International Health Cooperation Research Articles

Perceived outcomes and SWOT analysis of a virtual community of practice in Burkina Faso

Abstract Background In Burkina Faso, maternity is a risk. Global Affairs Canada funded the initiative PASME-2 with World University Service of Canada, Laval University and Farm Radio International to improve maternal outcomes. A preventative program was co-developed in phases. Phase 3 received funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council in partnership with the Centre for International Cooperation in Health and Development (CCISD) and TIESS, a liaison and transfer expert in Québec, to support local teams towards sustainable practice changes. This research aimed at documenting the partnership experience, digital literacy, perceived direct and indirect outcomes. Methods A participative co-design approach, allowed the engagement of several stakeholders in the process. Two active phases where 16 health professionals engaged actively in the VCoP, according to the final agreed-upon Constitutional Chart, are presented. The phases pilot-tested two different technology tools. Results 16 interviews post-phase 1 and 16 interviews post-phase 2 were conducted. Implementation issues as perceived by users are discussed and include: feasibility, challenges, needs, animation, relevance to care, communication and sharing, use and perspectives. Perceived outcomes focus on professional preventative practice changes, skills, family outcomes, challenges to practice integration, knowledge and practice exchanges. Conclusions The phases of experimentation demonstrate that strategies can be put in place to counter the digital literacy challenges and to engage users in new ways of communicating, sharing on the platform about health practices and taking valuable time to do it. Overcoming technology constraints is essential especially in lower resource settings. The most practical life experiences and cases lead to more engagement and innovations. Support from management and upper directorate is significant. Key messages Partnership from several stakeholders is key to implementing a VCoP. Experimenting and sharing solutions is influenced by the capacitating environment that the VCoP can provide with recognition from administration and as a professional development activity.

Regional Integration, Health Policy and Global Health

AbstractAlthough regional integration processes are mainly shaped around trade, economic and security objectives, health does come into the picture as it has an interface with each of those domains. Yet, reviews of relationships between regional integration and global and public health have so far been confined to specific organizations, geographic areas and thematic issues. This article, in contrast, attempts a comprehensive cross‐cutting analysis of such relationships on a world‐wide basis. The article demonstrates and systematizes mechanisms by which regional integration organizations address various aspects of health services and population health. It also explores how such mechanisms, and regional integration processes in general, contribute to international health cooperation and global health. The article argues that the multidisciplinary landscape of regional integration amplifies opportunities for the multisectoral dimension of – and cross‐sectoral coherence for – public health policy to manifest and function. The author also argues that the health dimension of regional integration processes may serve an important component of the rapidly expanding space of governance for global health.

Sustainable implementation of international health cooperation projects while Japanese technical experts cannot go to low- and middle-income countries because of the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese technical experts who have been supporting health in low-and middle- income countries (LMICs) are facing unprecedented travel restrictions. As of 11 April 2020, of 195 countries Japan has diplomatic relationship with, 181 countries have entry restrictions and 69 countries have post-entry movement restrictions (self-quarantine) for Japanese nationals or travellers from Japan. In order for technical experts to assist LMICs technically from Japan to meet the increased demand and needs in the health sector due to COVID-19, it is important to prioritize and reorganize the project activities in accordance with the local situation in particular to address three challenges i) to communicate from Japan; ii) to prioritize activities to match to the increased COVID-19 related tasks; and iii) to advocate health workers' rights and working environment.

Research on Health Cooperation Features of the 'Belt and Road' Countries in the Perspective of Complexity Theory - A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis

