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New #HPSR paper co-authored by GlohMed investigator analyzes vast differences in primary healthcare systems in LMICs and the complexity/confusion regarding service points. It emphasises the concept of First Referral Hospitals (FRH) and the importance of strengthening them in each country for an improved care of acute to chronic illnesses. In this paper, you'll also read country case studies from 8 LMICs (Myanmar, Vietnam, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, Burundi, Papua New Guinea and #Nepal). GlohMed director and investigator Suraj Bhattarai co-authored this important paper, jointly with 5 other medical researchers, just published in an esteemed journal Health Policy and Planning. https://lnkd.in/dyzTwM6e

Expert talking with Yevhen Prylypko about family medicine, the quality at the primary care level, and the role of local government authorities. Family medicine has been the most active field for donor projects in Ukraine since the beginning of the medical reform, which is understandable. The priority and importance of primary health care (PHC) are undeniable. During this time, international partners have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in numerous projects. Many visions of what primary care should be like, what functions it should perform, and how it should be financed have been created. Discussions continue, and experiments are ongoing through pilot projects and training sessions supported by various international technical assistance projects. However, to this day: • There is no chosen target model for primary health care or defined criteria for proper medical practice in PHC, making it unclear what the goals are, how much is needed to achieve them, and whether current resources are sufficient. • Given the significant differences in the working conditions of primary care caused by the ongoing war, it is unclear whether a single model for the entire country is needed or whether different regions (community groups) should determine their own models of healthcare delivery based on the needs of the population and the situational context to ensure at least the accessibility of basic medical services. • Local governments (LGs), as the de facto founders of medical institutions, have not become full-fledged owners of these institutions, and this issue extends beyond the primary care level. Investing in healthcare, especially primary care, is not an obvious priority for LG leaders, as they constantly hear that "the state has paid for everything from the central budget." This message is emphasized to community leaders, especially in discussions about local misuse of funds. • On the other hand, LGs are practically excluded from decision-making processes in healthcare, even though they are the largest employers, and the majority of healthcare workers operate within their networks. LGs lack agency at the state level, even within the framework of social dialogue, and they do not have sufficient capacity, tools, or often the competencies to manage community health effectively. Most interventions, contacts, activities, communications, and support projects occur at the level of the Ministry of Health, National Health Service of Ukraine, medical facilities, and Donors – in varying order. #Ukraine #PHC #family_medicine #medical_reforming #healthcare

❤️Building comprehensive care model for dialysis patients ❤️ Ms. N.T.A in Can Gio District has been undergoing kidney dialysis for many years, and her husband had to give up his stable job to spend time taking care of his wife. The couple’s living situation relies on income from unstable jobs and support from their daughter who works far from home. Ms. N.T.A is not the only case; many other patients are also struggling with physical, mental, and financial burdens in their battle against the disease. In order to alleviate these burdens for patients, ASIF Foundation has collaborated with Le Van Thinh Hospital to construct and implement a comprehensive care model for 240 dialysis patients in Le Van Thinh hospital and Can Gio District Medical Center. The project is anticipated to go on for three years, offering medical treatment and support to patients across various aspects, including physical, mental, spiritual, and social needs. This is the first comprehensive care model ever implemented on chronic kidney patients in Vietnam and after the project concludes, ASIF Foundation aims to disseminate this model to other healthcare facilities nationwide. ❤️Project’s main activities are: 🔷Providing direct support to patients through financial aid; establishing patient clubs and caregiver activities to enhance knowledge and improve both physical and mental health for participants. 🔷Capacity strengthening for health-care professionals through intensive training courses in Vietnam and abroad. To facilitate these training courses, we collaborate with reputable partners such as the University of Medicine and Pharmacy – Ho Chi Minh City and other well-known medical universities with expertise in palliative care in Singapore and Australia. 🔷Improving technology in managing patients with tailored application and software to alleviate burden for doctors and nurses and improve efficacy in communication between healthcare workers, patients and their families. Pushing communication and media activities to raise public awareness and disseminate Comprehensive care model to other hospitals and medical centres in Vietnam. 🔷To maximize the impact of the project, we look forward to receiving support from the community. Every contribution, big or small, is meaningful in helping us get closer to our goal of improving the quality of life for patients with chronic kidney disease. ----- ASIF Foundation - The international philanthropy foundation of Vietnamese 🏢 62 Tân Canh, Ward 1, District Tan Binh, Ho Chi Minh City ☎ 0286 287 4915 🌐Asif.foundation #asiffoundation #asif #philanthropy #cleanwater #sanitation #goodhealth #wellbeing #community

For the first time since the #COVID19 #pandemic, the South African Medical Association will gather in person for its annual #conference in Johannesburg in #February 2024. The country’s oldest and most prestigious #association of #doctors and #medicalprofessionals returns, under the theme, ‘Towards Strengthening Health Systems’: an urgent society-wide #rallyingcry – especially in the context of #SouthAfrica’s beleaguered #publichealthcare system.

