Protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of digital health interventions in improving non-communicable disease management during the pandemic in rural Pakistan.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed gaps in global health systems, especially in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Evidence shows that patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and suffering direct and indirect health consequences. Considering the future challenges such as environmental disasters and pandemics to the LMICs health systems, digital health interventions (DHI) are well poised to strengthen health care resilience.

Increasing Effectiveness and Equity in Strengthening Health Research Capacity Using Data and Metrics: Recent Advances of the ESSENCE Mechanism.

Background: The ESSENCE on Health Research initiative established a Working Group on Review of Investments in 2018 to improve coordination and collaboration among funders of health research capacity strengthening. The Working Group comprises more than a dozen ESSENCE members, including diverse representation by geography, country income level, the public sector, and philanthropy.

Objective: The overall goal of the Working Group is increased research on national health priorities as well as improved pandemic preparedness, and, ultimately, fewer countries with very limited research capacity.

Funders' Perspectives on Supporting Implementation Research in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

We identify and discuss 7 approaches for funders to contemplate when considering support for implementation research in low- and middle-income countries.

Breaking the paradigm: Optimized Case Finding multiplies tuberculosis detection among key populations in Ukraine.

Introduction: In 2018, there were 3 million "missed" tuberculosis (TB) cases globally, much of which was disproportionally concentrated among key populations. To enhance TB case-finding, an Optimized Case Finding (OCF) strategy involving all contacts within the social network of an index TB case was introduced in five regions of Ukraine. We assessed TB detection and linkage to TB treatment using OCF in key populations.

People Who Inject Drugs and have tuberculosis: Opioid Substitution Therapy improves treatment outcomes in Ukraine.

Introduction: Opioid substitution therapy (OST) is one of the pillars of harm reduction strategies for People Who Inject Drugs (PWID). It should be an integral part of tuberculosis (TB) care to increase the uptake, compliance and effectiveness of treatment and also curtail risk behaviors. We aimed to compare TB treatment outcomes in relation to OST among PWID in six regions of Ukraine.

Going virtual for research training during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: e-SORT IT.

The Structured Operational Research and Training Initiative (SORT IT) model has contributed to building research capacity and has produced evidence for improving public health program performance in countries with limited research capacity. The model involves hands-on mentorship and consists of three modules/weeks. It is recognized to be an innovative research capacity building model.

Politics of disease control in Africa and the critical role of global health diplomacy: A systematic review.

Africa is facing the triple burden of communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and nutritional disorders. Multilateral institutions, bilateral arrangements, and philanthropies have historically privileged economic development over health concerns. That focus has resulted in weak health systems and inadequate preparedness when there are outbreaks of diseases.

Gaps in tuberculosis control in Armenia: How to improve the care system?

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a global public health problem. People with weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to TB. It is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide and is a leading cause of death for people living with HIV (PLWH).

Tuberculosis in key populations in Tajikistan - a snapshot in 2017.

Introduction: WHO End TB Strategy aims at achieving targets of 90% mortality reduction and 80% reduction in tuberculosis (TB) incidence by 2030, recommending better addressing TB and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) issues in key populations.

Aim: The study aimed at having a snapshot of the epidemiological characteristics of the key populations among the new TB patients, registered in Tajikistan during 2017.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted, using official TB registration data for all new TB case notification in Tajikistan in 2017.

A Mechanism for Reviewing Investments in Health Research Capacity Strengthening in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

More than 40 agencies that fund health research capacity strengthening in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) participate in the ESSENCE Health Research initiative, which has established a mechanism for reviewing and coordinating their funding. Taken together, the expected outcomes of implementation of the review mechanism are increases in the efficiency and equity in health research capacity strengthening activities with decreased duplication of efforts. The overall goal is increased support of research on national health priorities as well as improved pandemic preparedness in LMICs, and, eventually, fewer countries with very limited research capacity.

Investing in Operational Research Capacity Building for Front-Line Health Workers Strengthens Countries' Resilience to Tackling the COVID-19 Pandemic.

(1) Introduction. The Structured Operational Research and Training IniTiative (SORT IT) supports countries to build operational research capacity for improving public health. We assessed whether health workers trained through SORT IT were (1) contributing to the COVID-19 pandemic response and if so, (2) map where and how they were applying their SORT IT skills.

Strengthening the core health research capacity of national health systems helps build country resilience to epidemics: a cross-sectional survey.

 TDR, The Special Programme for Research and Training hosted at the World Health Organization, has long supported Low- and Middle-Income Countries in strengthening research capacity through three training programmes: the Postgraduate Training Scheme (PGTS), the Clinical Research and Development Fellowship (CRDF), and the Structured Operational Research Training InitiaTive (SORT IT). In the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, we assessed whether those trained through these programmes were involved in the COVID-19 response and if so, in which area(s) of the emergency response they were applying their skills. From the records for each training programme, we identified the individuals who had completed training during the relevant timespan of each programme: 1999-2018 for the CRDF scheme, 2015-2020 for PGTS, and 2009-2019 for SORT-IT.

Strategies for active detection of tuberculosis in Ukraine: Comparative effectiveness amongst key populations (2014-2018).

Introduction: Ukraine has gaps in Tuberculosis (TB) service coverage, especially in key populations (KPs). We compared effectiveness of three different strategies for active TB detection among KPs and their linkage to TB treatment during three time periods.

Methodology: The KPs included people who inject drugs (PWID), sex workers (SW), men who have sex with men (MSM) and groups at-risk of TB (ex-prisoners, Roma and homeless).

Quality of care provided to tuberculosis patients in Armenia: How satisfied are the patients?

Introduction: Adherence to tuberculosis (TB) treatment as an important determinant for the successful cure of patients can be increased by focusing on patient satisfaction. The objective of this study was to evaluate patient satisfaction with TB services, different aspects of patient satisfaction, and demographic, health and treatment characteristics associated with satisfaction.

Methodology: Overall 505 randomly selected TB patients that received treatment during 2014-2015 in Armenia underwent a cross-sectional telephone survey.

Ultracompact Minihalos as Probes of Inflationary Cosmology.

Cosmological inflation generates primordial density perturbations on all scales, including those far too small to contribute to the cosmic microwave background. At these scales, isolated ultracompact minihalos of dark matter can form well before standard structure formation, if the perturbations have sufficient amplitude. Minihalos affect pulsar timing data and are potentially bright sources of gamma rays.

Building coherence and synergy among global health initiatives.

Background: The fast growth of global health initiatives (GHIs) has raised concerns regarding achievement of coherence and synergy among distinct, complementary and sometimes competing activities. Herein, we propose an approach to compare GHIs with regard to their main purpose and operational aspects, using the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR/WHO) as a case study. The overall goal is to identify synergies and optimize efforts to provide solutions to reduce the burden of diseases.