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Found 72 results
  1. Content Article
    The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a new edition of this guidance on health technology assessment (HTA) for medical devices. Health technology assessment (HTA) is described as ‘a well-recognised and methodologically robust evidence-based priority-setting process used to provide information on the safety, efficacy, quality, appropriateness, and cost-effectiveness of health technologies’. This document ‘is intended to provide guidance to policy-makers, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries that are currently developing HTA capacity.’ The document describes ‘general concepts of HTA and points to best-practice resources to enable low- and middle-income countries to make consistent, transparent and informed decision-making on the adoption and use of medical devices to ensure clinical needs are met whilst delivering value to patients, healthcare providers, and the broader health system.’
  2. Content Article
    On the 28 March 2025, the Trump administration notified Congress that it planned to shut down USAID (United States Agency for International Development) by 1 July 2025. The State Department would assume responsibility for “certain USAID functions” that align with the administration’s priorities and discontinue the rest. Two weeks earlier, in a post on X, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the programmes being cut (including efforts to address emerging infectious diseases, famines, natural disasters, maternal and child mortality, HIV, and tuberculosis) “spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the United States.” To date, however, neither Rubio nor the State Department has elaborated on how these cuts and the reduction of USAID’s staff (from about 10 000 employees to 15) will affect the health of people around the world—or in the US itself. Initial reports on the direct effects of the cuts have come from different sources. A leaked USAID document projected that if programmes were permanently halted, the world would see an additional 12.5 million to 17.9 million malaria cases and 71 000 to 166 000 additional malaria deaths annually. If US foreign aid is not restored before the end of 2025, it is estimated that at least 62 000 additional people would die of tuberculosis. Enormous harms to children are also expected because USAID spending has played a pivotal role cutting child mortality rates in half since 2000.
  3. News Article
    At a UN-run antenatal clinic in a camp for people displaced by Boko Haram, the colours stand out like the bellies of the pregnant women. Abayas in neon green, dark brown and shades of yellow graze against the purple and white uniforms of nurses attending to them in the beige-orange halls of the maternal healthcare facility. Within the clinic in Maiduguri in north-east Nigeria, midwives and nurses are handing out free emergency home delivery kits, “dignity kits” for sexual abuse survivors and reusable sanitary pads to curb exploitation of young girls who cannot afford them. A dozen women sit on a mat in the corridor, awaiting the start of a session on reproductive health and doing their best to stay focused in the unwavering 42C heat. Among them is Yangana Mohammed, a smiling 32-year-old mother of seven who knits bama caps for a living. “I like that the services are free,” she said, holding a yellow medical card while waiting to change her birth control implant. “I’m really glad for this clinic.” Experts say more resources are needed to sustain these services in a region struggling with high maternal mortality, child marriage and female genital mutilation rates. UN global data for 2023, the most recent available, shows that Nigeria recorded 75,000 maternal deaths that year – nearly a third of the total worldwide. Many of those cases are among north-east Nigeria’s estimated 45 million people. Ritgak Tilley-Gyado, an Abuja-based senior health specialist at the World Bank, said disparities were fuelled by inequities in health systems and socioeconomic and sociocultural status across the country. “As a result, a woman in the north-east of the country is 10 times more likely to die from childbirth than her counterpart in the south-west … [with] a systems approach that tugs on the right levers, we can turn these abysmal numbers around and improve the wellbeing of mothers,” she said. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 21 May 2025
  4. Content Article
    The US has traditionally been the largest donor to health programmes in low- and middle-income countries. In January 2025 almost all such funding was stopped and prospects for resumption are uncertain. The suddenness of the funding cuts makes it difficult for national programmes to adapt. This preprint* paper estimated the impact of these cuts on outcomes for four health areas that have been a focus of US assistance: HIV, tuberculosis (TB), family planning (FP) and maternal and child health (MCH). *Note: Preprints are early-stage research papers that have not been peer-reviewed.  The authors conclude that a complete cessation of US funding without replacement by other sources of funding would lead to dramatic increases in deaths from 2025-2040: 15.2 (9.3-20.8) million additional AIDS deaths, 2.2 (1.5-1.9) million additional TB deaths, 7.9 million additional child deaths from other causes, 40-55 million additional unplanned pregnancies and 12-16 million unsafe abortions. There has been great progress in improving global health in the last few decades. This progress has given hope of reaching many of the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. However, the recent funding cuts threaten to change these trajectories and lead to sharp increases in avoidable mortality for the poorest countries. Even a partial restoration of US funding would combat the most severe effects and provide time for national programs to adjust to the new funding landscape.