Background The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a systematic program that promotes the establishment of the human community of shared destiny. However, the lack of an explicit understanding of the difference among the Belt and Road nations impedes the precise health cooperation. This study aims to analyze the factors influencing health cooperation and recognize these countries' characteristics. Methods According to the Complexity Theory and literature retrievals, major influential factors of international health cooperation were identified and are employed in the two-step clustering in SPSS 22.0 to organize these countries for the recognition of their features. Findings According to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) health index and Human Development Index (HDI) level, cooperation level and country risk rating, diplomatic association and numbers of health cooperation mechanisms, a total of 62 countries are classified into three categories: 16 have few health needs, weak cooperation foundation, and low cooperation risk; 22 possess high health needs, good cooperation relationship, yet high cooperation risk; the remaining 24 nations are featured with general health needs and cooperation relation, good cooperation foundation, and low cooperation risk. Interpretation The cooperative features can be identified by SDG Health Index, HDI Level, Cooperation Degree, Country Risk Rating, Diplomatic Relationship, and the number of established health mechanisms. According to their different health needs, cooperative foundation, cooperation risk, and bilateral relationship, health cooperation should be separately initiated. Funding: National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, International Health Exchange and Cooperation Center. Declaration of Interest: We declare no competing interests.

Hemophilia Lend-Lease Program in Italy Successfully Meets Albania Factor Needs

Many countries can not provide yet an adequate haemophilia care for their patients. Albania is among the countries that are trying now to improve its healthcare system but still do not have fully implemented it. As to the Haemophilia treatment the need of FVIII for patients exceeds the available resources thus jeopardizing the possibilities of having I place prophilaxis and/or major chirurgic treatments.Tuscany is one of the region in Italy where the rate of Albanian inhabitant people is higher. Among them many are also blood donors and the links between Italians and the Albanian community are quite strong as well as the Tuscany commitment toward Albania in the general health system (many are the programs put in place by the International Health Cooperation of Tuscany).In this context in 2013 a joint program between Hospital Mother Teresa in Tirana and Hospital Meyer in Florence was undersigned for the supply of 3 MIU of FVIII at 9 cents/I.U. from donors of the region each year for three years.Albania recognizes that hemophilia treatment is a urgent part of their healthcare plan and expects to be able soon to provide more funds to continue this program. Albania has been offered more FVIII from Italian donors for at least a 5 years period in the framework of an Italian recent law that is encouraging the use of FVIII in excess to Italian needs for other countries and with the support of Kedrion , who Is the company fractionating the plasma from Tuscany donors into finished product. Kedrion not only committed to pay for the shipping of goods from Italy to Albania but it is also acting as a partner and liaison between Tuscany and the countryIndustry should take note that with local philanthropy and financial support from the biologic industry one can achieve both improving healthcare and not just donating product but working with developing countries to make them support their population. DisclosuresAledort:Kedrion: Other: chair scientific advisory committee for kedrion.

Evolução Histórico-conceitual da Cooperação Técnica Internacional Brasileira em Saúde

O presente artigo traça a evolução histórica da cooperação técnica internacional brasileira e sua relação com a saúde pública, marcando os momentos de inflexão conceitual e a perspectiva atual do Brasil sobre o tema. Analisar essa evolução histórico-conceitual e a inserção brasileira na política global da saúde é o objetivo deste artigo, que tem como método a análise documental, apoiada em revisão da literatura, e metodologia qualitativa. O marco teórico apoia-se principalmente em autores da política externa brasileira, da saúde global e da diplomacia da saúde, além de relatórios de instituições nacionais e multilaterais envolvidas com a cooperação técnica internacional em saúde.

Brazil in Regional and Global Governance:Foreign Policy, Leadership and UNASUR

This article examines the role of Brazil as a source of international governance innovation during the Lula da Silva and early Rousseff presidencies (2003-12). The analysis details some of Brazil’s main contributions to regional and global governance, and how these contributions are rooted in ideational and normative innovation and its imaginative, nonconformist, status quo-altering foreign policy of the period. Although Brazil was not, and is not, a “new actor” per se in global governance, it did take unprecedented and dramatic strides between 2003 and 2012 to redefine the multilateral agenda and reshape institutional arrangements for international cooperation and conflict management in South America. At the global level, Brazil launched new platforms for international cooperation, including with the other BRICS countries of Russia, India, China and South Africa. The regional trends are examined in the case of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), and the innovations that Brazil spearheaded and supported in international security and health cooperation. However, Brazil’s contributions gain greater salience as part of the broader processes of global change where international power is becoming increasingly diffused and decentralized.

