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Move the Merchandise: An Around-the-Clock Operation to Save a Kenyan Medical Warehouse

Wambua NziokiThis post was originally published on the IntraHealth International blog.

Picture the following scenario: A large warehouse, 13,000 square meters, on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, about 20 kilometers from the city center, is so full of drugs and other medical supplies that there is no space for new deliveries. The warehouse is packed with everything from gauze bandages to malaria pills to antiretroviral drugs—valuable and necessary medical supplies that people need. But the system used to manage and distribute these supplies with less paperwork and greater efficiency, known as the Enterprise Resource Planning system, is not working. This means nothing is moving in or out of the warehouse. Read more »

Making Work Safe for Health Workers

Kate TulenkoDuring my medical residency, several of my friends stuck themselves with used needles while caring for patients. I remember their anxiety as they waited for the blood tests to arrive that indicated whether they were at risk for HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C. More than a decade later, I now have an opportunity to help improve working conditions for health workers worldwide.

Exposure to infection
April 28 is World Day for Safety and Health at Work. We need to think about the health of the three million health workers who receive injuries that expose them to blood-borne pathogens—three million to hepatitis B and C and 170,000 to HIV. These injuries may result in 15,000 hepatitis C, 70,000 hepatitis B, and 500 HIV infections. More than 90% of these infections occur in developing countries both due to the higher incidences of these diseases and the lack of training, protective equipment, and proper disposal receptacles. Read more »

Asking Smart Questions: Where Are Health Workers within Service Integration?

Sara Pacque-MargolisPresident Obama’s Global Health Initiative (GHI) argues that its intended health impacts will be accomplished most effectively through a “smart” integration of services.

In an effort to share the empirical evidence demonstrating different service integration models’ effects on health outcomes, the US Government recently hosted a two-day meeting that brought together researchers, host country and international implementing partners, advocates, and US Government program leaders.

This forum provided many opportunities to discuss what is known about the health workforce as a critical system component of service integration. Read more »

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