Health, Education, Social Protection News & Notes 24/2009

Health, Education, Social Protection
News & Notes 24/2009

A bi-weekly newsletter supported by GTZ
(Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit)
14 November 2009
You can download back issues (2005 - 2009) of this newsletter at: http://hiv-prg.org/en/newsletters
Table of Contents:
NEWS FROM THE GERMAN BACKUP INITIATIVE .......... 4

German BACKUP Initiative Newsletter Issue No. 9, November 2009 .................................... 4
BOOKS ................................................................................ 4
Diseases of Children in the Subtropics and Tropics ............................................................... 4
Because I am a Girl: The State of the World's Girls 2009....................................................... 4
Malnutrition in Infants and Young Children in Latin America and the Caribbean: Achieving
the Millennium-Development Goals ........................................................................................ 5
Digital Medicine - Health Care in the Internet Era................................................................... 5
African Statistical Yearbook - Annuaire Statistique pour l'Afrique, 2009 ................................ 5
Sustainable Urbanization in the Information Age .................................................................... 6
ONLINE PUBLICATIONS .................................................... 6

HIV - AIDS - STI ........................................................................................................... 6
Critical Choices in Financing the Response to the Global HIV/AIDS Pandemic .................... 6
Punishing Success? - Early Signs of a Retreat from Commitment to HIV / AIDS Care and
Treatment ................................................................................................................................ 6
Twenty-Five Years of HIV: Lessons for Low Prevalence Scenarios....................................... 7
The Columbia University Handbook on HIV and AIDS ........................................................... 7
Achieving Universal Access - the UK’s strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV
in the developing world............................................................................................................ 7
New Paradigms of First-Line HIV Therapy: Determining When (and With What) to Start...... 8
Improving the coverage of the PMTCT programme through a participatory quality
improvement intervention in South Africa ............................................................................... 8
Journal of the International AIDS Society: Special theme on HIV and disability .................... 8
Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV in PMTCT and Care and Treatment
Programs ................................................................................................................................. 8
Secret Lovers Kill: A National Mass Media Campaign to Address Multiple and Concurrent
Partnerships ............................................................................................................................ 9
Reporting Manual on HIV/AIDS .............................................................................................. 9
Sexual & Reproductive Health ................................................................................... 10
UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting ........................... 10
From Inception to Large Scale: The Geração Biz Programme in Mozambique ................... 10
Sexual & Reproductive Health and HIV ................................................................................ 10
Talking about sex: Using youth language in sexuality education ......................................... 11
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Toolkit for Humanitarian Settings .................. 11
Reproductive Health in Refugee Situations .......................................................................... 11
A Journalist's Guide to Sexual and Reproductive Health in East Africa ............................... 11
Maternal & Child Health ............................................................................................. 12
Women and Health: Today’s Evidence Tomorrow’s Agenda................................................ 12
Tracking Progress on Child and Maternal Nutrition: A Survival and Development Priority .. 12
Child Well-Being in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: A Multidimensional Approach ......... 12
HESP-News & Notes - 24/2009 - page 1

Child Well-Being at a Crossroads: Evolving challenges in Central and Eastern Europe and
the Commonwealth of Independent States ........................................................................... 13
Global action plan for prevention and control of pneumonia (GAPP) ................................... 13
Development and Implementation of a National Programme for the Management of Severe
and Very Severe Pneumonia in Children in Malawi.............................................................. 13
Impact Monitoring of the National Scale Up of Zinc Treatment for Childhood Diarrhea in
Bangladesh: Repeat Ecologic Surveys ................................................................................. 14
Feeling the Heat: Child Survival in a Changing Climate ....................................................... 14
Malaria........................................................................................................................ 14
Artemether-Lumefantrine versus Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine for Falciparum Malaria: A
Longitudinal, Randomized Trial in Young Ugandan Children ............................................... 14
Possible Interruption of Malaria Transmission, Highland Kenya, 2007-2008 ....................... 15
Two treatments, one disease: childhood malaria management in Tanga, Tanzania............ 15
Tuberculosis ............................................................................................................... 15
Adherence to isoniazid prophylaxis among HIV-infected children: a randomized controlled
trial comparing two dosing schedules ................................................................................... 15
New Policies, New Technologies: Modelling the Potential for Improved Smear Microscopy
Services in Malawi................................................................................................................. 16
Other Infectious Diseases .......................................................................................... 16
Turning Neglected Tropical Diseases into Forgotten Maladies ............................................ 16
Clinical and laboratory features that distinguish dengue from other febrile illnesses in
endemic populations ............................................................................................................. 16
Essential Medicines.................................................................................................... 17
Partnering For Global Health ................................................................................................ 17
Intellectual Property Rights and Access to ARV Medicines: Civil Society Resistance in the
Global South.......................................................................................................................... 17
Impact of the EU-Andean Trade Agreements on Access to Medicines in Peru ................... 17
Social Security............................................................................................................ 18
Implementing Cash-Based Interventions .............................................................................. 18
Unveiling Social Safety Nets ................................................................................................. 18
DFID Social Transfers Evaluation Summary Report............................................................. 18
Can Microfinance Reduce Economic Insecurity and Poverty? By How Much and How? .... 18
Scaling Up Global Social Health Protection: Prerequisite Reforms to the International
Monetary Fund ...................................................................................................................... 19
Human Resources...................................................................................................... 19
Quest for Quality: Interventions to Improve Human Resources for Health among Faith-
Based Organisations ............................................................................................................. 19
Changing roles and responses of health care workers in HIV treatment and care............... 20
The role of community health workers in improving child health programmes in Mali.......... 20
Policies and Incentives for Health Worker Retention in East and Southern Africa: Learning
from Country Research ......................................................................................................... 20
Health Systems & Research ...................................................................................... 21
Performance Based Financing for Health: Lessons from sub-Saharan Africa ..................... 21
How health systems in sub-Saharan Africa can benefit from tuberculosis and other
infectious disease programmes ............................................................................................ 21
How AIDS Funding Strengthens Health Systems ................................................................. 21
Japan: Health System Review .............................................................................................. 22
Achieving Higher Performance: Enhancing Spending Efficiency in Health and Education in
Mexico ................................................................................................................................... 22
Components of a strong health information system.............................................................. 22
Information & Communication Technology ................................................................ 23
HealthDev.net: A user guide for innovative social networking on HIV and TB ..................... 23
Cell Phone Application Enables Efficient Data Collection in Remote Areas......................... 23
Remote sensing for natural disasters.................................................................................... 23
South Asian Disaster Knowledge Network (SADKN) Portal Guidelines Report, South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Disaster Management Centre................... 23
Explaining International IT Application Leadership: Health IT .............................................. 24
Education ................................................................................................................... 24
Biological Sciences & HIV and AIDS .................................................................................... 24
Out in School: Talking about sexual orientation and challenging homophobia .................... 24
Global Synthesis of the Findings of UNESS Documents on Education................................ 25

Review of Contexts and Structures for Education for Sustainable Development 2009 ........ 25
Open Educational Resources: Conversations in Cyberspace .............................................. 25
The Challenges of Free Primary Education in Ethiopia ........................................................ 26
Last in Line, Last in School 2009 .......................................................................................... 26
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Standards for Schools in Low-cost Settings ....................... 26
Harm Reduction and Drug Use .................................................................................. 27
Out of harm’s way - German support for countries reducing the harm of injecting drug use
and HIV.................................................................................................................................. 27
Millennium Development Goals.................................................................................. 27
Achieving the health Millennium Development Goals for South Africa: challenges and
priorities ................................................................................................................................. 27
Millennium Development Goals: 2009 Progress Chart ......................................................... 27
Asia Water Watch 2015......................................................................................................... 28
Development Assistance............................................................................................ 28
Euromapping 2009 - Mapping European Development Aid & Population Assistance ......... 28
The Future of Global Health: Ingredients for a Bold & Effective U.S. Initiative..................... 28
Aid Orphans: Whose Responsibility?.................................................................................... 29
The Missing Piece of the Puzzle? The Institutional Importance of CSOs in the Development
Effectiveness Agenda............................................................................................................ 29
Others......................................................................................................................... 29
Road Safety - Call for action ................................................................................................. 29
RESIST - Resisting Extortion and Solicitation in International Transactions ........................ 30
South African Statistics, 2009 ............................................................................................... 30
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES ............................................ 30

German Medical Science - Online Portal .............................................................................. 30
Bulletin of the World Health Organization (BLT) ................................................................... 30
INTERESTING WEB SITES .............................................. 31

OneLove Regional Campaign ............................................................................................... 31
Knowledge for Health (K4Health).......................................................................................... 31
CONFERENCES................................................................ 31
ENGAGEMENT WELTWEIT 2009 - Commitment to one world ........................................... 31
1st World Conference on the Development of Universal Social Security Systems .............. 32
The Guide to Community Involvement in AIDS 2010 ........................................................... 32
CARTOON ......................................................................... 32
Essen auf Rädern - Meals on Wheels................................................................................... 32
TIPS & TRICKS ................................................................. 33

No to All ................................................................................................................................. 33
Calendar & Notepad.............................................................................................................. 33
What is a blog?...................................................................................................................... 33
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 GTZ or the editor of HESP-News & Notes.
While we make every effort to ensure that all facts and figures quoted by authors are accurate, GTZ 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.