International cooperation in health: the case of Fiocruz.

Resumo O artigo revisa a trajetória da cooperação internacional considerando os ajustes feitos a partir das principais conferências internacionais sobre o assunto (Buenos Aires, 1978; Roma, 2003; Paris, 2005; Acra, 2008; e Busan, 2011). Alinha essas novas orientações com as práticas que a Fiocruz vem adotando, como “cooperação estruturante em saúde”, uma abordagem diplomática que inclui diversos elementos sugeridos nas reuniões internacionais mencionadas, orientada ao apoio dos sistemas de saúde como um todo, não exclusivamente a doenças ou problemas de saúde, assumindo a saúde em seus determinantes biológicos, sociais e ambientais.

Of Politicians and Technocrats, and Why Global Health Scholars Are Inevitably a Bit of Both: A Response to Recent Commentaries.

Of Politicians and Technocrats, and Why Global Health Scholars Are Inevitably a Bit of Both: A Response to Recent Commentaries.

Axis Internationalism: Spanish Health Experts and the Nazi ‘New Europe’, 1939–1945

AbstractMany of the forms and practices of interwar internationalism were recreated under the auspices of the Nazi ‘New Europe’. This article will examine these forms of ‘Axis internationalism’ by looking at Spanish health experts' involvement with Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Despite the ambiguous relationship between the Franco regime and the Axis powers, a wide range of Spanish health experts formed close ties with colleagues from Nazi Germany and across Axis and occupied Europe. Many of those involved were relatively conservative figures who also worked with liberal international health organisations in the pre- and post-war eras. Despite their political differences, their opposing attitudes towards eugenics and the tensions caused by German hegemony, Spanish experts were able to rationalise their involvement with Nazi Germany as a mutually-beneficial continuation of pre-war international health cooperation amongst countries united by a shared commitment to modern, ‘totalitarian’ forms of public health. Despite the hostility of Nazi Germany and its European collaborators to both liberal and left-wing forms of internationalism, this phenomenon suggests that the ‘New Europe’ deserves to be studied as part of the wider history of internationalism in general and of international health in particular.

Tracking WHO MPOWER in South East Asian region: An opportunity to promote global tobacco control

Introduction: Tobacco use is a major public health challenge worldwide and to counter the global tobacco epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) to provide new legal dimensions for international health cooperation. Further WHO introduced the MPOWER package to monitor the tobacco control programs among the countries to accomplish the FCTC objective. Aim: The aim is to quantify the implementation of MPOWER tobacco control policies in South East Asia Region (SEAR) from the year 2008 to 2015. Materials and Methods: Information was collected from the WHO report on the Global Tobacco epidemic program SEAR from 2008 to 2015 using MPOWER. This assessment was based on the checklist which was designed previously by Iranian and International tobacco control specialists in their study on tobacco control. Results: Various countries of SEAR were ranked by scores and these scores were obtained from each indicator for each activity. Among SEAR region, Thailand got the highest scores and significant positive change was seen from a score of 8 in 2008 to 32 in 2015 where certain countries like Korea and Timore-Leste showed no significant positive change. Conclusion: Tobacco control policies have reduced the tobacco consumption, but still multisectoral efforts are needed toward effective enforcement of the law to bring about a significant decline in the prevalence of tobacco use.