  5. Content Article
    The global nursing workforce has grown from 27.9 million in 2018 to 29.8 million in 2023, but wide disparities in the availability of nurses remain across regions and countries, according to the State of the World’s Nursing 2025 report, published by the World Health Organization (WHO), International Council of Nurses (ICN) and partners. Inequities in the global nursing workforce leave many of the world’s population without access to essential health services, which could threaten progress towards universal health coverage (UHC), global health security and the health-related development goals.  The new report released on International Nurses Day provides a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the nursing workforce at global, regional and country levels. Consolidating information from WHO’s 194 Member States, the evidence indicates global progress in reducing the nursing workforce shortage from 6.2 million in 2020 to 5.8 million in 2023, with a projection to decline to 4.1 million by 2030. But, the overall progress still masks deep regional disparities: approximately 78% of the world’s nurses are concentrated in countries representing just 49% of the global population.   Low- and middle-income countries are facing challenges in graduating, employing and retaining nurses in the health system and will need to raise domestic investments to create and sustain jobs. In parallel, high-income countries need to be prepared to manage high levels of retiring nurses and review their reliance on foreign-trained nurses, strengthening bilateral agreements with the countries they recruit from.   
  6. Content Article
    Although there have been significant advancements over the past decades, substantial gaps in safety and quality remain in healthcare delivery, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and the public sector. Even within the same country, there are notable geographical disparities in equitable access to safe care. Healthcare organizations (HCOs) and countries worldwide face numerous challenges and have competing priorities for focused interventions, often struggling to invest adequately in safety and quality. In alignment with the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030 and JCI’s vision, JCI introduces Patient Safety Pathways. This pioneering initiative aims to develop, strengthen, sustain, and enhance patient safety initiatives with actionable plans, especially for organisations in the early stages of establishing their patient safety and quality infrastructure. JCI is working in collaboration with countries and organizations to advance safer patient care. The Patient Safety Pathways initiative focuses on the needs of HCOs starting their journey towards eliminating avoidable patient harm by creating pathways for incremental improvements and transformative changes. This collaboration includes working with Ministries of Health (MOHs), national and international HCOs, and patient advocacy organizations at various stages of development to enhance the quality of healthcare and patient safety. The Pathways Initiative components: Patient Safety Grand Rounds A series of online discussions to engage thought leaders in patient safety at policy, systems, and healthcare delivery levels through open dialogue, collaborative learning, problem-solving, and sharing of best practices and success stories. JCI Training of Trainers Develop a cadre of trainers as “Patient Safety Champions.” These champions will be equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools who in turn can help develop skills and competencies for healthcare professionals, fostering a culture of safety at the national and organizational level. Needs assessment and technical support Tailored technical support to selected HCOs from LMICs, based on their identified needs and gaps.
  7. News Article
    Less than 7% of people with severe drug-resistant infections in poorer countries get the antibiotics they need, a new study suggests, with researchers warning that not only is this causing suffering and deaths, but is also likely to be driving antimicrobial resistance (AMR). With AMR forecast to cause 1.9m deaths a year by 2050, they are calling for urgent action, akin to the fight earlier this century to get HIV drugs to Africa’s virus hotspots. “The stark reality is that most people with highly drug-resistant infections are not getting access to the antibiotics they need,” said Dr Jennifer Cohn, a senior author of the study. AMR is a process whereby bacteria and other pathogens evolve resistance to treatments typically used against them. One driver is the overuse of antibiotics, with greater exposure to drugs offering bacteria more chances to learn how to evade them. But a focus on overuse has meant access has been neglected, the experts warn. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 30 April 2025
  8. Content Article
    Despite progress in reducing neonatal and child mortality, inequalities in access to age-appropriate medicines remain, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. The Global Accelerator for Paediatric Formulations (GAP-f), a WHO-hosted network established in 2020, addresses these gaps by uniting 33 partners to promote innovation and access to child-friendly medicine formulations. This article describes phase 2 (2022–24) of GAP-f's work, which focused on: therapeutic areas where innovation and access efforts often did not have stakeholder alignment and coordination of designing and implementing innovative clinical trial methodology. engaging with regulators to address systemic barriers. identifying novel technologies for safe and effective delivery. collaborating across stakeholders for product roll out.