NEWS FROM THE GERMAN BACKUP INITIATIVE
http://www.gtz.de/backup-initiative
German BACKUP Initiative Newsletter Issue No. 9, November 2009
Quarterly news on developments within the German BACKUP Initiative
5 pp. 65 kB:
http://www.gtz.de/de/dokumente/gtz200911-en-backup-news.pdf
The German BACKUP Initiative is a sector programme funded by the German Federal
Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ). Since 2002, BACKUP
supports partner countries worldwide to take more advantage of funding opportunities
provided by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. While BACKUP
initially focused on Global Fund proposal development, it has increasingly shifted its
work towards grant implementation support to a large number of government and civil
society partners. The BACKUP Newsletter offers you a regular update on developments
within the German BACKUP Initiative.
BOOKS
Diseases of Children in the Subtropics and Tropics
Fourth Edition, 1991
by Paget Stanfield, Martin Brueton, Michael Chan et al.

The Global Text Project, funded by the Jacobs Foundation, Zürich, Swit-
zerland, 2008
1092 pp. 28.4 MB(!):

http://globaltext.terry.uga.edu/userfiles/pdf/Diseases%20of%20Children.pdf
As in earlier editions, the textbook seeks to provide paediatricians with an up-to-date re-
view of the diseases of children encountered in the tropics, together with their diagnosis
and treatment, with particular reference to the practical management of difficult prob-
lems facing the busy doctor. The publication is geared to the training of medical stu-
dents as well as offering a resource for general practitioners, primary health centre doc-
tors, paediatricians and those responsible for the planning and administration of mater-
nal and child health services in the developing world.
***
Because I am a Girl: The State of the World's Girls 2009

Girls in the Global Economy: Adding It All Up
by Jonathan Blagbourgh, Ruth Pearson, Marilyn Thomson et al.

Plan International, 2009; ISBN: 978-0-9550479-8-5
306 pp. 4.6 MB:

http://plan-
international.org/files/global/publications/campaigns/BIAAG%202009%205MBx.pdf
“Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the current economic crisis. We

need to ensure that the energy, skills, strength, values and wisdom of women become
an integral part of the re-modelled economic infrastructures now being developed by
global leaders. Empowering and investing in girls and young women is part of a global
solution for us all, now and in the future”. (Graça Machel)
***
Malnutrition in Infants and Young Children in Latin America and the Carib-
bean: Achieving the Millennium-Development Goals
by Chessa K. Lutter, Camila M. Chaparro, Ramon Martinez et al.

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), 2008
ISBN 978-92-75-12928-9
234 pp. 7.2 MB:

http://new.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_docman&task=do
c_download&gid=1204&Itemid=139
Maternal and child malnutrition contributes to more than one-third of child deaths and
more than 10% of the total global disease burden. Of the nutrition-related factors for
child death, stunting, severe wasting and intrauterine growth restriction constitute the
largest risk factor. Therefore, reducing growth retardation in infants and young children
is essential to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to child sur-
vival (MDG 4) as well as the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger (MDG 1).
***
Digital Medicine - Health Care in the Internet Era
by Darrell M. West and Edward Alan Miller

Brookings Institution Press 2009, 192 pp. ISBN 978-0-8157-0276-4,
Price US$ 34.95
Download sample chapter (18 pp. 107 kB): CHAPTER ONE: The E-
Health Revolution
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/Press/Books/2009/digitalmedicin
e/digitalmedicine_chapter.pdf
Information technology has dramatically changed the way we live our lives in areas
ranging from commerce and entertainment to voting. Now, policy advocates and gov-
ernment officials hope to bring the benefits of information technology to health care. Yet
despite this growth in activity, the promise of "e-health" remains largely unfulfilled.
***
African Statistical Yearbook - Annuaire Statistique pour l'Afrique, 2009
African Development Bank Group, African Union, Economic Commission

for Africa, 2009
389 pp. 4.2 MB:

http://www.africa-
union.org/root/UA/Annonces/African%20Statistical%20Yearbook%202009%20-
%2000.%20Full%20Volume.pdf
The 2009 African Statistical Yearbook, the first issue of a series, is a result of joint ef-

forts by major African regional organizations to set up a joint data collection mechanism
of socioeconomic data on African countries as well as the development of a common
harmonized database. It is expected that the joint collection and sharing of data be-
tween regional institutions will promote wider use of country data, reduce costs and sig-
nificantly improve the quality of the data and lead to better monitoring of development
initiatives on the continent.
***
Sustainable Urbanization in the Information Age
Edited by Aliye P. Celik, Roxana Zyman and Rafat Mahdi

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2009
188 pp. 2.1 MB:

http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/gaid/unpan036083.pdf
This book summarizes the presentations and discussions held during the “Forum on
Sustainable Urbanization in the Information Age” which took place in May 2008 in New
York City. The Forum condensed the views of various sectors, disciplines and munici-
palities from both developed and developing countries on how we might best engage
the challenges and opportunities of sustainable urbanization, including economic, social,
ethical and technical goals.
ONLINE PUBLICATIONS
HIV - AIDS - STI
Critical Choices in Financing the Response to the Global HIV/AIDS

Pandemic
by Robert Hecht, Lori Bollinger, John Stover et al.

Health Affairs, 28, No. 6 (2009): 1591-1605
15 pp. 155 kB:

http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/reprint/28/6/1591.pdf
Modelling carried out for the AIDS 2031 project suggests that funding required for de-
veloping countries to address the pandemic could reach US$ 35 billion annually by 2031
- three times the current level. However, wise policy choices focusing on high-impact
prevention and efficient treatment could cut costs by half. Investments in new prevention
tools and major behavior-change efforts are needed to spur more rapid advances.
***
Punishing Success? - Early Signs of a Retreat from Commitment to HIV /

AIDS Care and Treatment
Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines, Médecins Sans Fron-

tières, November 2009
15 pp. 711 kB:

http://www.msfaccess.org/fileadmin/user_upload/diseases/hiv-
aids/11-05-REPORT_PunishingSuccess_A4_FINAL.pdf

Rather than looking for ways to leverage and replicate the success of the AIDS public
health revolution to improve global health, there are increasing calls for a diversion of
foreign aid away from HIV/AIDS and towards other health priorities. While there is
clearly a need to give urgent and additional resources to an array of global health priori-
ties, not least maternal and child health, cutting HIV/AIDS funding is not the answer.
***
Twenty-Five Years of HIV: Lessons for Low Prevalence Scenarios
by Sharif Sawires, Nina Birnbaum, Laith Abu-Raddad et al.

Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (JAIDS): July 2009, Volume 51, pp.
S75-S82
http://journals.lww.com/jaids/Fulltext/2009/07013/Twenty_Five_Years_of_HIV__
Lessons_for_Low.2.aspx
During the initial quarter century since the discovery of HIV, international response has
focused on high prevalence scenarios and concentrated epidemics. While examples of
rapid HIV diffusion in once low prevalence scenarios exist, emergence of generalized
epidemics are less likely for much of the world. This paper reviews several key issues
and advances in biomedical and behavioural HIV prevention to date and highlights rele-
vance to low prevalence scenarios.
***
The Columbia University Handbook on HIV and AIDS
by Laura Pinsky and Paul Harding Douglas

Columbia University, September 2009
116 pp. 3.0 MB:

http://www.health.columbia.edu/pdfs/AIDS_HIV_Handbook.pdf
The HIV/AIDS handbook is intended for those at risk of HIV infection and people cur-
rently living with the virus. Some of the material was previously published as “The Es-
sential AIDS Fact Book” and “The Essential AIDS Treatment Fact Book” by Laura Pin-
sky and Paul Harding Douglas.
***
Achieving Universal Access - the UK’s strategy for halting and reversing
the spread of HIV in the developing world
A 2008 Baseline
Department for International Development (DFID), 2009
49 pp. 2.6 MB:

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/lib.nsf/db900sid/SNAA-7WGAPM/$file/Achieving-
Universal-AccessA-2008-Baseline.pdf?openelement
This report provides a snapshot of the AIDS epidemic globally in mid-2008 and a sound
basis for implementation of the Strategy as DFID enters the crucial year of 2010; it
makes clear the scale of the challenge ahead, the importance of meeting commitments,
even in the current economic climate, and the urgent need for a focus on prevention as
the only sustainable response to the epidemic.