A Day in the Life of an Internal Medicine Physician: Making a Difference, One Patient at a Time Internal medicine physicians are the cornerstone of adult healthcare. We specialize in diagnosing and treating a wide range of non-surgical conditions in adults- like a common cold, fever to complex chronic diseases like liver, heart and kidney problems. This is how our typical day may look like. Morning: We review patient charts, prepare for consultations, and collaborate with nurses and specialists to ensure a coordinated approach to care. Afternoon: This is when we see patients, conduct thorough examinations, listen to their concerns, and use a variety of tools, including physical exams and diagnostic tests, to diagnose illnesses. We then discuss treatment plans, which may involve medications, lifestyle changes, or referrals to specialists for more complex cases. Evening: Our commitment to learning doesn't stop at the end of the day. We may participate in educational seminars, conferences, or research projects to stay up-to-date on the latest medical advancements. With specialized knowledge and expertise in treating unique health needs of adults like going beyond simply treating symptoms but also pride ourselves on our investigative skills and ability to get to the root cause of a patient's health concerns making us unique. However the most rewarding aspect of any physician is seeing a patient recover and regain their quality of life. Knowing we've made a positive impact on a person's health is incredibly motivating and fuels our passion for this field. Considering a career in Internal Medicine or already are a physician? The Association of Physicians of Uganda (APU) is an ideal community of dedicated physicians committed to excellence in adult healthcare in Uganda. Come join the movement. #APU #InternalMedicine #AdultHealthcare #Uganda

Building on the last three years’ effort of strengthening Assam’s public health system through world class, indigenous innovation, #Bengaluru-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Medical Education & Research Institute, Government Of Assam , India towards focused innovation driven programmes for improving technology adoption by healthcare practitioners, infrastructure upgrades and capacity-building.  #infrastructurefacility #respiratorysupporttechnology #immunisation https://lnkd.in/gVvYfdSE

Medicines for Africa | mfa calls on African countries to do more to ensure that health facilities ave adequate fit-for-purpose medical devices that are safe for patients. In Ghana, authorities are concerned that despite escalating numbers of people affected by kidney disease, public awareness and education about kidney health remain insufficient. This situation is not unique to Ghana but to all countries in the Africa region. This is highlighted by the concerns of the Public Relations Officer of the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) who has emphasized the need for urgent attention to be paid to the significant rise in kidney-related diseases recorded at the facility. Mr Fredrick Nyankah revealed that last year, CCTH recorded an average of eight cases per month. “In March alone, we had 18 new cases,” Mr Yankah added. Effective treatment of patients requires safe medical devices and Medicines for Africa calls on African countries to do more to ensure that health facilities ave adequate fit for purpose medical devices that are safe for patients. https://lnkd.in/eAzZ2V2G #africa #health #healthcare #medicines #vaccines #publichealth #medicaldevices

Despite the global movement, focus on surgical, obstetric, trauma and anaesthesia (SOTA) care in South Asia—one of the world’s most densely populated, culturally diverse, and economically aspirational regions—remains limited. South Asia’s path toward universal health coverage necessitates prioritizing and investing in SOTA care. Identifying local needs and challenges and using a multi-pronged approach based on research, training, advocacy, and policies is the way ahead. South Asian countries—Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—contribute to an enormous burden of surgically treatable diseases. Researchers, doctors, policymakers, and advocacy experts from the G4 Alliance SOTA Care in South Asia Working Group have come together to address the lack of access to safe and affordable SOTA care in this region. A comprehensive paper on SOTA care's current status in South Asia, region-wide and country-specific challenges, and initiatives and innovations to address those challenges was published last week in Frontiers in Public Health.    The G4 Alliance SOTA Care in South Asia Working Group’s vision is to achieve universal SOTA care access in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member nations.

Last Friday, we had the privilege of participating in the #Policy #dialogue on "Designing effective #Task #shifting programmes to address critical surgical healthcare workforce shortages" organized by the Ministry of #Health in #Ethiopia with the support of the #WHO Country Office in Ethiopia, the Regional Office via AHOPlatform on Health Systems and Policies and Headquarters. "Africa alone bears 25% of the global burden of disease and one-third of the world's clinical conditions requiring emergency care and essential surgical, obstetric, and anaesthetic services. Despite having 17% of the world's population, the continent has only 2% of the world's doctors and 0.7 surgical specialists per 100,000 people. The shortage of skilled surgical workforce (including surgeons, anaesthesiologists, obstetricians, and other allied health professionals) is one of the core causes of high unmet surgical needs." This policy dialogue bringing together policy-makers, academics and technical partners was an opportunity to present state-of-the-art on the subject, but above all, to share the evidence and lay the foundations for the measures to be taken to improve the implementation of Task-shifting programmes in Ethiopia. #UHC #Evidence #Knowledge #Policy-making #HealthForAll

I led the evaluation of the extended free choice of hospitals in Norway (utvidet fritt behandlingsvalg). This reform extended the patient's choice of publicly funded hospitals for treatment to authorized private institutions (EFC providers). Focusing on five prevalent somatic services, we find that the EFC reform did not exert pressure on public hospitals to stimulate shorter waiting times and more visits. Moreover, we do not find that the sum of public and private visits increased. When we compare patient comorbidity between public hospitals and EFC providers, we find that for non-invasive diagnostic services, patient comorbidity is lower in EFC providers. For surgical services, we detect no difference in patient comorbidities between public and EFC providers. The Norwegian Parliament abandoned the reform, starting from January 2023. Read more in the newly published article: https://lnkd.in/djBDG_rA