  9. Content Article
    Hospital accreditation programmes are globally recognised as an important tool for enhancing quality and safety in healthcare; however, many programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are discontinued shortly after their establishment. This scoping review synthesized published evidence on factors influencing the establishment and sustainability of hospital accreditation programs in LMICs, to provide guidance to health stakeholders involved in these processes.  The included studies reported upon a broad range of patterns, innovations, influencers, enablers, and barriers concerning accreditation program establishment in LMICs. Key questions emerged, including the degree of government involvement, incorporation of international standards versus development of bespoke standards, the use of local versus external surveyors, the use of financial and other incentives to promote engagement, and mandatory versus voluntary approaches of program implementation. Resource constraints were recognised as the most important barriers to sustainable establishment, while the influence of global accreditation and donor agencies were viewed as presenting both positive and negative impacts. Health stakeholders are encouraged to reflect upon and apply the ACES-GLEAM framework, incorporating the guiding principles outlined in this paper, to help establish hospital accreditation programs in LMICs in a way that facilitates sustainability and effectiveness over time.
  10. News Article
    At a press conference on Monday, WHO officials laid out the many ways countries around the world are being impacted in real-time by the US withdrawal of crucial humanitarian aid funds. The impacts are being felt on the heels of the Trump administration’s rapid dismantling of USAID, a key agency that oversees humanitarian, development and security programs in some 120 countries. Global health experts say that USAID has practiced a form of soft power around the world. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus would not comment on Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the WHO. Instead, he focused on the “serious disruptions” being caused by cuts through USAID. “In many countries, the abrupt loss of U.S. funding threatens to reverse progress,” Tedros said, on many issues from immunisations to maternal health to emergency preparedness. For instance, the USA has been the largest contributor to the fight against malaria over the past two decades, Tedros said. If cuts continue, there could be an additional 15 million cases of malaria and 107,000 deaths in 2025. A similar story is happening with HIV, he said: suspension of U.S. funding could lead to an additional 10 million cases of HIV and 3 million unnecessary deaths. Gains made in tuberculosis, immunisations and polio are similarly at risk. “It’s within its rights to decide what it supports and to what extent, but the US also has a responsibility to ensure that if it withdraws direct funding for countries, it’s done in an orderly and humane way that allows them to find alternative sources if funding. We ask the US to reconsider its support for global health,” Tedros said. Read full story Source: Fierce Healthcare, 17 March 2025
  11. News Article
    Donald Trump’s 90-day freeze on foreign aid has caused “absolute chaos” on the ground in developing countries, with vital reproductive health services being forced to halt treatment, charities have warned. Immediately after his inauguration in January, US President Donald Trump announced an immediate 90-day freeze on all USAID including family planning, which, amounts annually to over $600 million, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a leading reproductive health policy organisation. That will mean an estimated 11.7 million women and girls losing access to contraception, resulting in 4.2 million unintended pregnancies and, 8,340 maternal deaths, as well as a surge in unsafe abortions, according to Marie Stopes International, a non-governmental organisation providing contraception and safe abortion services in 37 countries around the world. Speaking during a panel event at the London premiere of The A-Word, The Independent’s documentary about reproductive rights in America, Sarah Shaw, MSI associate director of advocacy, said in some developing countries USAID funding accounts for almost 70% of the health budget. For every week without USAID, nearly one million women and girls worldwide are denied contraceptive care, according to analysis from the Guttmacher Institute. Shaw describes how right now, $150 million worth of sexual and reproductive health essential medicines are sitting in warehouses in countries with extremely high needs. “There is literally no way of getting that stock from the warehouse into the clinics because the distribution systems have all ground to a halt because the US government didn’t just fund services, it funded the health infrastructure,” she added. Read full story Source: The Independent. 28 February 2025
  12. News Article
    On 20 January, USAID issued a blanket “stop-work” order to all of its partners, demanding that organisations cease operations. In early February, the Trump administration fired the majority of all 10,000-plus USAID workers, leaving around just 290 employees. Though a US federal judge issued a temporary order to lift the aid freeze on 14 February, there is no clear evidence yet that programmes are back in action, with many hesitant to act under rapidly changing guidance. USAID’s reach across the world cannot be overstated. Some 141 countries relied on some form of USAID in 2024, worth $42.5bn (£33.3bn) in 2023 (the last available year). Around $600m each year of USAID funding has been spent on family planning; and now, the impact of its withdrawal is being felt worldwide. For every week without USAID, nearly one million women and girls worldwide are denied contraceptive care, according to analysis from the Guttmacher Institute, a leading reproductive health policy organisation. An average of 130,390 women received contraceptive care each day from US-funded programmes before the freeze. As a result of the immediate stop-work