The impact of scheduling ketamine as an internationally controlled substance on anaesthesia care in Sub-Saharan Africa: a case study and key informant interviews.

Background: Access to anaesthesia and surgical care is a major problem for people living in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this region, ketamine is critical for the provision of anaesthesia care. However, efforts to control ketamine internationally as a controlled substance may significantly impact its accessibility.

Availability and stock-outs of paediatric antiretroviral treatment formulations at health facilities in Kenya and Uganda.

Introduction: The large number of deaths among children with HIV is driven by poor antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage among this cohort. The aim of the study was to assess the availability and stock-outs of paediatric and adult ART formulations in Kenya and Uganda across various regions and types of health facilities.

Methods: A survey on availability and stock-outs of paediatric ART at health facilities was adapted from the standardized Health Action International-WHO Medicine Availability Monitoring Tool.

Barriers to accessing internationally controlled essential medicines in sub-saharan Africa: A scoping review.

Background: Access to internationally controlled essential medicines (ICEMs), medicines that are listed on both the World Health Organization's Essential Medicines List and one of three international drug control conventions, remains problematic in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Previous reviews have focused only on specific ICEMs or ICEM-related healthcare fields, but none have focused on all ICEMs as a distinct class. This scoping review therefore aims to identify the barriers to accessing ICEMs across all relevant healthcare fields in SSA.

Barriers and enablers of community engagement practices for the prevention of snakebite envenoming in South Asia: A qualitative exploratory study.

Snakebite envenoming (SBE) is a grossly neglected tropical disease (NTD) that predominantly affects those living in rural settings in low-and-middle income countries. South Asia currently accounts for the highest global SBE-related mortality, and substantial morbidity rates. To alleviate the high burden in the region, community engagement (CE) is considered to be an integral component for optimizing SBE prevention and control.

Healthcare workers' perspectives on access to sexual and reproductive health services in the public, private and private not-for-profit sectors: insights from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

Background: Access to sexual and reproductive health services remains a challenge for many in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Health service delivery in the four countries is decentralised and provided by the public, private and private not-for-profit sectors. When accessing sexual and reproductive health services, clients encounter numerous challenges, which might differ per sector.

Availability, affordability and stock-outs of commodities for the treatment of snakebite in Kenya.

Background: Annually, about 2.7 million snakebite envenomings occur globally. Alongside antivenom, patients usually require additional care to treat envenoming symptoms and antivenom side effects.

Snakebite incidents, prevention and care during COVID-19: Global key-informant experiences.

Snakebite envenoming is a long-neglected disease causing significant morbidity and mortality in snakebite endemic low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Global awareness on snakebite was increasing steadily up to 2020, and an increasing number of countries began to acknowledge the issue, when coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) started to have an unprecedented impact on societies and health systems. To better understand how snakebite incidents, prevention and care are being affected during this global emergency, we collected perspectives of snakebite community- and health system stakeholders in a qualitative key-informant study.

The Burden of Snakebite in Rural Communities in Kenya: A Household Survey.

Annually, about 2.7 million snakebite envenomings occur worldwide, primarily affecting those living in rural regions. Effective treatment exists but is scarce, and traditional treatments are commonly used.

An exploratory focus group study on experiences with snakebites: health-seeking behaviour and challenges in rural communities of Kenya.

Background: Snakebite envenoming is a long-hidden public health threat in the rural communities of Kenya. This study aimed to shed light on the health-seeking behaviour of people bitten by snakes, views on prevention measures and community needs and the consequences for snakebite patients in these areas.

Methods: Six focus group interviews were conducted in communities in the Kajiado (n=3) and Kilifi (n=3) counties.

Access to oxytocin and misoprostol for management of postpartum haemorrhage in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia: a cross-sectional assessment of availability, prices and affordability.

Objective: To assess access (availability and affordability) to oxytocin and misoprostol at health facilities in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia to improve prevention and management of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH).

Design: The assessment was undertaken using data from Health Action International (HAI) research on sexual and reproductive health commodities based on a cross-sectional design adapted from the standardised WHO/HAI methodology.

Setting: Data were collected from 376 health facilities in in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia in July and August 2017.

The Current State of Snakebite Care in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia: Healthcare Workers' Perspectives and Knowledge, and Health Facilities' Treatment Capacity.

Snakebites continue to be a public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, where availability of appropriate medical treatment is rare, even though death and disability can be prevented with timely intervention. A challenge is the lack of sociopolitical studies to inform health policies. This study aimed to identify snakebite patient profiles, healthcare workers' (HCWs) knowledge of snakebite, and facilities' snakebite treatment capacity in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia to inform interventions to improve access to appropriate treatment.

Access to sexual and reproductive health commodities in East and Southern Africa: a cross-country comparison of availability, affordability and stock-outs in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

Background: Access to sexual and reproductive health services continues to be a public health concern in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia: use of modern contraceptives is low, and unmet family planning needs and maternal mortality remain high. This study is an assessment of the availability, affordability and stock-outs of essential sexual and reproductive health commodities (SRHC) in these countries to inform interventions to improve access.

Methods: The study consisted of an adaptation of the World Health Organization/Health Action International methodology, Measuring Medicine Prices, Availability, Affordability and Price Components.

Barriers to Accessing Internationally Controlled Essential Medicines in Uganda: A Qualitative Study.

Context: Access to internationally controlled essential medicines is a problem worldwide. More than five billion people cannot access opioids for pain and palliative care or do not have access to surgical care or anesthetics, 25 million people living with epilepsy do not have access to their medicines, and 120,000 women die annually owing to postpartum hemorrhage. In Uganda, access to controlled medicines is also problematic, but a lack of data on factors that influence access exists.

Sociodemographic Differences in the Use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems in the European Union.

Introduction: Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are rapidly increasing in popularity. However, little is known about sociodemographic differences in use of ENDS. This study aims to assess the sociodemographic characteristics associated with ENDS ever-use and use as a cessation tool in the European Union.