HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections among Women Presenting at Urban Primary Health Care Clinics in Two Cities of sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND Approximately 90% of the 253 million blind or visually impaired people worldwide live in low- and middle-income countries. Lack of access to eye care is why most people remain or become blind. The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO-AFRO) recently launched a primary eye care (PEC) package for sub-Saharan Africa—the WHO-AFRO PEC package—for integration into the health system at the primary health care (PHC) level. This has the potential to increase access to eye care, but feasibility studies are needed to determine the extent to which the health system has the capacity to deliver the package in PHC facilities. OBJECTIVE Our objective is to assess the technical feasibility of integrating the WHO-AFRO PEC package in PHC facilities in Nigeria. METHODS This study has several components, which include (1) a literature review of PEC in sub-Saharan Africa, (2) a Delphi exercise to reach consensus among experts regarding the technical complexity of the WHO-AFRO PEC package and the capacities needed to deliver it in PHC facilities, (3) development of PEC technical capacity assessment tools, and (4) data collection, including facility surveys and semistructured interviews with PHC staff and their supervisors and village health workers to determine the capacities available to deliver PEC in PHC facilities. Analysis will identify opportunities and the capacity gaps that need to be addressed to deliver PEC. RESULTS Consensus was reached among experts regarding the technical complexity of the WHO-AFRO PEC package and the capacities needed to deliver it as part of PHC. Quantitative tools (ie, structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and observation checklists) and topic guides based on agreed-upon technical capacities have been developed and relevant stakeholders have been identified. Surveys in 48 PHC facilities and interviews with health professionals and supervisors have been undertaken. Capacity gaps are being analyzed. CONCLUSIONS This study will determine the capacity of PHC centers to deliver the WHO-AFRO PEC package as an integral part of the health system in Nigeria, with identification of capacity gaps. Although capacity assessments have to be context specific, the tools and findings will assist policy makers and health planners in Nigeria and similar settings, who are considering implementing the package, in making informed choices. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/17263

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Risk assessment at the primary health care level in Moshi, Tanzania: limits in predicting sexually transmitted infections among women.

Central African Journal of Medicine ◽

10.4314/cajm.v52i9-12.62593 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 52 (9-12) ◽

Author(s):

S.E Msuya ◽

E.M Mbizno ◽

B Stray-Pedersen ◽

J Sundby ◽

N.E Sam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Assessment ◽

Health Care ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

Care Level ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Primary Health ◽

Primary Health Care Level

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Assessment in the primary care of the State of São Paulo, Brazil: incipient actions in sexual and reproductive health

Revista de Saúde Pública ◽

10.11606/s1518-8787.2017051006711 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mariana Arantes Nasser ◽

Maria Ines Battistella Nemes ◽

Marta Campagnoni Andrade ◽

Rogério Ruscitto do Prado ◽

Elen Rose Lodeiro Castanheira

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Reproductive Health ◽

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

The State ◽

São Paulo ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Primary Health

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to assess performance in sexual and reproductive health of primary health care services of the Brazilian Unified Health System, in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS An evaluative framework was built for sexual and reproductive health with the categorization of 99 indicators in three domains: sexual and reproductive health promotion (25), sexually transmitted infections/AIDS prevention and care (43), and reproductive health care (31). This framework was applied to assess the services responses to the questionnaire of Quality Evaluation of Primary Health Care in the Municipalities of São Paulo State (QualiAB), in 2010. Percentages were calculated for positive responses to indicators and performance in the sexual and reproductive health dimension, according to domains, and their contribution to the overall score in sexual and reproductive health (Friedman), relative participation (Dunn), and correlation (Spearman) was verified. RESULTS Overall, 2,735 services participated in the study. They were located in 586 municipalities (distributed throughout the 17 regional health departments of São Paulo), of which 70.6% had fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. The overall average performance of these services for sexual and reproductive health is 56.8%. The actions are characterized by: prenatal with adequate beginning and exams, better organization for immediate rather than for late postnatal care, and selective reproductive planning for some contraceptives; prevention based on specific protection, limitations in the prevention of congenital syphilis, in the treatment of sexually transmitted infections, and in the screening of cervical and breast cancer; specific educational activities, with a restricted vulnerability approach, focus on sexuality over reproduction. The domain of reproductive health has greater participation in the overall score, followed by prevention/care and promotion. The three domains are correlated; the domain of prevention/care has the highest correlation with the other ones. CONCLUSIONS The implementation of sexual and reproductive health in primary health care in the services studied is incipient. The revision of the purpose of the work, the dissemination of technologies, and the investing in permanent education are needed. The evaluative framework built can be used by the sexual and reproductive health program services and management in primary health care, thereby contributing to their actions.

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