Assessing the scalability of health system interventions in Africa: protocol for a Delphi study.

Background: There is widespread enthusiasm for scaling interventions to strengthen health systems. However, little is known about the scalability of such interventions in Africa. In this study, we seek to assess the scalability of interventions for improving the functionality of health systems in Africa, as a key to large-scale implementation strategy of interventions with potential for impact.

Mapping inequalities in health service coverage in Africa: a scoping review.

Objective: In this scoping review, we aim to consolidate the evidence on inequalities in service coverage in Africa using a comprehensive set of stratifiers. These stratifiers include place of residence, race/ethnicity/culture/language, occupation, gender/sex, religion, education, socioeconomic status and social capital. Our approach provides a more holistic understanding of the different dimensions of inequality in the context of universal health coverage (UHC).

Atlas 2022 of African health Statistics: Key results towards achieving the health-related SDGs targets.

Introduction: The Atlas 2022 of African Health Statistics is a comprehensive tool that gives an overview of the health ecosystem in the African region. As such, it tracks progress towards globally agreed objectives, such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), assesses the capacity of African countries to achieve them, and helps policymakers identify gaps and areas requiring substantial reinforcement.

Methods: We analyzed health-related SDGs' key indicators in the Atlas 2022 of African Health Statistics.

Scoping review of African health histories: a protocol.

Introduction: The history of African health is closely entwined with the history of the continent itself-from precolonial times to the present day. A study of African health histories is critical to understanding the complex interplay between social, economic, environmental and political factors that have shaped health outcomes on the continent. Furthermore, it can shed light on the successes and failures of past health interventions, inform current healthcare policies and practices, and guide future efforts to address the persistent health challenges faced by African populations.

Assessing the governance environment for private sector engagement in health in Africa: Results from a multi-country survey.

Background: The role of the private sector in health is clear in many countries but engagement can be improved. The World Health Organization (WHO) developed a global strategy in 2020 focused on engaging the private sector in health service delivery through governance in mixed health systems and detailed six governance behaviours to guide its Member States. To operationalise these global ideas into practice, the Regional Office for Africa conducted a multi-country study to understand perceptions around the six governance behaviours.

Financing health system elements in Africa: A scoping review.

Countries that are reforming their health systems to progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) need to consider total resource requirements over the long term to plan for the implementation and sustainable financing of UHC. However, there is a lack of detailed conceptualization as to how the current health financing mechanisms interplay across health system elements. Thus, we aimed to generate evidence on how to utilize resources from different sources of funds in Africa.

Are we chasing the wind? Translating global health commitments to actions, for health results.

No abstract available.

Mapping health service coverage inequalities in Africa: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Addressing inequities in health service coverage is a global priority, especially with the resurgence of interest in universal health coverage. However, in Africa, which has the lowest health service coverage index, there is limited information on the progress of countries in addressing inequalities related to health services. Thus, we seek to map the evidence on inequalities in health service coverage in Africa.

Making districts functional for universal health coverage attainment: lessons from Ghana.

Ensuring the sub national level in the health system can function effectively is central to attainment of health results in countries. However, the current health agenda has not prioritized how districts can deploy their existing resources effectively, to maximize the efficiency equity and effectiveness in their use. Ghana initiated a self-assessment process to understand the functionality of districts to deliver on health results.

Community-based COVID-19 active case finding and rapid response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Improving case detection and response.

A community-based coronavirus disease (COVID-19) active case-finding strategy using an antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic test (Ag-RDT) was implemented in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to enhance COVID-19 case detection. With this pilot community-based active case finding and response program that was designed as a clinical, prospective testing performance, and implementation study, we aimed to identify insights to improve community diagnosis and rapid response to COVID-19. This pilot study was modeled on the DRC's National COVID-19 Response Plan and the COVID-19 Ag-RDT screening algorithm defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), with case findings implemented in 259 health areas, 39 health zones, and 9 provinces.

Investments for effective functionality of health systems towards Universal Health Coverage in Africa: A scoping review.

The health challenges in Africa underscore the importance of effectively investing in health systems. Unfortunately, there is no information on systems investments adequate for an effective functional health system. We aimed to address this by conducting a scoping review of existing evidence following the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis and preregistered with the Open Science Framework (https://osf.