New Paradigms of First-Line HIV Therapy: Determining When (and With
What) to Start
A Podcast Discussion with Eric Daar & Trevor Hawkins

The Body PRO, 11 November 2009
Read discussion online at:

http://www.thebodypro.com/content/art54342.html?ts=pf
Selecting an initial antiretroviral regimen for an HIV-infected patient may seem easier
than it has ever been, but it has often been said that the management of HIV/AIDS is
more of an art than a science. Although it may be tempting to simply prescribe a single
pill and be done with it, there are many factors to take into consideration when choosing
antiretroviral therapy, from co-infections and underlying diseases to the potential com-
plications of adherence and HIV drug resistance.
***
Improving the coverage of the PMTCT programme through a participatory

quality improvement intervention in South Africa
by Tanya Doherty, Mickey Chopra, Duduzile Nsibande et al.

BMC Public Health 2009, 9:406 (5 November 2009)
30 pp. 169 kB:

http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2458-9-406.pdf
Despite several years of implementation, prevention of mother-to-child transmission

(PMTCT) programmes in many resource poor settings are failing to reach the majority of
HIV positive women. The authors report on a data driven participatory quality improve-
ment intervention implemented in a high HIV prevalence district in South Africa. It is es-
timated that these improvements in coverage could avert 580 new infant infections per
year in this district.
***
Journal of the International AIDS Society: Special theme on HIV and

disability
Journal of the International AIDS Society 2009, 2:1
(9 November 2009)
http://www.jiasociety.org/home
The field of HIV and disability remains largely overlooked. The Journal of the Interna-
tional AIDS Society is publishing, for the first time, a thematic section consisting of a
number of papers on HIV and disability to provide readers with an update of develop-
ments in the field.
***
Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV in PMTCT and Care and
Treatment Programs
Comprehensive Peer Educator Training Curriculum and Implementation
Manual
by Wafaa El-Sadr, David Hoos, Robin Flam et al.

International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP), 2009

Comprehensive Peer Educator Training Curriculum: Trainer Manual
398 pp. 20.3 MB (!):
http://www.columbia-icap.org/resources/peresources/Trainer%20Manual/TM%20Complete%20060309.doc
Comprehensive Peer Educator Training Curriculum: Participant Manual

294 pp. 12.2 MB (!):
http://www.columbia-icap.org/resources/peresources/Participant%20Manual/PM%20Complete%20062409.doc
To better support People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and their families, to have greater in-
volvement of people living with AIDS (GIPA) and to tackle the human resource demands
of HIV care by task-shifting, ICAP, along with Ministries of Health and other local part-
ners, developed innovative peer education programs in numerous countries. For each
program, ICAP designed country-specific training curricula, implementation plans and
technical support structures.
***
Secret Lovers Kill: A National Mass Media Campaign to Address Multiple

and Concurrent Partnerships
by Aldo Spina
AIDS Support and Technical Assistance Resources Project, September 2009
13 pp. 348 kB:

http://www.aidstar-one.com/sites/default/files/AIDSTAR-
One_Case_Study_Makhwapheni_Uyabulala.pdf
Translated as “Secret Lovers Kill”, Makhwapheni Uyabulala was Swaziland’s first na-
tional media campaign to focus on the HIV risk of multiple and concurrent sexual part-
nerships (MCP). The campaign promoted HIV prevention in the country with world’s
highest HIV prevalence by broadcasting a powerful message that resonated with the
public and encouraged behaviour change.
***
Reporting Manual on HIV/AIDS
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, July 2009
87 pp. 929 kB:

http://www.kff.org/hivaids/upload/7124-06.pdf
This guide offers a wealth of information on HIV reporting for journalists. It starts with the
basics of HIV/AIDS reporting and explains the challenges, sensitivities and importance
of quality reporting in this field. There are generous lists of additional resources, as well
as a comprehensive glossary; a timeline of the history of HIV; answers to frequently
asked questions; an explanation of terms used in antiretroviral therapy and details on
commonly-used drugs. The last two chapters focus on tuberculosis and malaria, and
elaborate on the interconnectedness of these diseases with HIV/AIDS.
***

Sexual & Reproductive Health
UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Chil-

dren’s Fund (UNICEF), December 2008
32 pp. 696 kB:

https://www.unfpa.org/webdav/site/global/shared/documents/pu
blications/2009/unfpa_unicef_fgmc_report.pdf
The goal of the Joint Programme is to contribute to the accelerated abandonment of fe-
male genital mutilation/cutting in 17 countries in Africa by creating a rapid shift in social
norms. This annual report documents achievements, challenges and expenditures in the
programme’s first year, and presents recommendations for moving forward. A
companion brochure (2 pp. 3.0 MB) provides background information about the issue
and the joint programme.
***
From Inception to Large Scale: The Geração Biz Programme in Mozam-

bique
by Gwyn Hainsworth, Ivone Zilhão, Rita Badiani et al.

World Health Organization and Pathfinder International, November 2009
52 pp. 4.2 MB:

http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241598347_eng.pdf
This case study describes how the Government of Mozambique has

scaled up its successful youth HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health pro-
gramme to a national level. Geared toward developing country governments and NGOs,
the case study provides a technical overview of the multi-sectoral programme and its in-
terventions, a detailed description of the scale up process and lessons learned, as well
as overall programme achievements.
***
Sexual & Reproductive Health and HIV

Linkages: Evidence Review and Recommendations
by Caitlin Kennedy, Alicen Spaulding, Gail Kennedy et al.

WHO/HIV, UNFPA, IPPF-HIV, UNAIDS, UCSF, 2009
8 pp. 664 kB:

http://www.hivandsrh.org/newsletter/WHO_HIV_2009_eng.pdf
The importance of linking sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV is widely rec-
ognized. In order to gain a clearer understanding of the effectiveness, optimal circum-
stances, and best practices for strengthening SRH and HIV linkages, a systematic re-
view of the literature was conducted. The findings corroborate the many benefits gained
from linking SRH and HIV policies, systems and services.
***

Talking about sex: Using youth language in sexuality education
by Chi-Chi Undie, Joanna Crichton & Eliya Zulu

Exchange No. 3, 2007 - Royal Tropical Institute (KIT)
3 pp. 93 kB:
http://www.kit.nl/net/KIT_Publicaties_output/ShowFile2.aspx?e=1357
This article explains that language shapes the way people think about life and, there-
fore, influences actions. It proposes that analysing the metaphors young people use
while talking about sex can provide valuable insights into the ways in which youth un-
derstand sex, sexual behaviour, and sexual relationships. These insights may have un-
tapped potential for enhancing the effectiveness of sexuality education interventions.
***
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Toolkit for Humanitarian Set-

tings
by Brad Kerner, Cecile Mazzacurati, Jennifer Kim et al.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Save the Children, USA,
September 2009
92 pp. 3.0 MB:

http://unfpa.org/webdav/site/global/shared/documents/publicatio
ns/2009/adol_toolkit_humanitarian.pdf
This Toolkit is intended to guide humanitarian programme managers and healthcare

providers to ensure that sexual and reproductive health interventions put into place both
during and after a crisis are responsive to the unique needs of adolescents. It is a com-
panion to the Inter-Agency Field Manual on “Reproductive Health in Refugee Situations”
(see below).
***
Reproductive Health in Refugee Situations

An Inter-agency Field Manual
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 1999
143 pp. 782 kB:

http://www.iawg.net/resources/iawg_Field%20Manual_1999.pdf
The purpose of the manual is to serve as a tool to facilitate decision-making in the plan-
ning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of reproductive health (RH) interven-
tions in refugee and refugee-like situations. It serves to guide field staff in introducing
and strengthening RH interventions in refugee situations which are based on the refu-
gees’ needs and demands and with full respect for their beliefs and values.
***
A Journalist's Guide to Sexual and Reproductive Health in East Africa
by Deborah Mesce, Lori Ashford and Victoria Ebin

Population Reference Bureau (PRB), 2009
46 pp. 1.2 MB:
http://www.prb.org/pdf09/eastafricamedia.pdf

This PRB media guide brings together the latest available data on sexual and reproduc-
tive health for five East African countries - Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and
Uganda - to help journalists educate the public and policymakers on these issues.
Maternal & Child Health
Women and Health: Today’s Evidence Tomorrow’s Agenda
Editors: Carla AbouZahr, Isabelle de Zoysa and Claudia García Moreno

World Health Organization, 2009; ISBN 978 92 4 156385 7
108 pp. 3.2 MB:

http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241563857_eng.pdf
Despite considerable progress in the past decades, societies continue to fail to meet the
health care needs of women at key moments of their lives, particularly in their adoles-
cent years and in older age. The report provides the latest and most comprehensive
evidence available to date on women’s specific needs and health challenges over their
entire life-course.
***
Tracking Progress on Child and Maternal Nutrition: A Survival and Devel-

opment Priority
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), November 2009

ISBN: 978-92-806-4482-1
124 pp. 4.3 MB:

http://www.unicef.org/media/files/Tracking_Progress_on_Child_a
nd_Maternal_Nutrition_EN_110309.pdf
Approximately 200 million children under the age of five in the developing world suffer
from stunted growth as a result of chronic maternal and childhood under-nutrition.
Stunted growth is a consequence of longer-term poor nutrition in early childhood. Stunt-
ing is associated with developmental problems and is often impossible to correct. The
good news is that reducing and even eliminating under-nutrition is entirely feasible.
***
Child Well-Being in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: A Multidimensional

Approach
by Leonardo Menchini, Sheila Marnie and LucaTiberti

UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, October 2009
58 pp. 542 kB:

http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/iwp_2009_20_final.pdf
After two decades of transition the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the
Commonwealth of Independent States face an increasingly diverse mix of old and new
policy challenges to improving child well-being and realizing children’s rights. This paper
proposes a simplified approach which examines five different dimensions of child well-
being separately, using several indicators for each dimension which allow cross-country
comparison.

