COVID-19 Resilience and Risk Reduction Intervention in Rural Populations of Western India: Retrospective Evaluation.

Background: Globally, especially in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), rural populations were more susceptible to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic due to lower levels of community awareness, poor hygiene, and health literacy accompanying pre-existing weak public health systems. Consequently, various community-based interventions were engineered in rural regions worldwide to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic by empowering people to mount both individual and collective public health responses against the pandemic. However, to date, there is paucity of information on the effectiveness of any large-scale community intervention in controlling and mitigating the effects of COVID-19, especially from the perspective of LMICs.

Strengthening of District/Taluk Level Hospitals Through Implementation of Post-graduate Medical Courses in Karnataka, India.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the requirement of human resource for health (HRH) stands at 44.5 skilled health workers per 10,000 population. WHO recognizes India as one of the countries which has HRH crisis.

Genetic associations of TMEM154, PRC1 and ZFAND6 loci with type 2 diabetes in an endogamous business community of North India.

Background: More than 250 loci have been identified by genome-wide scans for type 2 diabetes in different populations. South Asians have a very different manifestation of the diseases and hence role of these loci need to be investigated among Indians with huge burden of cardio-metabolic disorders. Thus the present study aims to validate the recently identified GWAS loci in an endogamous caste population in North India.

Achieving universal health coverage and sustainable development goals by 2030: investment estimates to increase production of health professionals in India.

Background: COVID-19 has reinforced the importance of having a sufficient, well-distributed and competent health workforce. In addition to improving health outcomes, increased investment in health has the potential to generate employment, increase labour productivity and foster economic growth. We estimate the required investment for increasing the production of the health workforce in India for achieving the UHC/SDGs.

Impact of the Drug Prices Control Order (2013) on the Utilization of Anticancer Medicines in India: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis.

Objectives The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority introduced a series of Drug Prices Control Orders since 1970 to regulate the prices of essential medicines in India. This study evaluated the impact of the Drug Prices Control Order of 2013 on the utilization of anticancer medicines in the Indian private sector. Methods We used monthly sales audit data for a period of 2012-15, provided by Intercontinental Medical Statistics (IMS) Health.

Determinants of severity among hospitalised COVID-19 patients: Hospital-based case-control study, India, 2020.

Background: Risk factors for the development of severe COVID-19 disease and death have been widely reported across several studies. Knowledge about the determinants of severe disease and mortality in the Indian context can guide early clinical management.

Methods: We conducted a hospital-based case control study across nine sites in India to identify the determinants of severe and critical COVID-19 disease.

Size, composition and distribution of health workforce in India: why, and where to invest?

Background: Investment in human resources for health not only strengthens the health system, but also generates employment and contributes to economic growth. India can gain from enhanced investment in health workforce in multiple ways. This study in addition to presenting updated estimates on size and composition of health workforce, identifies areas of investment in health workforce in India.

Burden and management of obstetric fistula in South-East Asian region countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Each year, between 50,000 and 100,000 women worldwide develop obstetric fistulae. Approximately 2 million girls across Asia and Africa are estimated to be affected by this condition. However, there is no reliable data on its prevalence in South-East Asia region (SEAR).

Our Fight Against the Rapidly Evolving COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of India's Actions and Proposed Way Forward.

A new strain of coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has overwhelmed the world with its rapid spread and high number of cases. SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19 disease which may present with mild, moderate, or severe illness. In severe cases, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, and septic shock can occur.

Medical schools in India: pattern of establishment and impact on public health - a Geographic Information System (GIS) based exploratory study.

Background: Indian medical education system is on the brink of a massive reform. The government of India has recently passed the National Medical Commission Bill (NMC Bill). It seeks to eliminate the existing shortage and maldistribution of health professionals in India.

Prophylactic Vitamin D Supplementation Practices for Infants: A Survey of Pediatricians From Delhi.

This survey was conducted among 125 pediatricians working in public and private child care facilities of Delhi. Prescription rates of routine vitamin D supplementation varied between 70-100% for various groups of infants, despite non-availability of government guidelines. Pediatricians in private practice more frequently prescribed vitamin D supplementation to term healthy infants as compared to government pediatrician (91.