order, some 912,730 women will not receive contraception each week; amounting to approximately 3.8 million women who are estimated to have already been denied contraceptive care since the freeze (between 20 January and 18 February). Most of these programmes are in sub-Saharan Africa, with funding going to family planning in Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and more. But the withdrawal of USAID will impact all sectors of global health; not least maternal health, where USAID has been vital to healthcare infrastructure in many of these countries. “Looking at the wider landscape in addition to family planning, when you take away maternal health services as well, which is what’s happening, there’s a cascading effect,” a USAID official explained. With gaps in midwives, equipment, and pre- and post-natal care, the risk of maternal death is likely to increase, in addition to pregnancy complications. Read full story Source: The Independent, 18 February 2025
  13. News Article
    Oxygen is vital to many medical procedures. But a safe, affordable supply is severely lacking around the world, according to a new report. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, millions of people in poor nations died literally gasping for breath, even in hospitals. What they lacked was medical oxygen, which is in short supply in much of the world. On Monday, a panel of experts published a comprehensive report on the shortage. Each year, the report noted, more than 370 million people worldwide need oxygen as part of their medical care, but fewer than 1 in 3 receive it, jeopardising the health and lives of those who do not. Access to safe and affordable medical oxygen is especially limited in low- and middle-income nations. “The need is very urgent,” said Dr. Hamish Graham, a pediatrician and a lead author of the report. “We know that there’s more epidemics coming, and there’ll be another pandemic, probably like Covid, within the next 15 to 20 years.” The report, published in The Lancet Global Health, comes just weeks after the Trump administration froze foreign aid programmes, including some that could improve access to oxygen. Boosting the availability of medical oxygen would require an investment of about $6.8 billion, the report noted. “Within the current climate, that’s obviously going to become a bit more of a challenge,” said Carina King, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the Karolinska Institute and a lead author of the report. “We’re not pitting oxygen against other priorities, but rather that it should be embedded within all of those programs and within those priorities,” Dr. King said. “It’s completely fundamental to a functioning health system.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: The New York Times, 17 February 2025
  14. Content Article
    On 18 December 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified the first diagnostic test for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency which can help to safely deliver WHO-recommended treatments to prevent relapse of Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) infection. The prequalification of this G6PD diagnostic test marks a significant milestone in facilitating safe and effective P. vivax malaria treatment, reaffirming WHO’s dedication to ensuring equitable access to life-saving health solutions globally. Some 500 000 people die each year from malaria, most of them children.
  15. Content Article
    Unsafe care results in over three million deaths each year globally and it is estimated that over half of these deaths are preventable. The majority of harm occurs in low resource setting, where systemic factors relating to context, complexity of care, organisational behaviour, human factors, wider socio-political influences and significant workforce shortages contribute to an increased risk of adverse events. The scope and nature of challenges impacting patient safety in low resource settings remain under-studied and largely undocumented. The journal Frontiers in Health Services is inviting articles to contribute to the Research Topic that explore the challenges of providing high-quality care in low resource settings. It is also looking for studies that explore the strategies, methodologies and evidence of good practice that might be used to overcome these challenges in a wide range of low resource settings across both high- and low-income contexts, and across all healthcare disciplines, including mental health. Research papers may include (but are not limited to): Empirical research studies that aims to explore and/or improve quality and safety of care in low-resource settings globally. Review articles that identify and describe strategies and policies that have led to improvements in patient safety in low resource settings. Evidence syntheses that explore patient safety or quality of care for specific populations in resource-constrained settings globally. Impact evaluation of patient safety and/or quality improvement initiatives, and their generalisability to low-resource settings. Articles which capture the range of methodologies that might be used to measure and evaluate patient safety and quality of care Studies which explore the role of patient and public involvement in patient safety for low resource settings. Manuscript Summary Submission Deadline 20 January 2025 Manuscript Submission Deadline 10 May 2025
  16. Content Article
    In this letter to The Lancet, Thomas Cueni, Director General of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations argues that the need to focus on equitable rollout of vaccines in the event of a future pandemic is a key global health priority. He proposes that Governments, pharma companies and other stakeholders should focus on the challenges that led to the inequitable rollout of vaccines, which he identifies as vaccine nationalism and need for more diverse manufacturing. He highlights an industry proposal for equitable response to future pandemics supported by vaccine manufacturers and biotechnologies. the proposal involves manufacturers setting aside a percentage of pandemic tools for allocation to susceptible populations in low-income countries.
