Designing an evidence-informed package of essential health services for Universal Health Coverage: lessons learnt and challenges to implementation in Liberia.

Liberia developed an evidence-informed package of health services for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) based on the Disease Control Priorities 3 evidence. This paper describes the policy decisions, methods and processes adopted for prioritisation, key features of the package and lessons learnt, with special emphasis on feasibility of implementation. Package design was led by the Ministry of Health.

Decision-making processes for essential packages of health services: experience from six countries.

Many countries around the world strive for universal health coverage, and an essential packages of health services (EPHS) is a central policy instrument for countries to achieve this. It defines the coverage of services that are made available, as well as the proportion of the costs that are covered from different financial schemes and who can receive these services. This paper reports on the development of an analytical framework on the decision-making process of EPHS revision, and the review of practices of six countries (Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan and Zanzibar-Tanzania).

Confronted with COVID-19: Migrant live-in care during the pandemic.

In the spring 2020, measures introduced across Europe to limit the spread of COVID-19 included, among others, the temporary closure of borders. For Romanian and Slovakian live-in carers, this meant they were no longer able to commute between the Austrian households they work in and their respective countries of origin. Due to the relatively short cyclical rotas of 2-4 weeks, travel restrictions heavily affected cross-border live-in care between the three countries, which makes them a particular case for studying the effects of pandemic-related measures on transnational care arrangements.

Clinical outcomes and risk factors for COVID-19 among migrant populations in high-income countries: A systematic review.

Background: Migrants in high-income countries may be at increased risk of COVID-19 due to their health and social circumstances, yet the extent to which they are affected and their predisposing risk factors are not clearly understood. We did a systematic review to assess clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in migrant populations, indirect health and social impacts, and to determine key risk factors.

Methods: We did a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO CRD42020222135).

Knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and practices towards diabetes mellitus in Kuwait.

Background: Rates of diabetes in Kuwait are among the highest in the world.

Aims: To inform prevention initiatives, this study assessed diabetes knowledge, attitudes towards it, and personal behaviour relating to risk factors among the Kuwaiti population.

Methods: A cross-sectional knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices survey of 1124 people was performed between July and September 2015.

Migrant and refugee populations: a public health and policy perspective on a continuing global crisis.

The 2015-2017 global migratory crisis saw unprecedented numbers of people on the move and tremendous diversity in terms of age, gender and medical requirements. This article focuses on key emerging public health issues around migrant populations and their interactions with host populations. Basic needs and rights of migrants and refugees are not always respected in regard to article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 23 of the Refugee Convention.

The diabetes-tuberculosis co-epidemic: the role of international migration.

Setting: A tuberculosis (TB) referral centre in Rome, Italy.

Objective: To identify demographic and epidemiological characteristics associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) among patients with TB and to compare the clinical presentation of TB and TB-DM in the light of the growing worldwide burden of DM.

Design: We performed a retrospective study of TB cases diagnosed from 2007 to 2012.

Addressing barriers to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B and C in the face of persisting fiscal constraints in Europe: report from a high level conference.

In the WHO-EURO region, around 28 million people are currently living with chronic viral hepatitis, and 120,000 people die every year because of it. Lack of awareness and understanding combined with the social stigma and discrimination exacerbate barriers related to access to prevention, diagnosis and treatment services for those most in need. In addition, the persisting economic crisis has impacted on public health spending, thus posing challenges on the sustainable investment in promotion, primary and secondary prevention, diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis across European countries.

A desk review on institutional and non-institutional organizations active in the field of migrant's health in the WHO European Region.

Background: Migrants have problematic access to health-care; non-institutional organizations (NGOs), as well as institutional bodies may play a role in facilitating their access to mainstream health care.

Aim: Our research reviews actions that address the need of migrants in terms of health care in order to understand how, where, and who participates in this effort.

Method: Data were from desk or web research, declaration from organisations and their websites, information from WHO Country Offices.

Immigration and viral hepatitis.

WHO estimates reveal that the global prevalence of viral hepatitis may be as high as 500 million, with an annual mortality rate of up to 1.3 million individuals. The majority of this global burden of disease is borne by nations of the developing world with high rates of vertical and iatrogenic transmission of HBV and HCV, as well as poor access to healthcare.

Screening for infectious diseases among newly arrived migrants in EU/EEA countries--varying practices but consensus on the utility of screening.

Screening is one possible tool for monitoring infectious diseases among migrants. However, there is limited information on screening programmes targeted for newly arrived migrants in EU/EEA countries. Our aim was to investigate the implementation, practices and usefulness of these programmes.

Measuring irregular migration and population flows – what available data can tell.

Wild assumptions, estimates and number games are made in regard to irregular migration flows. While the numbers cited are, in fact, often dated and of unclear origin, reports use such numbers to suggest a rise in irregular migration; they also usually assume that irregular entry and, to some extent, overstaying are the only significant pathways into irregularity. To properly account for irregular migration flows, however, both in- and outflows, as well as the complex ways of becoming (or ceasing to be) an “irregular migrant”, have to be included.

[Migration, climate and health].

Many tentative connections have been postulated between migration and climate. This article points to rural-urban migration, particularly into low elevation urban slums prone to flooding as an issue needing urgent attention by health professionals. It also notes the no-man's land in which environmental refugees find themselves and the consequences this may have.

Climate change, migration and health.

In summary, climate change of the magnitude that is now being talked about promises to invoke major changes in the nature of the world we live in. From an agricultural and food production perspective new challenges are already emerging and many countries, regional organizations and international agencies are ill-prepared to deal with them. From the perspective of the forced emergence of new diseases.

The challenge of migration and health.

Dr Manuel Carballo of the International Centre for Migration and Health provides the background to migration and its impact on the health of migrating peoples and the health care systems that treat them.

Impact of the tsunami on psychosocial health and well-being.

Natural and man-made disasters affect everyone in their path. Some people are nevertheless more vulnerable than others and suffer in different ways and to different extents. The tsunami highlighted a number of pre-existing factors that made some people especially vulnerable and it also brought out the ways in which other people became vulnerable as a result of disaster.

Mental health and coping in a war situation: the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The latter part of the twentieth century has seen an increased concern for the implications of war for civilian populations, and more attention has been given to psychosocial impacts of uprooting and displacement. 'Loss of place', acute and chronic trauma, family disruption and problems of family reunification have become issues of concern. The war in Bosnia was characterized by massive displacement, disruption and loss of life, relatives and property.

Migration and health in the European Union.

The paper gives a brief overview of a wide spectrum of health issues and problems, ranging from communicable disease to mental health and family formation, which affect migrants and host countries.

Development of an essential drugs list for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Part of the impact of the war in ex-Yugoslavia and especially Bosnia and Herzegovina was to limit the supply of therapeutic drugs they had used before the war. The difficulties encountered made the health care system temporarily dependent on humanitarian assistance agencies which applied the concept of essential drugs; and, after initial difficulties, national health staff adapted to the need to prescribe from a very limited range of drugs. Meanwhile, national drug policy and procurement and prescribing practices were reviewed by working groups and a national List of Essential Drugs was drawn up by national experts with international support.

Migration and health-the international perspective.

Mass movement of people is not a new phenomenon. There are significant differences, however, between contemporary migration and that of yesterday. Modern communication and transportation makes it possible for people and their health problems to travel further and more quickly than ever before.