Background: Community health worker (CHW) programmes, when adequately integrated into mainstream health systems, can provide a viable, affordable and sustainable path to strengthened health systems that better meets demands for improved child health, especially in resource-constrained settings. However, studies that report on how CHW programmes are integrated into respective health systems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are missing.Aim: This review presents evidence on CHW programmes’ integration into National Health Systems for improved health outcomes in SSA.Setting: Sub-Saharan Africa.Method: Six CHW programmes representing three sub-Saharan regions (West, East, and Southern Africa) were purposively selected based on their deemed integration into respective National Health Systems. A database search of literature limited to the identified programmes was then conducted. Screening and literature selection was guided a scoping review framework. Abstracted data were synthesised and presented in a narrative form.Results: A total of 42 publications met the inclusion criteria. Reviewed papers had an even focus on all six CHW programmes integration components. Although some similarities were observed, evidence of integration on most CHW programme integration components varied across countries. The linkage of CHW programmes to respective health systems runs across all reviewed countries. Some CHW programme components such as CHW recruitment, education and certification, service delivery, supervision, information management, and equipment and supplies are integrated into the health systems differently across the region.Conclusion: Different approaches to the integration of all the components depict complexity in the field of CHW programme integration in the region.Contribution: The study presents synthesized evidence on CHW programmes integration into national health systems in SSA.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the availability of screening facilities in South Africa, cervical cancer prevalence and mortality is still high. Most women present to the health facilities at an advanced stage of disease. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cervical abnormalities using the revised Bethesda System among rural women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study using a retrospective medical record review method to collect data on Pap smears from three rural clinics in KwaZulu-Natal. Clinical data and cytology reports were obtained for the years January 2016 to January 2019. Women aged 18–65 years were included. RESULTS: Of 246 randomly-selected medical records, 245 Pap smears were analysed. Half (47.8%) of the women were in the age group 30–44 years. HIV, as a risk factor, was found in 41.2% of the women. A total of 48.6% Pap smears were negative for malignancy. Of the 49.8% abnormal screened results, 25.7% women had low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, 13.9% high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), 8.6% atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, and 1.6% squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). All SCC cases were found in HIV-infected patients. HSIL and SCC were less common among patients younger than 30 years. CONCLUSION: This study’s results accentuate the importance of well-organised cervical screening programmes. Cervical screening, through Pap smears, is a useful, non-invasive and cost-effective method for early detection of pre-invasive lesions. Women, especially those over 30 years, should be educated on the importance of Pap smears and encouraged to uptake the test.

Background: The effectiveness of community health workers (CHWs) in delivering community-based preventive services is often curtailed by inadequate or complete lack of integration of the CHW programmes into national health systems. Although literature has defined the context and guidelines for integrating CHW programmes into health systems, indicators to quantitatively assess the extent of integration are inadequately addressed.Aim: This article presents an integration scale – CHW Programme Integration Scorecard Metrics (CHWP-ISM) – for measuring the extent of CHW programme integration into national health systems.Setting: Literature review and policy documents were focused on sub-Saharan Africa, while interview participants were drawn from six African countries.Methods: A deductive–inductive approach to item and measurement scale development was employed. Information obtained from a combination of diverse literature sources, subject matter expert (SME) interviews and documentary abstraction from publicly available policy documents advised item generation for the proposed CHWP-ISM. The study qualitatively captured the sectoral CHW integration, thematically analysed the data and culminated in the quantitative integration metrics.Results: Analysis of the responses from six SMEs and abstraction from policy documents resulted in the compilation of metrics with a total of 100 indicators for the CHWP-ISM scale that could be used to assess the level of CHW programmes integration into national health systems. The indicators were categorised along the six World Health Organization’s (WHO) health systems building blocks. Subject matter expert responses corresponded well with abstracted results from the 18 country CHW programmes, indicating content validity.Conclusion: The proposed scorecard metrics can be used to quantitatively rate the extent of CHW programmes integration into health systems, in an attempt to strengthen health systems to improve health outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: cervical cancer is a major cause of death amongst women around the world. In Ghana, it accounts for over 2,119 female deaths and about 3,151 new diagnoses of the disease and usually diagnosed at an advance stage, making it difficult to treat. This study aims at assessing the knowledge on risk factors, prevention and treatment of cervical cancer among women in Bosore. METHODS: this study was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among women in Bosore a town in the Kwabre East District in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. A total of 200 women were selected for the studies using the convenience sampling technique. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data and statistical package for social sciences application was used to analyse the data. Pearson chi-square test was used to find associations between knowledge and awareness level and socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: generally, 9.7% of the respondents had high knowledge on cervical cancer, 20.6% had moderate knowledge and 69.7% had low knowledge on cervical cancer. There was a significant association between educational background (p=0.000) and awareness level of the respondents. There was also a significant association between the occupation (p=0.003), educational background (p=0.000) and knowledge level of the respondents. CONCLUSION: the knowledge level of the respondents was very low. Specifically, the respondents had inadequate knowledge on risk factors, signs and symptoms, prevention and treatment of cervical cancer. The study revealed that there should be introduction and intense education on cervical cancer education at antenatal and family planning clinics in the community and Ghana as whole.