  17. Content Article
    This report by the World Health Organization (WHO) identifies major global gaps in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. It outlines that: one third of health care facilities do not have what is needed to clean hands where care is provided one in four facilities have no water services 10% have no sanitation services. This means that 1.8 billion people use facilities that lack basic water services and 800 million use facilities with no toilets. Across the world’s 47 least-developed countries, the problem is even greater, with half of health care facilities lacking basic water services. In addition, the extent of the problem remains hidden because major gaps in data persist, especially on environmental cleaning. The report describes the global and national responses to the 2019 World Health Assembly resolution on WASH in health care facilities. More than 70% of countries have conducted related situation analyses, 86% have updated and are implementing standards and 60% are working to incrementally improve infrastructure and operation and maintenance of WASH services. Case studies from 30 countries demonstrate that progress is being propelled by strong national leadership and coordination, use of data to direct resources and action, and the mutual benefits of empowering health workers and communities to develop solutions together. The report includes four recommendations to all countries and partners to accelerate investments and improvements in WASH services in health care facilities: Implement costed national roadmaps with appropriate financing. Monitor and regularly review progress in improving WASH services, practices and the enabling environment. Develop capacities of the health workforce to sustain WASH services and promote and practice good hygiene. Integrate WASH into regular health sector planning, budgeting and programming to deliver quality services, including Covid-19 response and recovery efforts.
  18. Content Article
    The African Surgical Outcomes Study (ASOS) showed that surgical patients in Africa have a mortality rate twice the global average. Existing risk assessment tools are not valid for use in this population because the pattern of risk for poor outcomes differs from high-income countries. This aim of this study in The British Journal of Anaesthesia was to derive and validate a simple, preoperative risk stratification tool to identify African surgical patients at risk for in-hospital postoperative mortality and severe complications. ASOS was a 7-day prospective cohort study of adult patients undergoing surgery in Africa. The ASOS Surgical Risk Calculator was developed using data from 8799 patients in 168 African hospitals. It includes the following risk factors: age, ASA physical status, indication for surgery, urgency, severity, and type of surgery. The authors concluded that the ASOS Surgical Risk Calculator could be used to identify high-risk surgical patients in African hospitals and facilitate increased postoperative surveillance. Related reading Using the “5Rs for rescue” to reduce post-surgical mortality (IHI, 14 March 2023)
  19. Content Article
    The number of patients who die from post-surgical complications in low- and middle-income countries is shockingly high. In Africa alone, more than 600,000 people die each year after surgery, mostly from causes that are relatively easy to treat. This blog by Pierre Barker, Chief Scientific Officer at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) looks at a method for reducing post-surgical death called the '5Rs for rescue': Risk stratification Recognise deterioration Respond Reassess Reflect/Redesign He describes how the IHI will test how to support the reliable implementation of the '5Rs for Rescue', which aims to reduce mortality by 25%.