Assessing capacities and resilience of health services during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons learned from use of rapid key informant surveys.

This Article Is Part Of The Research Topic: 'Health Systems Recovery in the Context of COVID-19 and Protracted Conflict.'

Problem: Many countries lacked rapid and nimble data systems to track health service capacities to respond to COVID-19. They struggled to assess and monitor rapidly evolving service disruptions, health workforce capacities, health products availability, community needs and perspectives, and mitigation responses to maintain essential health services.

eHealth or e-Chaos: The use of Digital Health Interventions for Health Systems Strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa over the last 10 years: A scoping review.

Background: Digital health solutions are a potent and complementary intervention in health system strengthening to accelerate universal access to health services. Implementing scalable, sustainable, and integrated digital solutions in a coordinated manner is necessary to experience the benefits of digital interventions in health systems. We sought to establish the breadth and scope of available digital health interventions (DHIs) and their functions in sub-Saharan Africa.

Framing the future of the COVID-19 response operations in 2022 in the WHO African region.

Background: With the evolving epidemiological parameters of COVID-19 in Africa, the response actions and lessons learnt during the pandemic's past two years, SARS-COV 2 will certainly continue to circulate in African countries in 2022 and beyond. As countries in the African continent need to be more prepared and plan to 'live with the virus' for the upcoming two years and after and at the same time mitigate risks by protecting the future most vulnerable and those responsible for maintaining essential services, WHO AFRO is anticipating four interim scenarios of the evolution of the pandemic in 2022 and beyond in the region.

Objective: In preparation for the rollout of response actions given the predicted scenarios, WHO AFRO has identified ten strategic orientations and areas of focus for supporting member states and partners in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa in 2022 and beyond.

COVID-19 in the 47 countries of the WHO African region: a modelling analysis of past trends and future patterns.

Background: COVID-19 has affected the African region in many ways. We aimed to generate robust information on the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 in this region since the beginning of the pandemic and throughout 2022.

Methods: For each of the 47 countries of the WHO African region, we consolidated COVID-19 data from reported infections and deaths (from WHO statistics); published literature on socioecological, biophysical, and public health interventions; and immunity status and variants of concern, to build a dynamic and comprehensive picture of COVID-19 burden.

Use of Digital Health Interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa for Health Systems Strengthening Over the Last 10 Years: A Scoping Review Protocol.

Background: Digital Health Interventions (DHIs) refers to the utilization of digital and mobile technology to support the health system in service delivery. Over the recent years, advanced computing, genomics, and artificial intelligence are considered part of digital health. In the context of the World Health Organization (WHO) global strategy 2020-2025, digital health is defined as "the field of knowledge and practice associated with the development and use of digital technologies to improve health.

Estimating the threshold of health workforce densities towards universal health coverage in Africa.

Background: There have been past efforts to develop benchmarks for health workforce (HWF) needs across countries which have been helpful for advocacy and planning. Still, they have neither been country-specific nor disaggregated by cadre-primarily due to data inadequacies. This paper presents an analysis to estimate a threshold of 13 cadres of HWF density to support the progressive realisation of universal health coverage (UHC).

Cross country lessons sharing on practices, challenges and innovation in primary health care revitalization and universal health coverage implementation among 18 countries in the WHO African Region.

The fifth health sector directors´ policy and planning meeting for the World Health Organization (WHO) regional office for Africa convened to focus on building health system resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure continuity of essential health services, primary health care (PHC) revitalization, and health system strengthening towards achieving universal health coverage (UHC). In this paper, we present short summaries and experiences shared by 18 countries, for which their practices and outcomes have been documented in this manuscript. These actions are aligned with six key themes: (i) defining and making more essential health services available, (ii) increasing service coverage targeting hard to reach populations, (iii) financial risk protection, (iv) improving user satisfaction with services, (v) improving health security, and (vi) improving coverage with health-related sector services.

Strengthening Health Systems Using Innovative Digital Health Technologies in Africa.

While effective health systems are needed to advance Universal Health Coverage and actualize the health Sustainable Development Goals, information system verticalization remains a challenge among African health systems. Most investments are vertical, partner-driven and program-specific with limited system-wide impacts. Poor linkages exist amongst different solutions as they are not designed to capture robust data across multiple programmatic areas.