Size, composition and distribution of human resource for health in India: new estimates using National Sample Survey and Registry data.

Objectives: We provide new estimates on size, composition and distribution of human resource for health in India and compare with the health workers population ratio as recommended by the WHO. We also estimate size of non-health workers engaged in health sector and the size of technically qualified health professionals who are not a part of the health workforce.

Design: Nationally representative cross-section household survey and review of published documents by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence.

Forecasting the future need and gaps in requirements for public health professionals in India up to 2026.

Current ambitious reforms in India mean that public health professionals (PHPs) will become an increasingly vital component of the health workforce. Despite a rapid growth in schools of public health in India, uptake of places by students without a medical background is low. This paper reports the results of an exercise to estimate the baseline supply of, and need for, PHPs in India in 2017 and to forecast possible supply-need scenarios up to 2026.

Assessment of health professional education across five Asian countries-a protocol.

Background: There is an increasing consensus globally that the education of health professionals is failing to keep pace with scientific, social, and economic changes transforming the healthcare environment. This catalyzed a movement in reforming education of health professionals across Bangladesh, China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam who jointly volunteered to implement and conduct cooperative, comparative, and suitable health professional education assessments with respect to the nation's socio-economic and cultural status, as well as domestic health service system.

Methods: The 5C network undertook a multi-country health professional educational study to provide its countries with evidence for HRH policymaking.

Health Management Workforce for India in 2030.

Since its launch in the year 2005, National Rural Health Mission (NHM) has exhibited a felt need for health management training in India against the background of a shortfall of trained public health managers in the country. In India's context, health (hospital) management professionals are those, who are working in the health sector, belonging to medical and non-medical backgrounds and are trained in health (hospital) management/administration programs or other public health programs (for e.g.

Current status of master of public health programmes in India: a scoping review.

There is a recognized need to improve training in public health in India. Currently, several Indian institutions and universities offer the Master of Public Health (MPH) programme. However, in the absence of any formal body or council for regulating public health education in the country, there is limited information available on these programmes.

How Do Masters of Public Health Programs Teach Monitoring and Evaluation?

Introduction: The health systems in developing countries face challenges because of deficient monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity with respect to their knowledge, skills, and practices. Strengthening M&E training in public health education can help overcome the gaps in M&E capacity. There is a need to advance the teaching of M&E as a core element of public health education.

Rapid assessment of facilitators and barriers related to the acceptance, challenges and community perception of daily regimen for treating tuberculosis in India.

Introduction: The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) is the largest tuberculosis (TB) control program in the world based on Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) strategy. Globally, most countries have been using a daily regimen and in India a shift towards a daily regimen for TB treatment has already begun. The daily strategy is known to improve program coverage along with compliance.

Attitude towards working in rural area and self-assessment of competencies in last year medical students: A survey of five countries in Asia.

Background: Five countries in Asia including Bangladesh, China, India, Thailand and Vietnam formed a network called Asia-Pacific Network for Health Professional Education Reforms (ANHER). This network collectively conducted a survey at the national level and at the institutional level (for medical, nursing and public health education). We also undertook an assessment of final year graduates from these schools on their attitudes, competencies and willingness to work in rural areas.

Building Interdisciplinary Leadership Skills among Health Practitioners in the Twenty-First Century: An Innovative Training Model.

Transformational learning is the focus of twenty-first century global educational reforms. In India, there is a need to amalgamate the skills and knowledge of medical, nursing, and public health practitioners and to develop robust leadership competencies among them. This initiative proposed to identify interdisciplinary leadership competencies among Indian health practitioners and to develop a training program for interdisciplinary leadership skills through an Innovation Collaborative.

Diagnostic accuracy of haemoglobin colour strip (HCS-HLL), a digital haemoglobinometer (TrueHb) and a non-invasive device (TouchHb) for screening patients with anaemia.

Aim: Estimation of haemoglobin (Hb) remains a challenge, particularly in outreach settings. There is a need to have a simple and cost-effective device to detect anaemia. Three devices (haemoglobin colour scale (HCS)-HLL (Hindustan Lifecare Limited), TrueHb V.