Lesotho is a small, landlocked country surrounded by South Africa with a population of about 2 million people. It also has the second highest prevalence of HIV in the world, with 23 percent of the population infected. This high HIV prevalence is a key contributing...
Resource type: Blog Posts
How Immediate Testing of HIV Progression Leads to Better Treatment
Until recently, many low- and middle-income countries were not able to provide HIV treatment to all patients due to the high cost of medication and treatment was reserved for only the sickest individuals. Decisions about whether or not to initiate patients on...
Placing Health Workers Where They Are Needed Most
Health workers are the backbone of any health system. When the health workforce is not aligned with demand at a particular facility it can lead to long patient waiting times, poor quality or lack of services, and overworked health workers. While many countries are...
Giving stable HIV treatment patients a 3-month prescription refill of ARV drugs at one time reduces the need for frequent trips to the clinic
Arriving early in the morning to receive their HIV medications and beat the crowds, patients visiting resource-limited health facilities are often greeted by long lines. This was a problem experienced in some of the busiest health centers in Lusaka, Zambia, in 2014....
Using Community Health Workers to Help Combat Malaria in Panama
Panama, along with other countries in Central America, has set an ambitious goal to eliminate malaria by 2020. It has made substantial progress toward this goal with the number of malaria cases dropping from 1281 in 2007 to 811 in 2016 (a 36 percent decrease)....
Strategic Planning for Malaria Elimination: The Crucial First Step
Bill and Melinda Gates’ call in 2007 for a global commitment to eradicate malaria increased enthusiasm and political will in countries throughout Latin America, southern Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region to help achieve this important goal. Many countries, including...
Improving the impact of indoor residual spraying in southern Africa through data-driven approaches
Six countries in southern Africa – Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe – are on the path towards malaria elimination, having declared their goal to achieve zero locally acquired malaria cases by 2020. The population at risk of the...
Saving lives through scaling up severe malaria treatment in Uganda
On World Malaria Day, when the ambitious goal of eliminating malaria is within reach for several countries, it is important to remember that in many nations malaria continues to be a daily threat and one of the biggest killers of children. In Uganda, malaria accounts...
Accelerating polio eradication efforts in Cameroon
As we celebrate World Immunization Week, it is time to reflect on the powerful success of the polio vaccine and the importance of ensuring that all children have access to lifesaving vaccinations around the globe. Poliomyelitis (also known as polio) is a highly...
Preventing HIV/AIDS in Swaziland
Hhukwini Clinic in the Hhohho region of Swaziland is a busy health center in the mountainous central-western part of the country. The clinic is visited by about 850 people per month and provides comprehensive primary health care services including diagnosis and...