Background: Cross-border movements, especially from a malaria-endemic neighbour, contribute to importation of malaria, as they provide favourable conditions for malaria transmission in the receiving country. In the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province of South Africa (SA), the uMkhanyakude district is one of the endemic malaria areas where the borders are characterised by frequent cross-border movements of travellers coming into the province, mostly from Mozambique. Many studies have suggested that regional efforts through the implementation of cross-border measures are needed in both the high- and low-endemic countries to effectively address imported malaria. The implementation of cross-border measures to prevent imported malaria has led to a significant decline in malaria cases in KZN and SA; however, those measures are subjected to various challenges. Objective: This study sought to determine the health system challenges of implementing cross-border preventive measures for imported malaria at the Kosi Bay, Kwaphuza and Golela ports of entry in KZN. Methods: This inquiry consisted of a mixed methods approach, of which the qualitative component is reported here. In-depth interviews were conducted with four purposively selected health officers working at the legal and illegal ports of entry of the KZN province. Data were coded manually and then analysed using thematic data and descriptive analyses. Results: This study identified operational and prevention challenges. The related operational challenges included travellers’ non-disclosure and refusal, uncontrolled cross-border movements and poor coverage as well as shortage of staff. The prevention challenges included lack of novelty in the existing cross-border preventive measures, insecurity and illegal migration. Concerning travellers’ non-disclosure and refusal to cooperate, these issues occur at the legal ports of entry of Kosi Bay and Golela, where travellers were less cooperative in disclosing their health-related information to health border officers. They were more eager to cross and attend to their business. The findings revealed a lack of new ideas in the existing cross-border measures for the prevention of imported malaria, which some scientists considered as the reason for the failure of the elimination efforts in SA. Because of the porous borders and the shortage of staff to cover all the uncontrolled entries, travellers constantly crossed without any hindrances. Porous borders exposed the people living at the border areas and travellers to insecurity, promoted criminal activities and encouraged illegal migration. Conclusion: Cross-border malaria preventive measures are meant to contribute to decreased travel-related disease. Failure to attain this purpose must be carefully examined and mitigation strategies implemented. The study revealed the challenges of implementing cross-border measures at the KZN ports of entry of Kosi Bay, Kwaphuza and Golela. The challenges occurred at the operational and prevention levels, which, if not effectively addressed, could impede the decrease of imported malaria in the malaria-endemic district of KZN and SA in general.

INTRODUCTION: South Africa set a target to eliminate malaria by 2018. Kwa-Zulu-Natal (KZN) province was earmarked to reach the elimination goal first. However, recent evidence suggests that the province has not yet achieved the elimination goal. This study set out to assess the status of malaria in KZN province of South Africa and its implications for elimination. METHODS: using retrospective analysis, the study quantified and described 5 787 cases of malaria for the years 2010-2019 in KZN province of South Africa. Data on reported malaria cases were obtained from the Malaria Information System of the KZN Provincial Department of Health. RESULTS: more than 65% of the cases came from male patients aged 16 years and above. A high number of cases were reported in the years 2014, 2017 and 2018. More than 40% of the cases were imported from countries outside of South Africa. CONCLUSION: the study confirms an increase in malaria cases, especially during the elimination year. The imported malaria cases and other related factors pose a threat to achieving the elimination goal. The KZN province needs to strengthen elimination efforts, including strategies to prevent imported malaria cases to achieve the new elimination goal.