviour unless countries and areas in the Region act now to avoid a major HIV/AIDS epidemic.

16 Sep 2004

Experts discuss antibiotic resistance, tuberculosis, malaria, vaccines, maternal mortality, childhood diseases and health sector reform

New challenges ahead and the unfinished agenda in public health in the Americas" will be the focus of joint efforts by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

14 Sep 2004

Premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose at about five times the rate of inflation

Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums increased an average of 11.2% in 2004 -- less than last year’s 13.9% increase, but still the fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth, according to the 2004 Annual Employer Health Benefits Survey released by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust (HRET).

12 Sep 2004

More than one billion people will be over 60 years old by 2025

To help tackle the public health implications of ageing, the World Health Organization today launched Towards Age-Friendly Primary Health Care, new general principles that will serve as guidelines for community-based Primary Health Care (PHC) centres.

6 Sep 2004

Many low-income countries are unlikely to reach the health targets set for 2015

Many low-income countries are unlikely to reach the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) health targets set for 2015; the main reasons for this are fragile health systems and insufficient investments in understanding how to strengthen them, suggest authors of a Public Health article in this week’s issue of THE LANCET.

2 Sep 2004