Strengthening and utilizing response groups for emergencies flagship: a narrative review of the roll out process and lessons from the first year of implementation.

The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) faces members who encounter annual disease epidemics and natural disasters that necessitate immediate deployment and a trained health workforce to respond. The gaps in this regard, further exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, led to conceptualizing the Strengthening and Utilizing Response Group for Emergencies (SURGE) flagship in 2021. This study aimed to present the experience of the WHO/AFRO in the stepwise roll-out process and the outcome, as well as to elucidate the lessons learned across the pilot countries throughout the first year of implementation.

The Zanzibar Heart Survey: A special report from a humanitarian cardiology program at the Mnazi Mmoja referral hospital, Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania by Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway.

A Norwegian cardiology delegation comprised of Cardiologists and Researchers travelled voluntarily to Zanzibar to undertake 4 humanitarian missions in 2022. The principal aims of this were to: 1) Train local cardiologists in transthoracic echocardiography and perform echocardiographic screening in patients with cardiac symptoms who had not undergone any prior cardiac imaging, 2) Conduct a hypertension survey to improve awareness, treatment and control of hypertension and 3) Implant permanent pacemakers in patients with significant bradyarrhythmias for the first time in the Archipelago. The current report details our experience at the Mnazi Mmoja Referral Hospital.

Process of developing Country Cooperation Strategy in Tanzania, as an effective tool for aligning WHO's support to the member state in achieving health and health-related sustainable development goal.

Introduction: an organization's long-term success and relevance are linked with compelling strategic development. To that end, the country office of WHO in the United Republic of Tanzania, in collaboration with stakeholders, developed a 6-year Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS), 2022-2027. This paper describes the various steps taken in developing the CCS for the United Republic of Tanzania.

The Epidemiology of Cholera in Zanzibar: Implications for the Zanzibar Comprehensive Cholera Elimination Plan.

Background: Cholera poses a public health and economic threat to Zanzibar. Detailed epidemiologic analyses are needed to inform a multisectoral cholera elimination plan currently under development.

Methods: We collated passive surveillance data from 1997 to 2017 and calculated the outbreak-specific and cumulative incidence of suspected cholera per shehia (neighborhood).

Moving towards universal health coverage: The need for a strengthened planning process.

As countries embrace the ambitious universal health coverage (UHC) agenda whose major tenents include reaching everyone with the needed good quality services, strengthening the planning process to work towards a common objective is paramount. Drawing from country experiences-Swaziland and Zanzibar, we reviewed strategic planning processes to assess the extent to which they impact on realising alignment towards a collective health sector objective. Employing qualitative approaches, we reviewed strategic plans under implementation in the health sector and using an interview guide consisting of open-ended questions, interviewed key informants at the national and district level.

Population-based monitoring of HIV drug resistance in Namibia with early warning indicators.

Introduction: HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) testing is not routinely available in many resource-limited settings, therefore, antiretroviral therapy (ART) program and site factors known to be associated with HIVDR should be monitored to optimize the quality of patient care and minimize the emergence of preventable HIVDR.

Methods: In 2009, Namibia selected 5 World Health Organization Early Warning Indicators (EWIs) and piloted abstraction at 9 ART sites: "ART prescribing practices, patients lost to follow-up at 12 months, patient retention on first-line ART at 12 months, on-time antiretroviral drug pick-up, and antiretroviral drug-supply continuity".

Results: Records supported monitoring of 3 of 5 selected EWIs.

Roll back malaria--an African success story in Eritrea.

Background: High morbidity and mortality from malaria in Africa prompted the Abuja Declaration by African Heads of State in 2000. The goal set in the declaration for 2010 was to reduce malaria mortality by 50%. Countries were therefore expected to ensure that 60% of people suffering from malaria had access to treatment, that 60% of those at risk received intermittent prophylaxis, and that 60% of people in high-risk groups were using insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) by 2005.

Continuing communicable disease burden in Eritrea.

Background And Methods: A retrospective study of the national health profile of Eritreans, focusing on acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI), tuberculosis (TB), diarrhoea, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV/AIDS, was done on data from 1998 to 2003 through a health information management system. Records were included for patients of all ages receiving outpatient and inpatient hospital services during the study period. All incidence rates were given as cases per 100,000 population.