  20. Event
    until
    Medication-related harm accounts for up to half of the overall preventable harm in medical care. Patients in low- and middle-income countries are twice more likely to experience preventable medication harm than patients in high-income countries. Considering this huge burden of harm, “Medication Safety” has been selected as the theme for World Patient Safety Day 2022. To commemorate the day, WHO is organizing a Global Virtual Event, calling on all stakeholders to join efforts globally for “Medication Without Harm”. During the event, stakeholders will discuss medication safety issues within the strategic framework of the WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge: Medication Without Harm, including 1) Patients and the public, 2) Health and care workers, 3) Medicines, and 4) Systems and practices of medication. Interpretations will be available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Register for the webinar Save the date-flyer_Global Virtual Event WPSD 2022_15 September 2022.pdf
  21. Event
    until
    Patient safety is a critical global public health issue and is essential if health systems are to advance and achieve universal health coverage (UHC). Every year, an inadmissible number of patients are harmed or die because of unsafe and poor-quality healthcare, exerting a very high global burden especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Even before the pandemic, 1 in 10 patients in high-income countries were harmed from safety lapses during their hospital care. This number is greater in LMICs where adverse events in healthcare contribute to around 2.6 million hospital deaths each year. With the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, patient safety has become an even more crucial area for international cooperation. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland invites you to join a high-level event on patient safety, co-sponsored by the World Health Organization, to: Illustrate the scale and significant burden of avoidable harm in healthcare globally and its impact on patients, families, healthcare workers, health system finances, communities and societies. Advocate a vision for eliminating avoidable harm in healthcare and demonstrate the need to prioritise patient safety as a global health priority, including by supporting strategic patient safety initiatives. Advocate for all countries to designate patient safety officers responsible for the coordination of patient safety implementation at national and facility levels. Register
  22. Content Article
    In fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings there is an urgent need for action on quality of healthcare, given the significant health needs of the populations in these environments and the increasing numbers of people for whom such settings are home. The Quality of care in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings: tools and resources compendium represents a curated, pragmatic and non-prescriptive collection of tools and resources to support the implementation of interventions to improve quality of care in such contexts. Relevant tools and resources are listed under five areas: ensuring access and basic infrastructure for quality shaping the system environment reducing harm improving clinical care engaging and empowering patients, families and communities. Cross-cutting products are also signposted. The compendium is a companion to the World Health Organization resource Quality of care in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings: taking action.
  23. Content Article
    Evidence on heterogeneity in outcomes of surgical quality interventions in low-income and middle-income countries is limited. Alidina et al. explored the factors driving performance in the Safe Surgery 2020 intervention in Tanzania’s Lake Zone to distil implementation lessons for low-resource settings. They found that performance experiences of higher and lower performers differed on the following themes: (1) preintervention context, (2) engagement with Safe Surgery 2020 interventions, (3) teamwork and communication orientation, (4) collective learning orientation, (5) role of leadership, and (6) perceived impact of Safe Surgery 2020 and beyond. Higher performers had a culture of teamwork which helped them capitalise on Safe Surgery 2020 to improve surgical ecosystems holistically on safety practices, teamwork and communication. Lower performers prioritised overhauling safety practices and began considering organisational cultural changes much later. Thus, while also improving, lower performers prioritised different goals and trailed higher performers on the change continuum. The authors conclude that future interventions should be tailored to facility context and invest in strengthening teamwork, communication and collective learning and facilitate leadership engagement to build a receptive climate for successful implementation of safe surgery interventions.
  24. Content Article
    Fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable (FCV) settings is a broad term describing a range of situations including humanitarian crises, protracted emergencies and armed conflicts. In FCV settings delivery of quality health services faces significant challenges, including disruption of routine health service organization and delivery systems, increased health needs, complex and unpredictable resourcing issues, and vulnerability to multiple public health crises. Despite the difficulty of addressing quality in FCV settings, the need is acute, given the significant health needs of the populations in such environments and the increasing numbers of people for whom FCV settings are home.   WHO is working with Member States, the Global Health Cluster, and technical and academic partners to support action to address quality in FCV settings. Building on the foundations of the WHO National quality policy and strategy initiative, WHO has developed a technical document, “Quality of care in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings: taking action”. The document outlines a practical approach to action planning and implementation of quality interventions in FCV settings and is accompanied by a curated compendium of tools.
  25. Content Article
    Improving patient safety during anesthesia and surgery is a major public health issue, with safety standards varying from country to country. Anesthesia safety is often hampered by complex problems in low income countries. This survey assesses the unmet anesthesia needs in Ethiopia. The author concludes that anesthesia safety in Ethiopia appears challenged by substandard continuous medical education and continuous professional development practice, and limited availability of some essential equipment and medications. The study states that while patient monitoring and anesthesia conduct are relatively good, World Health Organization surgical safety checklist application and postoperative pain management are very low, affecting the delivery of safe anesthesia conduct.

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