Child Well-Being at a Crossroads: Evolving challenges in Central and
Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States
Innocenti Social Monitor 2009
by Leonardo Menchini, Sheila Marnie, Luca Tiberti et al.

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), September 2009; ISBN: 978-
88-89129-90-6
156 pp. 2.4 MB:

http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/ism_2009.pdf
This study examines the evolving and diverging challenges for the well-being of children
after two decades of transition. Following a long period of sustained economic growth
and gradual improvements in living standards, the global economic crisis is now threat-
ening to reverse some of the recent positive achievements and plunge households and
children into another phase of uncertainty.
***
Global action plan for prevention and control of pneumonia (GAPP)
World Health Organization (WHO) / The United Nations Children’s Fund

(UNICEF), November 2009
23 pp. 672 kB:

http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2009/WHO_FCH_CAH_NCH_09.04_eng.pdf
Pneumonia kills 1.8 million children under five years of age every year, more than any
other illness, in every region of the world. In spite of its huge toll, relatively few global re-
sources are dedicated to tackling this child killer. In response to this situation the GAPP
is to increase awareness of pneumonia as a major cause of child death and spur action
to deal more effectively with the problem.
***
Development and Implementation of a National Programme for the Man-

agement of Severe and Very Severe Pneumonia in Children in Malawi
by Penelope Marjorie Enarson, Robert Gie, Donald A. Enarson, Charles Mwansambo

PLoS Med 6(11): e1000137 (10 November 2009)
4 pp. 84 kB:
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/fetchObjectAttachment.action;jsessionid=A1D1F0CA2BCA3896DBD
2DD0D08933A9F?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000137&representation=PDF
The authors describe the development, scale-up, and achievements of a national

pneumonia program in Malawi, which is based on successful anti-tuberculosis service
delivery model. Although it has not been possible to compare this approach, which has
a substantial vertical component, with a locally integrated approach, the experience in
Malawi suggests that this model could help the world achieve Millennium Development
Goal 4.
***

Impact Monitoring of the National Scale Up of Zinc Treatment for Child-
hood Diarrhea in Bangladesh: Repeat Ecologic Surveys
by Charles P. Larson, Unnati Rani Saha, Hazera Nazrul

PLoS Med 6(11): e1000175 (3 November 2009)
10 pp. 858 kB:

http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/fetchObjectAttachment.action;jsessionid=A992D35E32FA67CA65C4
94D3937952B1?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000175&representation=PDF
Zinc treatment of childhood diarrhea has the potential to save 400,000 under-five lives
per year in lesser developed countries. The aim of this study was to monitor the impact
of the first national campaign to scale up zinc treatment of childhood diarrhea in Bang-
ladesh. The authors find that 23 months into a national campaign to scale up zinc treat-
ment for diarrhea only 10% of children with diarrhea in rural areas and 20%-25% in ur-
ban/municipal areas were getting the treatment.
***
Feeling the Heat: Child Survival in a Changing Climate
by Lydia Baker
International Save the Children Alliance, 2009
31 pp. 560 kB:

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/lib.nsf/db900sid/AMMF-
7XGUUB/$file/sc-nov2009.pdf?openelement
Climate change is the biggest global health threat to children in the 21st century. With-
out concerted action, millions of children will be at increased risk from disease, under-
nutrition, water scarcity, disasters, and the collapse of public services and infrastructure.
No one will be immune to the effects of climate change, but one of the largest groups to
be affected will be children under the age of five. It is vital that governments and the
public understand what is at stake.
Malaria
Artemether-Lumefantrine versus Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine for Falci-

parum Malaria: A Longitudinal, Randomized Trial in Young Ugandan Chil-
dren
Emmanuel Arinaitwe, Taylor G. Sandison, Humphrey Wanzira et al.

Clinical Infectious Diseases 2009;49:1629-1637 (1 December 2009)
9 pp. 398 kB:

http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/647946
Artemisinin-based combination therapies are now widely recommended as first-line

treatment for uncomplicated malaria. However, which therapies are optimal is a matter
of debate. The authors aimed to compare the short- and longer-term efficacy of 2 lead-
ing therapies in a cohort of young Ugandan children. They conclude that artemether-
lumefantrine and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine were both efficacious and had similar
long-term effects on the risk of recurrent malaria.
***

Possible Interruption of Malaria Transmission, Highland Kenya, 2007-2008
by Chandy C. John, Melissa A. Riedesel, Ng’wena G. Magak et al.

Emerg Infect Dis, December 2009; [Epub ahead of print]
16 pp. 934 kB:

http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/15/12/pdfs/09-0627.pdf
Highland areas where malaria transmission is unstable are targets for malaria elimina-
tion because transmission decreases to low levels during the dry season. The authors
show that in such areas, interruption and eventual elimination of malaria transmission
may be achievable with widespread annual indoor residual spraying of households and
artemisinin combination therapy.
***
Two treatments, one disease: childhood malaria management in Tanga,

Tanzania
by Deshka Foster and Stacie Vilendrer

Malaria Journal 2009, 8:240 (27 October 2009)
26 pp. 141 kB:

http://www.malariajournal.com/content/pdf/1475-2875-8-240.pdf
In the Tanga District of coastal Tanzania, malaria is one of the primary causes of mortal-
ity for children under the age of five. While some children are treated with malaria medi-
cations in biomedical facilities others receive home-care or treatment from traditional
healers. Recognition of malaria is difficult because symptoms can range from the fever
with uncomplicated malaria to convulsions with severe malaria. This study explores why
caregivers in the district pursue particular courses of action to deal with malaria in their
children.
Tuberculosis
Adherence to isoniazid prophylaxis among HIV-infected children: a ran-

domized controlled trial comparing two dosing schedules
by Stanzi M le Roux, Mark F Cotton, Jonathan E Golub et al.

BMC Medicine 2009, 7:67 (3 November 2009)
37 pp. 253 kB:

http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1741-7015-7-67.pdf
Tuberculosis contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality among HIV-infected

children in sub-Saharan Africa. Isoniazid prophylaxis can reduce tuberculosis incidence
in this population. The authors investigated adherence to isoniazid prophylaxis adminis-
tered daily, compared to three times a week, and predictors of adherence amongst HIV-
infected children. They conclude that intermittent dosing of isoniazid prophylaxis can be
considered as an alternative to daily dosing, without compromising adherence or effi-
cacy.
***

New Policies, New Technologies: Modelling the Potential for Improved
Smear Microscopy Services in Malawi
by Andrew Ramsay, Luis E. Cuevas, Catherine J. F. Mundy et al.

PLoS ONE 4(11): e7760 (10 November 2009)
7 pp. 94 kB:
http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchObjectAttachment.action;jsessionid=2DDCB9B64C281D8A4BC
20253FC1F20C0?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0007760&representation=PDF
The study’s objective was to quantify the likely impact of recent WHO policy recommen-
dations regarding smear microscopy and the introduction of appropriate low-cost fluo-
rescence microscopy on case detection and laboratory workload. The authors conclude
that combined implementation of the new WHO recommendations and LED-based fluo-
rescence microscopy could result in substantial increases in smear positive case-
detection using existing human resources and minimal additional equipment.
Other Infectious Diseases
Turning Neglected Tropical Diseases into Forgotten Maladies
by Philip Musgrove and Peter J. Hotez

Health Affairs, 28, no. 6 (2009): 1691-1706
16 pp. 152 kB:

http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/reprint/28/6/1691.pdf
Because they afflict mostly poor people in poor countries, killing relatively few compared
to the many who suffer from severe chronic disabilities, a large cluster of infections de-
serve the label of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Several NTDs could be controlled
or even eliminated within a decade, using integrated, highly cost-effective mass drug
administration programs together with nondrug interventions. Research is needed to
provide additional means of control for these conditions and make elimination feasible
for still others.
***
Clinical and laboratory features that distinguish dengue from other febrile
illnesses in endemic populations
by James A. Potts and Alan L. Rothman

Tropical Medicine & International Health, Vol. 13, Issue 11, pp. 1328-1340 (18 Septem-
ber 2008)
13 pp. 123 kB:

http://download.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-
bin/fulltext?ID=121412078&PLACEBO=IE.pdf&mode=pdf
Clinicians in resource-poor countries need to identify patients with dengue using readily-
available data. The objective of this systematic review was to identify clinical and labora-
tory features that differentiate dengue fever (DF) and/or dengue haemorrhagic fever
(DHF) from other febrile illnesses (OFI) in dengue-endemic populations.

