Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy with Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) tablets is one of the recommended interventions to reduce the burden of malaria on both the pregnant woman and the unborn child. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of IPTp-SP uptake and its associated factors in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of Ashanti Region, Ghana. The study was cross sectional. A structured questionnaire was administered to 394 respondents, comprising pregnant women in their last two months of pregnancy and nursing mothers who delivered within three months prior to the study. Medical records of the respondents were also reviewed. Descriptive statistics such as simple proportions, and averages were computed. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to determine factors associated with IPTp-SP uptake. The average age of the respondents was 28.2 (±5.9) years. Almost all of the respondents (98%) had received SP at the time of the study. Fifty percent received their first dose of SP between 16 and 19 weeks of gestation. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between IPTp-SP uptake and educational level, time of first ANC visit, number of ANC visits and receiving education on SP prior to the administration of the drug. Education on SP use should be intensified at all levels of the health system. Early initiation of ANC is also recommended for optimal uptake of IPTp-SP. More research is needed to understand factors affecting the uptake of SP during pregnancy in the country.

Background. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accounts for approximately 95 of all diabetes cases, making the disease a global public health concern. The increasing prevalence of T2DM has highlighted the importance of evidence-based guidelines for effective prevention, management, and treatment. Diabetes self-management education (DSME) can produce positive effects on patient behaviors and health status. Study objective. We synthesized findings from the existing studies to find out whether or not the impact of DSME on patient health behaviors and outcomes differ by the different models of diabetes care. That is, we determined whether there are differences in DSME outcomes when patients care provider is a general practitioner, a specialist, a nurse, or a combination of these health professionals. Methods. Searches were made of six electronic databases to identify relevant English language publications on DSME from 2000 through 2019. Titles and abstracts of the search results were screened to select eligible papers for full-text screening. All eligible papers were retrieved, and full-text screening was done by three independent reviewers to select studies for inclusion in the final analysis. Twenty-one studies were included in the final analysis. The main outcome measures assessed were glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), body mass index (BMI), diet, and physical activity. Results. The majority of the patients with diabetes were seen by primary care physicians. In general, the studies reported significant improvements in patient health behaviors and outcomes. Some differences in outcomes between the different models of care were observed. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that the effects of DSME on patients health behaviors and outcomes could differ by the different models of diabetes care. However, considering the limited sample of publications reviewed, and because none of the reviewed studies directly measured the impact of the DSME program on patient behaviors and outcomes, significant conclusions could not be reached.

Background and Aims: Globally in the health sector, governments use public–private partnerships (PPPs) to make significant contributions to the development and implementation of national health policies and strategies to improve health systems and health outcomes. Following the World Health Organization's resolution on universal health coverage (UHC), healthcare PPPs have emerged as an innovative policy option, especially, for countries in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) to progress towards achieving UHC. Although many studies have reported the use of healthcare PPPs, it appears no review has been conducted to synthesize evidence on how it facilitates or hinders progress toward attaining UHC in the SSA context. This review seeks to fill this research gap by systematically synthesizing the literature on healthcare PPPs used in SSA and examining how various forms of healthcare PPPs affect progress towards attaining UHC in SSA.Methods: Arksey and O'Malley's guidelines for conducting scoping reviews will guide the review process. PubMed, Medline (Ovid), Global Health (Ovid), Web of Science, Scopus, and EconLit will be searched for studies published from January 2013 to December 2023. Thematic analysis of data will be employed for this review.Discussion: Since the WHO endorsed the use of PPPs as a means of achieving UHC, PPPs in the health sector have increasingly become popular for many healthcare projects and services especially in SSA. Yet, limited evidence around how PPP models have taken shape and their impact on achieving UHC creates a significant gap in understanding how PPPs affect progress toward UHC.Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this scoping review is the first to identify and examine healthcare PPPs in SSA for UHC. The approaches outlined in this protocol make several important advances in methods for examining PPPs, particularly for UHC in SSA, and can be applied elsewhere.Protocol Registration: This protocol has been registered on Open Science Framework and can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/V9874.

Universal health coverage (UHC) provides a platform for attaining ‘Health for All’. Attaining UHC requires substantial investment and resources in the health sector. This can be challenging for many sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Public–private partnerships (PPPs) could be a potential solution. The implementation of healthcare PPPs for developing health system capacities for UHC presents both significant opportunities and notable challenges. This scoping review, part of a broader review on PPPs, examines the facilitators and barriers of healthcare PPPs and their impact on UHC. The review was guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s guidelines for conducting a scoping review. PubMed, Medline (Ovid), Global Health (Ovid), Web of Science, Scopus, and EconLit were searched for peer-reviewed English language publications from January 2013 to December 2023. Nineteen studies were eligible for the final analysis following screening of 944 studies. Identified key facilitators of PPPs for UHC included well-established institutional structures, robust accreditation systems, accountability mechanisms, and political will and support. These factors contributed to improving primary healthcare delivery, which is a critical dimension for UHC. Key barriers identified were limited capacity of implementing partners, regulatory inadequacies, and insufficient funds. These barriers negatively affected the performance of healthcare PPPs, which translates into systemic inequities in access to essential health services, impeding progress towards achieving UHC. Considering contract management capacity of implementers, sources and flow of funds, and regulatory frameworks are highly recommended for UHC to be realized using PPPs.

The aims and research questions are clear and important to add new knowledge in Procurement Planning particularly for public institutions such as the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC). However, few comments need to be addressed. Background * Much of...

Background: Internal migration patterns in both Ghana and Nigeria have tended to be more rural-urban since the second half of the 20th century. While this form of migration brings advantages to many, it also has negative impact on health outcomes. People, who migrate from the rural areas to the urban areas in their quest for better opportunities, face unpleasant and difficult conditions when accessing health care. Health system interventions designed to promote access to healthcare services particularly for the vulnerable populations are often highly fragmented and under-resourced. Consequently, rural-urban migrants compromise their health by living unhealthy lifestyles and seeking unprofessional alternative assistance for their ill health, leading to poor health outcomes.The main objective of this review is to describe and synthesize findings from the existing literature to examine rural-urban migrants’ access and utilization of healthcare services in Ghana and Nigeria.Methods: The search strategy for this scoping review will involve the PubMed, Psych INFO, Medline (via OVID), CINAHL, and EconLit electronic databases. A grey literature search will be conducted on websites such as the goggle scholar and the World Health Organization websites to find other relevant articles. The period for the search is from 2012 to 2022. All references will be exported to Endnote library. Two reviewers will independently apply the eligibility criteria to screen full text of selected titles and Thematic summary and analytical description will be used to analyze the data extracted from the included studies.Discussion: This review is envisaged to provide in-depth understanding of barriers rural-urban migrants face in accessing healthcare, their coping strategies when faced with these barriers, and possible health system interventions to address access problems they face.