The Human Right to Health and Climate Change: A Legal Perspective

This study clearly outlines the impacts of climate change on human health currently accepted by the World Health Organization and the IPCC as "wide-ranging, diverse and overwhelmingly negative". The paper examines the range of obligations that might derive from the human right to health framework for effectively protecting against climate change, both in terms of mitigation and adaptation. Specifically, this paper traces the links between the human right to health and climate change in three parts. Part One explores the legal content of the "human right to health", i.e. discusses the main obligations, concepts and tools that make up the human right to health and that help to implement it in practice. These contents derive from a range of legal human rights treaties, including as they have been further interpreted by UN supervisory bodies (notably through General Comment 14 of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, but also in various Committee’s Concluding Observations, or in the work of UN Special Procedures). Part Two of the contribution includes a short analysis of some of the interpretations given to human rights provisions in the context of climate change by UN bodies in practice. It focuses in particular on the ICESCR, the CEDAW and CRC, and the work of the SR on the right to health. Part Three, finally, submits that human rights and climate change discussions do not exist in a legal vacuum. Human rights practioners and scholars have already deeply engaged with related areas, such as "the protection of persons in the event of disasters" and "human rights and the environment" (also: the right to a healthy environment). The principles of legal protection developed in case-law on these topics (may) highly overlap.All in all, we conclude that the international human right to health framework articulates a range of clear obligations, related to both "health care" and the "underlying determinants of health", such as "food and nutrition, housing, access to safe and potable water and adequate sanitation, safe and healthy working conditions, and a healthy environment". The right to (the highest attainable standard of) health requires States to effectively respect, protect and fulfill this right for all, taking into account the so-called "AAAQ-framework" of protection (i.e: health opportunities should be available, accessible, acceptable and of good quality for all). Importantly, the right to health also implies a legal obligation of international cooperation for health (art. 2(1) ICESCR), including, or even especially, in intergovernmental international fora and negotiations of new instruments. This means that the UNFCCC COP21 is directly governed by States' obligations on the basic human right to health for all. Finally, States also have human rights obligations to effectively regulate pollutive industries (obligation to protect against interference with health from third parties), and are expected to at least regulate for the effective implementation of internationally agreed safety levels for health and climate change. The study does not deal with responsibilities of companies directly, but includes some comments in this respect as well (e.g. in respect of Volkswagen).

Is registration of foreign medical teams needed for disaster response? Findings from the response to Typhoon Haiyan.

WPSAR Vol 6, Suppl 1, 2015 | doi: 10.5365/wpsar.2015.6.2.HYN_014 www.wpro.who.int/wpsar 29 a Offi ce of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, Sta Cruz, Manila, Philippines. b Bureau of International Health Cooperation, Department of Health, Sta Cruz, Manila, Philippines. c Disaster Response and Management, Division of Health Security and Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Offi ce for the Western Pacifi c, Manila, Philippines. Submitted: 16 June 2015; Published: 6 November 2015 doi: 10.5365/wpsar.2015.6.2.HYN_014 In the last three decades there has been an increase in the number of sudden onset disasters causing more than 800 000 deaths and affecting approximately 1 billion people.1,2 The Islamic Republic of Iran earthquake in 2003, South-East Asia tsunami in 2004, Pakistan earthquake in 2005, Pakistan floods and Haiti earthquake in 2010 all required an immediate health response, surpassing national capacities. A large number of foreign medical teams (FMTs) were deployed in these responses, for example more than 300 after the Haiti earthquake.3

Galenic formulations to fight the phenomenon of counterfeiting in developing Countries

The A.P.P.A.® Project is the result of the cooperation between the University of Turin (Italy) and Italian Community Pharmacists and it is in agreement with the International Health Cooperation principles. The Project is structured in six steps through which it is possible to obtain an effective and functional galenic laboratory in hospitals located in developing Countries: from a preliminary study of local needs up to a constantly and accurate control of the prepared galenics by analysis in the laboratories of the University of Turin. The proposed pharmaceutical dosage forms are liquids, capsules, ointments, pessaries, suppositories, parenteral solutions.For each laboratory, a specific handbook has been studied to comply with the local needs. For each preparation, specific tests have been performed to verify the stability under different environmental conditions (EMA guidelines). Several Projects are working on: two in Cameroon, Madagascar and Angola; one in Chad and one in Haiti.