Essential Medicines
Partnering For Global Health
by Lisa M. Jarvis
Chemical & Engineering News, Vol. 87, Nr. 45, November 9,
2009, pp. 16-22
Read online at: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/87/8745cover.html
Drug companies and nonprofits are taking novel approaches to refill the pipeline of new
drugs and vaccines for neglected diseases. As this partnership model evolves, more
companies appear ready to take on an active role in researching treatments that will
probably never make a profit. But rapid growth in the drug and vaccine pipeline is over-
shadowed by questions about who is going to pay for the expensive late-stage clinical
trials, registration, manufacturing, and distribution of products with no profits.
***
Intellectual Property Rights and Access to ARV Medicines: Civil Society

Resistance in the Global South
Brazil, Colombia, China, India, Thailand
by Grace Keeney, Francisco Viegas Neves da Silva and Marcela Vieira

Brazilian Interdisciplinary AIDS Association - ABIA, July 2009; ISBN 978-
85-88684-33-1
164 pp. 2.1 MB:

http://www.abiaids.org.br/_img/media/Intellectual_Property_internet.pdf
This publication looks at the recent history and the many struggles related to advocacy
for access to antiretroviral medicines. Through the experiences of five middle-income
countries it presents the perspective of local civil society organisations about the na-
tional impact of intellectual property protection and access to medications. These five
countries were chosen due to their accumulated experience in this field, their capacity to
produce generic medication, their activist efforts, and the exchange of ideas and infor-
mation that already exists between them.
***
Impact of the EU-Andean Trade Agreements on Access to Medicines in

Peru
by Miguel Ernesto Cortes Gamba, Edson Meza Cornejo, Iván Rodríguez

Bernate
Health Action International (HAI) Europe, October 2009
43 pp. 466 kB:

http://www.haiweb.org/11112009/ReportIFARMAImpactStudyPeru(EN).pdf
The study evaluates the potential impact on access to medicines in Peru from the intel-
lectual property measures proposed by the European Union (EU) as part of the trade
agreement being negotiated between the EU and some Andean countries. It specifically
assesses the impact of increasing the effective duration of pharmaceutical patents and
test data protection, as proposed by the EU in February 2009.

Social Security
Implementing Cash-Based Interventions

A Guideline for Aid Workers
Action Contre la Faim (ACF), 2009
216 pp. 2.3 MB:

http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/sites/default/files/resources/
publications/ACF-Cash-Based-Intervention-Guidelines_1.pdf
This ‘Action Against Hunger’ report is a compilation of case studies and

lessons learned from cash-based interventions by ACF and other
NGOs. Presented as a guide to implementing such interventions, this detailed document
covers both theory and practice.
***
Unveiling Social Safety Nets
by Ugo Gentilini and StevenWere Omamo

World Food Programme, November 2009
28 pp. 827 kB:

http://www.wfp.org/sites/default/files/OP20%20-
%20Unveiling%20Social%20Safety%20Nets%20-%20English.pdf
Interest in safety nets and social protection is growing exponentially. This is encouraging
and may help to shed light on some long-standing humanitarian and development chal-
lenges. The concept remains controversial, however, and several issues must be clari-
fied. This paper delineates core areas of tension, and lays out key issues underpinning
them at the analytical, policy, institutional and implementation level.
***
DFID Social Transfers Evaluation Summary Report
by Armando Barrientos, Mark Davies, Stephen Devereux et al.

Institute of Development Studies (IDS) Research Reports 60, September
2009;
36 pp. 224 kB:

http://www.ids.ac.uk/download.cfm?file=rr60.pdf
Over the past few years the Department for International Development (DFID) has in-
creased its efforts to promote social transfers and social protection. The outcomes and
impacts of social transfers and social protection schemes and DFID-influencing activities
vary greatly relative to the unique conditions that were applied in specific contexts. What
has worked well in one context may work very differently under a different set of condi-
tions in another context.
***
Can Microfinance Reduce Economic Insecurity and Poverty? By How Much

and How?
by Nazrul Islam

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, October 2009
22 pp. 336 kB:

http://www.microfinancegateway.org/gm/document-1.9.40597/04.pdf
The paper suggests that, rather than through its narrow, direct financial impact, microfi-
nance may prove to be more potent in reducing insecurity and poverty through its indi-
rect, broader impact conducing to a more egalitarian initial endowment distribution that
is necessary for the “take-off” of an equitable growth process.
***
Scaling Up Global Social Health Protection: Prerequisite Reforms to the In-

ternational Monetary Fund
by Gorik Ooms and Rachel Hammonds

International Journal of Health Services, Vol. 39, Nr. 4, pp. 795-801, 2009
7 pp. 56 kB:
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~chri3110/details/Ooms%2039_4.pdf
Historically, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) fiscal austerity programs have
weakened the potential for redistribution both within poor countries and between rich
and poor countries. The current development paradigm’s focus on "sustainability" is an
obstacle to developing systems of global social protection and an impediment to future
progress. Reforming IMF policy conditionality and democratizing the IMF’s decision-
making processes will be necessary for offsetting growing inequalities in health financ-
ing among poor nations.
Human Resources
Quest for Quality: Interventions to Improve Human Resources for Health

among Faith-Based Organisations
Editors Marjolein Dieleman and Thea Hilhorst

Cordaid and Royal Tropical Institute, February 2009; ISBN 978-90-
73726-67-3
116 pp. 2.5 MB:

http://www.cordaidpartners.com/uploads/documents/332/original/
Cordaid-Quest-for-Quality.pdf
The human resources for health crisis is hitting faith-based Organisations (FBOs) in Af-
rica particularly hard. FBOs run a large number of facilities and are responsible for a
considerable part of health care provision, particularly in underserved areas. To keep
their facilities running, FBOs have to identify creative ways of recruiting, retaining and
motivating their staff. This publication describes and discusses some examples of the
rich experiences of FBOs with interventions around human resources for health.
***

Changing roles and responses of health care workers in HIV treatment and
care
by Divya Rajaraman and Natasha Palmer

Tropical Medicine & International Health, Vol. 13, Issue 11, pp. 1357-
1363 (11 November 2008)
7 pp. 122 kB:

http://download.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-
bin/fulltext?ID=121514152&PLACEBO=IE.pdf&mode=pdf
A key limiting factor in the scale up and sustainability of HIV care and treatment pro-
grammes is the global shortage of trained health care workers. This paper discusses
why it is important to move beyond conceptualising health care workers simply as 'in-
puts' in the delivery of HIV treatment and care, and to also consider their roles as part-
ners and agents in the process of health care.
***
The role of community health workers in improving child health pro-

grammes in Mali
by Freddy Perez, Hamady Ba, Sayed G Dastagire and Mathias Altmann

BMC International Health and Human Rights 2009, 9:28 (10 November 2009)
35 pp. 270 kB:

http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1472-698x-9-28.pdf
In rural settings, the promotion of household and community health practices through
community health workers (CHWs) is among the key strategies to improve child health.
Continuous training, transport means, adequate supervision and motivation of CHWs
through the introduction of financial incentives and remuneration are among key factors
to improve the work of CHWs in rural communities. Poor performance of basic house-
hold health practices can be related to irregular supply of drugs and the need of appro-
priate follow-up by CHWs.
***
Policies and Incentives for Health Worker Retention in East and Southern
Africa: Learning from Country Research
by Scholastika Iipinge, Yoswa M Dambisya, Rene Loewenson et al.

Regional Network for Equity in Health in East and Southern Africa
(EQUINET) and the East, Central and Southern African Health Com-
munity (ECSA-HC),October 2009
29 pp. 220 kB:

http://www.equinetafrica.org/bibl/docs/DISS78HRHRET09.pdf
This paper presents a summary of the regional programme on incentives for health
worker retention in East and Southern Africa. The studies sought to investigate the
causes of migration of health professionals, the strategies used to retain health profes-
sionals, how they are being implemented, monitored and evaluated, as well as their im-
pact, to make recommendations to enhance the monitoring, evaluation and manage-
ment of non-financial incentives for health worker retention.

Health Systems & Research
Performance Based Financing for Health: Lessons from sub-Saharan Af-

rica
by Jurien Toonen, Ann Canavan, Petra Vergeer and Riko Elovainio

Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) in collaboration with WHO and Cordaid, May 2009
57 pp. 645 kB:

http://www.cordaidpartners.com/uploads/documents/419/original/KIT_PBF_Synth
esis_Report_Final_June_2009.pdf
This is a synthesis report exploring the lessons learned on the design, implementation
and effects of using financial incentives, in the form of performance based financing
(PBF) within the health sector. PBF projects were supported in Tanzania, Zambia, Bu-
rundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The report presents a meta-analysis of the
study findings in areas such as enhanced health worker motivation and its contribution
in increased health service productivity and quality of health care.
***
How health systems in sub-Saharan Africa can benefit from tuberculosis

and other infectious disease programmes
by A. D. Harries, P. M. Jensen, R. Zachariah et al.

Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 13(10):1194-1199 (2009)
6 pp. 234 kB:

http://fieldresearch.msf.org/msf/bitstream/10144/85113/1/Health%20systems%20
Benefit%20TB%20Programs%20IJTLD%20Harries.pdf
Weak and dysfunctional health systems in low-income countries, particularly in sub-

Saharan Africa, are recognised as major obstacles to attaining the health-related Mil-
lennium Development Goals by 2015. The paper illustrates how TB control and other in-
fectious disease programmes can help to strengthen human resources; infrastructure;
procurement and distribution; monitoring, evaluation and supervision; leadership and
stewardship.
***
How AIDS Funding Strengthens Health Systems

Progress in Pharmaceutical Management
by Martha Embrey, David Hoos, Jonathan Quick

Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, Vol. 52, November 2009
Read online (4 pp.) at:

http://journals.lww.com/jaids/Fulltext/2009/11011/How_AIDS_Funding_Strengthens_He
alth_Systems_.11.aspx
Progress toward universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support will
continue the push to strengthen pharmaceutical sectors that serve not only HIV-related
needs but all health needs; health experts can likely take these achievements further to
maximize their expansion into the wider health system. Many HIV-related efforts and in-
novations in procurement and supply chain management have already illustrated their
wide applicability to other health programs.

Japan: Health System Review
Health Systems in Transition Vol. 11 No. 5 2009
by Kozo Tatara, Etsuji Okamoto, Sara Allin et al.

The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies - World Health
Organization Regional Office for Europe, 2009
179 pp. 1.7 MB:

http://www.euro.who.int/Document/E92927.pdf
Japan’s health system provides universal coverage of the population through health in-
surance system for employees and their families (60% of the population) and National
Health Insurance (NHI) system for the self-employed, retired and unemployed (40%).
Population health in Japan is among the best in the world, with the longest life expec-
tancy and lowest infant mortality.
***
Achieving Higher Performance: Enhancing Spending Efficiency in Health

and Education in Mexico
By Cyrille Schwellnus
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Economics Department
Working Paper No. 732, November 2009
42 pp. 1.6 MB:

http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2009doc.nsf/LinkTo/NT00006C86/$FILE/JT03273387.PDF
Despite progress over the past two decades Mexico’s health and education indicators
remain well below the average of the OECD and some of its Latin American emerging
market peers. Health insurance coverage is incomplete, especially for low-income fami-
lies, and access to health services is highly uneven. In education, lower secondary
schools enrol only two thirds of the relevant age group and the quality of education is
low. Recent health and education reforms have started to address these issues, but
more needs to be done.
***
Components of a strong health information system

A guide to the Health Metrics Network Framework
World Health Organization, Health Metrics Network (HMN), 2009
4 pp. 860 kB:

http://www.who.int/healthmetrics/tools/componentsofastronghis.pdf
The “Components of a Strong Health Information System” (HIS) describes the inputs,
processes, and outputs laid out in the HMN Framework and briefly explains the six key
components of a country HIS. The benefits of a well-developed system include the abil-
ity to monitor impact of health programs, better quality information, and more efficient
delivery of health care services. With sound data sources and best practices for data
collection, transforming data into evidence becomes a reality.
***

Information & Communication Technology
HealthDev.net: A user guide for innovative social networking on HIV and

TB
by Niamh Barry, Nadine France, Ian Hodgson et al.

Health and Development Networks (HDN), AIDSPortal and the Interna-
tional HIV/AIDS Alliance, 2009
52 pp. 5.1 MB:

http://www.hdnet.org/v2/file_uploads/news/HealthDev_net.pdf
The HealthDev.net user guide is designed to support website users and administrators
to use the tool to its full potential. Additionally, this guide has been created with the aim
to advance the understanding of the potential of Web 2.0 technology to facilitate a more
effective response to HIV and TB, informed by the experiences and needs of those who
are most affected.
***
Cell Phone Application Enables Efficient Data Collection in Remote Areas
AED-SATELLIFE Center for Health Information and Technology,

October 2009
8 pp. 4.4 MB:

http://www.healthnet.org/sites/default/files/GATHER.pdf
AED has released the code for GATHERdata® the most innovative platform to provide
all the tools needed to collect, understand, and act on data in real time. Using cell
phones and PDAs as data-collectors that instantly transmit information to a central com-
puter for aggregation and analysis, the easy-to-use system brings speedier reporting
and fewer errors to people and projects in areas without Internet or electricity.
***
Remote sensing for natural disasters
Science and Development Network, 11 November 2009
The spotlight provides a series of articles and commentaries written by

international experts. Read online at:
http://www.scidev.net/en/new-technologies/remote-sensing-for-natural-disasters-1
Satellite remote sensing data can provide crucial information for managing natural dis-
asters. How can developing countries access and make use of these data? And what
must policymakers do to prepare?
***
South Asian Disaster Knowledge Network (SADKN) Portal Guidelines Re-

port, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Disaster
Management Centre
124 pp. 1.6 MB:

http://preventionweb.net/files/11672_SADKNPortalGuidelinesv3.81.pdf

The South Asian Disaster Knowledge Network (SADKN) has been en-
visaged to provide a common platform to exchange, share, and ac-
quire Disaster related knowledge through the SADKN web portal. One
of the key goals envisaged is development of state-of-the-art web-
based interface to organize information, knowledge, and experience
on Disaster Management. This web-based interface would provide an
opportunity to people of SAARC countries to have an exposure to lat-
est Information and Communication Technology for Disaster Risk Re-
duction and Management activities and initiatives.
***
Explaining International IT Application Leadership: Health IT
by Daniel Castro
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), September
2009
63 pp. 3.2 MB:

http://www.itif.org/files/2009-leadership-healthit.pdf
Greater use of information technology (IT) in health care can help achieve many health
care reform goals. Health IT can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of health care
by reducing costs, improving the quality of care, and increasing access to health care
services and information. This report identifies which countries are leading in the de-
ployment of health IT and highlights lessons that might be useful for other countries.
Education
Biological Sciences & HIV and AIDS

A Generic Integration Course Module for Universities in Sub-Saharan Africa
by Mabel Imbuga, Caroline Lang’at Thoruwa, Alice A. Ochanda et al.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) and African Women in Science and Engineering (AWSE),
December 2008
36 pp. 1.1 MB:

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001848/184875e.pdf
In an effort to prepare students to address HIV and AIDS at personal and professional
levels, universities must be involved in a proactive and sustainable manner in mitigation
of the pandemic through integration of HIV and AIDS in the teaching curriculum of every
university faculty. This will ensure development of AIDS-educated and AIDS-competent
graduates who will be adequately qualified to carry AIDS concerns into their subsequent
life and to address AIDS issues in their professions.
***
Out in School: Talking about sexual orientation and challenging homopho-

bia
Edited and compiled by Mark Jennett

Terrence Higgins Trust, 2009

39 pp. 3.5 MB:
http://www.tht.org.uk/informationresources/publications/youngpeople/outinschool.pdf
Terrence Higgins Trust has developed a new teaching pack providing

teachers with ideas on how to talk about sexual orientation and chal-
lenge homophobia in schools. This pack has been written by teachers
for teachers. ‘Out In School’ provides teachers and other school staff
with ideas they can use to talk about sexual orientation and same-sex
relationships in the classroom.
***
Global Synthesis of the Findings of UNESS Documents on Education
UNESCO National Education Support Strategy (UNESS), April 2009
60 pp. 819 kB:

This Global Synthesis summarizes the findings of over 80 country-based

UNESS documents on national educational challenges, government
policies and development partner priorities. Together with a number of entry points
where UNESCO can make a difference, it analyses not only areas of strength and com-
parative advantage but those where improvement is needed as well.
***
Review of Contexts and Structures for Education for Sustainable Devel-

opment 2009
by Arjen Wals
Division for the Coordination of United Nations Priorities in Education,
UNESCO, 2009
81 pp. 722kB:
The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD, 2005-
2014) has reached its mid-point. A mid-Decade review was conducted to take stock of
what has been accomplished during the first five years of the DESD. At the same time,
this review was designed to identify the obstacles encountered in creating structures,
provisions and conditions that facilitate the development and implementation of ESD.
***
Open Educational Resources: Conversations in Cyberspace
Edited by Susan D'Antoni and Catriona Savage

(UNESCO), 2009; ISBN 978-92-3-104085-6
Download chapter by chapter as Adobe PDF files (172 pp.) at:

http://oerwiki.iiep-
unesco.org/index.php?title=Open_Educational_Resources:_Conversations_in_Cyberspace

Education systems today face two major challenges: expanding the reach of education
and improving its quality. Traditional solutions will not suffice, especially in the context of
today’s knowledge-intensive societies. The goal of the Open Educational Resources
(OER) movement is to equalize access to knowledge worldwide through openly and
freely available online high quality content.
***
The Challenges of Free Primary Education in Ethiopia
by Jeilu Oumer
(UNESCO) and International Institute for Educational Planning, 2009
96 pp. 634 kB:

Education for All and the Millennium Development Goals have given developing coun-
tries an incentive to attain universal primary education through accelerated and scaled
strategies. Abolishing school fees is one such strategy, which is seen as a measure to
improve enrolment and participation rates. Tuition fees and other private costs of
schooling are viewed as a barrier to accessing and completing primary education.
***
Last in Line, Last in School 2009

Donor trends in meeting education needs in countries affected by con-
flict and emergencies
by Victoria Turrent, Janice Dolan, Gowri Vijayakumar et al.

International Save the Children Alliance, 2009
47 pp. 3.2 MB:

http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/docs/Last_in_Line_2009.pdf
This report examines recent trends in donor support for education for children living in
conflict-affected fragile states (CAFS) and those caught up in emergencies. Its broad
conclusion is that, although donors have increased their focus on meeting the education
needs of children in these countries and situations, there is still a long way to go.
***
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Standards for Schools in Low-cost Settings
Edited by: John Adams, Jamie Bartram, Yves Chartier, Jackie Sims
World Health Organization, 2009; ISBN 978 92 4 154779 6
51 pp. 141 kB:

http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/wash_sta
ndards_school.pdf
Adequate provision of water supply, sanitation, hygiene and waste management in

schools has a number of positive effects and contributes to a reduced burden of disease
among children, staff and their families. Such interventions also provide opportunities for
greater gender equity in access to education, and create educational opportunities to
promote safe environments at home and in communities.

Harm Reduction and Drug Use
Out of harm’s way - German support for countries reducing the harm of in-
jecting drug use and HIV
Edited by Patricia Kramarz, written by James Boothroyd

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH,
October 2009
(Short version) 4 pp. 440 kB:

http://www.hiv-prg.org/en/document-download/doc_download/714
'Out of harm’s way' describes projects supported by German Development Cooperation

in countries struggling to reduce the severe harms of illicit drug use, including HIV. HIV
is arguably one of the greatest public health problems facing the world, with 33 million
people living with the virus in 2007. In keeping with its commitment to the United Nations
Millennium Development Goals, the sixth of which targets HIV, the German government
has made HIV an international development priority.
Millennium Development Goals
Achieving the health Millennium Development Goals for South Africa: chal-
lenges and priorities
by Mickey Chopra, Joy E Lawn, David Sanders et al.

The Lancet, Vol. 374, Issue 9694, pp. 1023-1031, 19 September 2009
9 pp. 204 kB:

http://download.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140673609611223.pdf?i
d=3d35b1b5aa0ec416:-6f10882b:124cf54961c:-25881257610537455
15 years after liberation from apartheid, South Africans are facing new challenges: The
effect of the unprecedented HIV/AIDS epidemic has been immense. Substantial in-
creases in mortality and morbidity are threatening to overwhelm the health system and
undermine the potential of South Africa to attain the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs). The South African Government, installed in April, 2009, has the mandate and
potential to address the public health emergencies facing the country - will they do so or
will another opportunity and many more lives be lost?
***
Millennium Development Goals: 2009 Progress Chart
Compiled by Statistics Division, Department of

Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, 2009
1 pp. 2.0 MB:

http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/Progress2009/MDG_Re
port_2009_Progress_Chart_En.pdf
This chart presents an assessment of progress towards selected key targets on the ba-
sis of information available as of June 2009. Depending on the indicator, the latest
available information could date back to as early as 2005 or as late as 2009.

Asia Water Watch 2015
Are Countries in Asia on Track to Meet Target 10 of the Millennium De-
velopment Goals?
by Kallidaikurichi Easwaran Seetharam, James Bartram, Anuradha Ra-

jivan et al.
Asian Development Bank (ADB), December 2005
63 pp. 1.7 MB:

http://www.adb.org/Documents/Books/Asia-Water-Watch/asia-water-watch.pdf
The Asia and Pacific region plays a pivotal role in the MDG commitment. The region is
home to the majority of the world’s poor. In the People’s Republic of China (PRC) alone,
the number of people without access to clean water supply is nearly as large as all of
the underserved in Africa. The progress this region makes will define the entire global
community’s success in achieving the ambitious targets the MDGs have set for 2015.
Development Assistance
Euromapping 2009 - Mapping European Development Aid & Population

Assistance
by Andrew Pavao, Miguel Ongil, Anne Wittenberg et al.

German Foundation for World Population (DSW) and the European Par-
liamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF), 2009
64 pp. 4.7 MB:

http://www.euroresources.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Euromapping
/Euromapping_2009/Euromapping2009_EN_HiRes.pdf
Euromapping provides an overview of comparative contributions as well as detailed in-

formation about an individual donor country’s performance over time. Its goal is to re-
search, analyse, consolidate and present comparative information about European Offi-
cial Development Assistance (ODA) and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) com-
mitments, funding flows and qualitative considerations specifically calibrated to meet the
needs of advocates and decision-makers.
***
The Future of Global Health: Ingredients for a Bold & Effective U.S. Initia-
tive
The Global Health Initiative (GHI), October, 2009
42 pp. 1.8 MB:

http://www.theglobalhealthinitiative.org/documents/report.pdf
In a statement calling for the U.S. to support a Global Health Initiative, 24

U.S. groups dealing with international health issues applaud President Obama's com-
mitment to support global health and the recognition that this is both a moral obligation
and in the U.S. national interest. But they warn that underfunding the initiative because
of budget pressures would be a short-sighted mistake.

Aid Orphans: Whose Responsibility?
by Andrew Rogerson and Suzanne Steensen

OECD Development Co-operation Directorate, October 2009
2 pp. 191 kB:

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/14/34/43853485.pdf
The pattern of aid distribution across countries is insufficiently co-ordinated. Individual

donors (public and private) decide separately which country programmes to assist and
to what extent, based on their unique set of values, goals and criteria, shaped by spe-
cific contexts and historical relationships. The absence of timely information on other
donors’ forward intentions impedes everyone’s ability to adjust their own plans accord-
ingly.
***
The Missing Piece of the Puzzle? The Institutional Importance of CSOs in

the Development Effectiveness Agenda
by Keisha Taylor
GuideStar International Newsletter, No. 12, October 2009
7 pp. 144 kB:

http://www.guidestarinternational.org/SiteImages/The%20Missing%20Piece%20of%20the%20Puzzle%20-
%20The%20Institutional%20Importance%20of%20CSOs%20in%20the%20Development%20Effectiveness%20
Agenda.pdf
This article highlights the importance of civil society organisations (CSOs) as units of
analysis in the development effectiveness agenda. It emphasises the need to view
CSOs as more than simply an avenue for the delivery of services by donors and gov-
ernment, in recognition of the key role they play in realising development effectiveness.
It advocates better analysis of CSOs to facilitate the understanding of aid processes and
socioeconomic development.
Others
Road Safety - Call for action
by Gérard Lautrédou
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRC), October 2009
12 pp. 687 kB:

http://www.ifrc.org/Docs/pubs/health/174800-ROADSAFETY-
Report-EN.pdf
The IFRC is increasingly concerned about the rapid escalation of the global road safety
crisis, which kills 3,000 people every day. This report has been produced to promote the
IFRC’s commitment to road safety as well as the active role played by Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies around the world in this field.
***

RESIST - Resisting Extortion and Solicitation in International Transactions
A company tool for employee training
Jointly developed by International Chamber of