Refletindo sobre valores éticos da Saúde Global

Desde as últimas décadas do século passado vem sendo construído o campo da saúde global, enfocando questões de saúde supraterritoriais, que extrapolam as fronteiras nacionais, assim como seus determinantes e suas possíveis soluções. Este ensaio objetiva refletir sobre os valores éticos envolvidos na saúde global: justiça social, equidade e solidariedade. Procedeu-se à revisão de artigos científicos e documentos de agências multilaterais. Identificou-se a defesa da saúde global como um bem universal público, analisando os valores da justiça e da equidade com enfoque na alocação e distribuição de recursos, com tendência a priorizar os mais desfavorecidos. São apresentados conceitos de solidariedade, buscando compreender se há a responsabilidade moral de ser solidário com pessoas de outros países, o que justificaria a cooperação internacional na saúde.

Child health and international cooperation: A paediatric approach

The international development cooperation in child health arouses special interest in paediatric settings. In the last 10 10 years or so, new evidence has been presented on factors associated with morbidity and mortality in the first years of life in the least developed countries. This greater knowledge on the causes of health problems and possible responses in the form of interventions with impact, leads to the need to disseminate this information among concerned professional pediatricians. Serious efforts are needed to get a deeper insight into matters related to global child health and encourage pediatricians to be aware and participate in these processes. This article aims to provide a social pediatric approach towards international cooperation and child health-related matters.

Reflections on Taiwan's efforts in international health cooperation

Reflections on Taiwan's efforts in international health cooperation

Emergency Response to Earthquake in Chile: Experience of a Cuban Field Hospital.

This paper presents the author's experiences in deploying and later establishing a Cuban field hospital in response to the major earthquake that struck Chile in February 2010. It also reveals the initial difficulties the medical team faced and how collaboration with local social, medical and military partners contributed to response efficiency, and highlights the importance of Cuba's international health cooperation, especially in emergency situations. Over 254 days, Cuban health professionals had 50,048 patient encounters (outpatient visits and hospitalizations), a daily average of 197. They performed 1778 surgeries (1427 major, 80.2% of total) and accumulated valuable experience in managing a field hospital in a disaster situation. KEYWORDS Earthquake, humanitarian aid, health care, emergency response, disaster medicine, logistics, Chile, Cuba.

Salud infantil y cooperación internacional: una aproximación pediátrica

The international development cooperation in child health arouses special interest in paediatric settings. In the last 10 10 years or so, new evidence has been presented on factors associated with morbidity and mortality in the first years of life in the least developed countries. This greater knowledge on the causes of health problems and possible responses in the form of interventions with impact, leads to the need to disseminate this information among concerned professional pediatricians. Serious efforts are needed to get a deeper insight into matters related to global child health and encourage pediatricians to be aware and participate in these processes. This article aims to provide a social pediatric approach towards international cooperation and child health-related matters

Cooperation in Health: Mapping Collaborative Networks on the Web

ObjectiveTo map and investigate the relationships established on the web between leading health-research institutions around the world.MethodsSample selection was based on the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centres (CCs). Data on the 768 active CCs in 89 countries were retrieved from the WHO's database. The final sample consisted of 190 institutions devoted to health sciences in 42 countries. Data on each institution's website were retrieved using webometric techniques (interlinking), and an asymmetric matrix was generated for social network analysis.FindingsThe results showed that American and European institutions, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), are the most highly connected on the web and have a higher capacity to attract hyperlinks. The Karolinska Institute (KI-SE) in Sweden is well placed as an articulation point between several integrants of the network and the component's core but lacks general recognition on the web by hyperlinks. Regarding the north-south divide, Mexico and Brazil appear to be key southern players on the web. The results showed that the hyperlinks exchanged between northern and southern countries present an abysmal gap: 99.49% of the hyperlinks provided by the North are directed toward the North itself, in contrast to 0.51% that are directed toward the South. Regarding the South, its institutions are more connected to its northern partners, with 98.46% of its hyperlinks directed toward the North, and mainly toward the United States, compared with 1.54% toward southern neighbors.ConclusionIt is advisable to strengthen integration policies on the web and to increase web networking through hyperlink exchange. In this way, the web could actually reflect international cooperation in health and help to legitimize and enhance the visibility of the many existing south-south collaboration networks.