Commerce, United Nations Global Compact,
Transparency International, World Economic
Forum, 2009
17 pp. 133 kB:

http://www.iccwbo.org/uploadedFiles/RESIST.pdf
RESIST is designed as a training tool to provide practical ideas for practitioners on how
to respond to an inappropriate demand by a client, business partner or public authority,
recognizing that such a demand may be accompanied by a threat. It sets out practical
measures on how to respond to dilemmas in the most efficient and ethical manner when
they cannot be avoided.
***
South African Statistics, 2009
by Pali Lehola
Statistician General, South Africa, November 2009
202 pp. 3.2 MB:

http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/SAStatistics/SAStatistics2009.pdf
Mortality rates, which have been increasing in South Africa since the 1990s, are on their
way back down, reflecting a downturn of the AIDS epidemic and signalling longer life
spans for South Africans. While the situation is not back to the bright early 1990s, data
clearly show that South Africa is on its way out of the mortality crisis.
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
German Medical Science - Online Portal
http://www.egms.de/dynamic/en/index.htm
German Medical Science is a portal for online journals,

meetings and research reports and offers all scientists
from the field of medicine open access to scientific articles
and the possibility to publish their research results online.
Here you can find the electronic journals of the Association of the Scientific Medical So-
cieties in Germany (AWMF) and individual member associations with peer-reviewed
scientific original papers and surveys: http://www.egms.de/static/en/journals/index.htm
The articles are immediately and permanently available online without charge.
***
Bulletin of the World Health Organization (BLT)

Volume 87, Number 11, November 2009, 805-884
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/87/11/en/

This month: Many papers in the November issue address the special theme of strength-
ening the linkages between sexual and reproductive health and HIV. In the lead edito-
rial, Michel Sidibé & Kent Buse explain why these links are crucial to public health.
INTERESTING WEB SITES

OneLove Regional Campaign
http://www.onelovesouthernafrica.org/
OneLove is a unique campaign that began rolling out across southern Af-
rica in October 2008. The campaign aims to get us thinking and talking
about our sexual behaviour in this time of HIV and AIDS.
***
Knowledge for Health (K4Health)
https://www.k4health.org/node/2
The INFO for Health Project has recently been redesigned, upgraded and renamed
Knowledge for Health (K4Health). The new portal houses some familiar products and
services, such as POPLine and Photoshare, but also has great new functionality and
tools like our Google-powered search, which allows you to search specific databases,
the entire site, or the World Wide Web without having to re-enter terms or navigate to
other sites.
CONFERENCES
ENGAGEMENT WELTWEIT 2009 - Commitment to one world
Professional fair for personnel development cooperation
Date: Saturday 28 November 2009, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Venue: Beethovenhalle, Forum South, Wachsbleiche 26
53111 Bonn, Germany
Admission: 8 €
Online registration is recommended, as the number of visitors is lim-
ited, and a great deal of interest is expected.
ENGAGEMENT WELTWEIT – Commitment to one world - will have information stands

from over 50 leading organisations in personnel development cooperation, emergency
and disaster aid and educational work.
Presentations, discussion groups and personal contacts give visitors an opportunity to

get direct and comprehensive information about Development Cooperation as a field of
work, training offers and current trends in technical development cooperation.
For more information see:

http://www.entwicklungsdienst.de/engagement_weltweit09.html?&L=2

1st World Conference on the Development of Universal Social Security
Systems
22 - 26 March, 2010
Brasília, Brasil
The Conference aims at structuring political agendas that would take into consideration
the universality of the right to social security in the national and international arenas.
The Government of Brazil is inviting other governments and intergovernmental organiza-
tions, and the international civil society is being called on to participate by means of the
World Social Forum on Health.
For more information see:

http://conselho.saude.gov.br/web_confmundial/confmundial_en.html
***
The Guide to Community Involvement in AIDS 2010
http://www.aids2010community.org
The guide was created by the International Council of AIDS Service Or-
ganizations (ICASO) to help you better understand and participate in the in-
ternational AIDS conference in Vienna, Austria, next year, from July 18-23.
International conferences can be overwhelming, as much as they can be educational
and inspiring, allowing you to network with others doing similar work - which is why we
hope that you will use the guide to navigate the next international AIDS conference.
CARTOON
Essen auf Rädern - Meals on Wheels

TIPS & TRICKS
No to All
Have you ever been doing something in Windows that involved multiple files? If so, you
have probably come across a message similar to this one:
Notice how there is an option for “Yes

to All”, but no button for “No to All”?
The good news is that if you find
yourself in this situation, all you need
to do to get “No to All” is hold the Shift
key when you click “No” and it will ap-
ply to all files.
***
Calendar & Notepad
http://xcalday.sylfid.com/setup.exe
The programme is called Xcalday (160 kB) and it’s just a little calendar
with a notepad. For each day, you can put in notes about what you need
to do, etc. It doesn’t seem like much but it is very useful!
***
What is a blog?
Blog is the amalgamation of "Web Log" and is a web site where you can post pictures,
share links, make comments, and write whatever you want. Another neat aspect of
blogging is that visitors can comment on the posts creating an interactive, collaborative
space. Many have RSS feeds that notify you of new posts.
Blogs make a big impact these days and are fast becoming a valid news outlet. Some
bloggers are even being recognized by the news establishment as legitimate journalists.
There is a blog for every interest, and if there isn’t, you can create one. Basic blogs can
be created for free, while more involved ones might require a hosting fee.
For some lists of what is out there, check out these web sites...
http://blogcatalog.com/
http://www.blogsearchengine.com/
http://www.blogarama.com/
So explore the “blogosphere”, or jump in with your own blog

spot at: https://www.blogger.com/start
Best regards,
Dieter Neuvians MD

Health, Education, Social Protection News &amp; Notes 24/2009

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Health, Education, Social Protection

News & Notes 24/2009

NEWS FROM THE GERMAN BACKUP INITIATIVE .......... 4

ONLINE PUBLICATIONS .................................................... 6

HESP-News & Notes - 24/2009 - page 1

HESP-News & Notes - 24/2009 - page 2

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES ............................................ 30

INTERESTING WEB SITES .............................................. 31

TIPS & TRICKS ................................................................. 33

HESP-News & Notes - 24/2009 - page 3

German BACKUP Initiative Newsletter Issue No. 9, November 2009

Quarterly news on developments within the German BACKUP Initiative

by Paget Stanfield, Martin Brueton, Michael Chan et al.

1092 pp. 28.4 MB(!):

Because I am a Girl: The State of the World's Girls 2009

by Jonathan Blagbourgh, Ruth Pearson, Marilyn Thomson et al.

306 pp. 4.6 MB:

HESP-News & Notes - 24/2009 - page 4

by Chessa K. Lutter, Camila M. Chaparro, Ramon Martinez et al.

234 pp. 7.2 MB:

Digital Medicine - Health Care in the Internet Era

by Darrell M. West and Edward Alan Miller

African Statistical Yearbook - Annuaire Statistique pour l'Afrique, 2009

African Development Bank Group, African Union, Economic Commission

389 pp. 4.2 MB:

HESP-News & Notes - 24/2009 - page 5

Sustainable Urbanization in the Information Age

Edited by Aliye P. Celik, Roxana Zyman and Rafat Mahdi

188 pp. 2.1 MB:

Critical Choices in Financing the Response to the Global HIV/AIDS

by Robert Hecht, Lori Bollinger, John Stover et al.

15 pp. 155 kB:

Punishing Success? - Early Signs of a Retreat from Commitment to HIV /

Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines, Médecins Sans Fron-

15 pp. 711 kB:

HESP-News & Notes - 24/2009 - page 6

Twenty-Five Years of HIV: Lessons for Low Prevalence Scenarios

by Sharif Sawires, Nina Birnbaum, Laith Abu-Raddad et al.

The Columbia University Handbook on HIV and AIDS

by Laura Pinsky and Paul Harding Douglas

116 pp. 3.0 MB:

Department for International Development (DFID), 2009

49 pp. 2.6 MB:

HESP-News & Notes - 24/2009 - page 7

A Podcast Discussion with Eric Daar & Trevor Hawkins

Read discussion online at:

Improving the coverage of the PMTCT programme through a participatory

by Tanya Doherty, Mickey Chopra, Duduzile Nsibande et al.

30 pp. 169 kB:

Despite several years of implementation, prevention of mother-to-child transmission

Journal of the International AIDS Society: Special theme on HIV and

by Wafaa El-Sadr, David Hoos, Robin Flam et al.

HESP-News & Notes - 24/2009 - page 8

Comprehensive Peer Educator Training Curriculum: Participant Manual

Secret Lovers Kill: A National Mass Media Campaign to Address Multiple

13 pp. 348 kB:

Reporting Manual on HIV/AIDS

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, July 2009

87 pp. 929 kB:

HESP-News & Notes - 24/2009 - page 9

UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Chil-

32 pp. 696 kB:

From Inception to Large Scale: The Geração Biz Programme in Mozam-

Health, Education, Social Protection News & Notes 24/2009

Health, Education, Social Protection News & Notes 24/2009