"Reforming oral health policy to contain noma"

"In a landmark decision in December 2023, the World Health Organisation designated noma as a neglected tropical disease, shedding light on a condition that often lurks in the shadows of poverty-stricken communities across sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Noma is a severe rapidly progressing disease of the mouth and face mostly affecting children between the ages of two and six years suffering from malnutrition, infectious diseases, or living in extreme poverty with poor oral health or weakened immune systems like HIV and other diseases, which can lead to death due to complications such as sepsis. In 2012, the UN Human Rights Council acknowledged that neglecting noma is affected may amount to a violation of basic child rights."

Oluwaseyi Atoyebi. Reforming oral health policy to contain noma, 15th March 2024
https://punchng.com/reforming-oral-health-policy-to-contain-noma/ 

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      INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC  --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

 SOCIOLOGY  :    POLITICAL 

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Psychological impacts
Social impacts - life chances	(neglected) neglected tropical disease

Previously:

From - https://hodges-model.blogspot.com/search?q=noma

Ioana Cismas (York) - What's in a Frame? A Human Rights Approach to Neglected Tropical Diseases - https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/events/2022/justice-in-global-health-workshop/

Concept Note in Support of the Inclusion of Noma (Cancrum Oris) on the World Health Organization List of Neglected Tropical Diseases (Commissioned by the Government of Namibia, 2016), 6 pp. (with Marie-Solène Adamou Moussa-Pham).

Srour, M. L., & Baratti-Mayer, D. (2020). Why is noma a neglected-neglected tropical disease?. PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 14(8), e0008435. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008435

Invitation to participate in research: Supporting midwives to provide emergency maternal & neonatal care in rural communities with limited resources

The challenges of providing quality midwifery care in rural and remote communities are significant, particularly in low and lower-middle-income countries. I am excited to invite midwives, midwifery educators, health service managers and Ministry of Health personnel from the focus countries listed below to participate in a PhD research study. Our research team aims to identify ways to better support midwives providing emergency maternal & neonatal care in rural communities with limited resources. Insights gained from these different perspectives will help us provide evidence for policy, education and practice.

Please consider participating in the study and/or sharing the link with your colleagues.

To participate in our online surveys, please use the following links:

Midwife/nurse-midwife survey: https://lnkd.in/eD4YSQnn

Educator/Manager/Ministry of Health survey: https://lnkd.in/gphj-i4D

If you would like more information, or if you are interested in participating in an online in-depth interview to discuss these issues, please email: Kristen.Graham AT anu.edu.au

Further information is also available at https://nceph.anu.edu.au/research/projects/strengthening-primary-care-midwives-preparedness-readiness-emergency-maternal

Focus countries: Sub-Sahara Africa: Burundi, Eswatini, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South & SE Asia: India, Pakistan, Philippines, Pacific: Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu

This study has ANU ethics approval (Protocol 2022/492)

Thank you Kristen

Kristen Graham PhD candidate

National Centre for Epidemiology & Population Health ANU College of Health and Medicine The Australian National University Canberra ACT 2600

HIFA profile (and my source): Kristen Graham is a PhD Candidate at the Australian National University, Australia. Professional interests: Sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health; Midwifery; Workforce capacity building in rural and remote low resource settings. kristen.graham AT anu.edu.au

#iwd2023 #internationalwomensday
Ack. All midwives. PJ

n.b. Bio-Psycho-Social model ... "Outside the Asylum"

In the previous post about Lynne Jones's book 'Outside the Asylum', biopsychosocial model stood out in the index. It is in the text (p.181), but is also apparent from the text I selectively quoted in the blog post.

The argument here on W2tQ, and on twitter @h2cm is that the oft cited 'biopsychosocial model' in the health care literature is insufficient.

This is were I find the SDGs encouraging, despite the typical (and increasingly dangerous) mechanistic slow-turn of COP 'X' outcomes. The SDGs place an emphasis upon the primacy of security.

We need a Bio-Psycho-Socio-POLITICAL model: embedded within the Spiritual.

It is still important to differentiate between use of biopsychosocial in health care and that which Lynne Jones describes and acknowledges. The psycho-social focus, in the importance of self-others, community, being-with, listening, validation, companionship, humanity is clearly explained.

 

If inclusion of the political, (politics, policy, governance, provenance, legitimacy, law ...) proves problematic for people; well that is the point.

 

See also:

Bio-Psycho-Social model ... "Outside the Asylum"

 

Bio-Psycho-Social model ... "Outside the Asylum"

"In Sierra Leone the Krio word for sadness is 'poil-heart'. The literal translation is 'heavy-hearted'. A teenage girl explained it to me.

Outside the Asylum

'Someone who is poil-heart is in a group but she's withdrawn from it, she suffers from something and does not pay attention. If she has a baby she is confused and can neglect the baby. When she or he imagines what happened, she cries all day and cannot sleep or eat. She tries to work but it's no good. When she is at school her concentration is poor.' ...

Families lived in the ruins of their former houses. Life expectancy was less than thirty-five years. Almost every child in the group had lost at least one parent. ...

But none regarded feeling poil-heart, because of those experiences, as an 'illness'. It was a matter for friends or family, whose job it was to 'encourage' you.

The eloquent girl continued her explanation: 'If my friend was poil-heart I would go to her and talk to her to encourage her. If there was a football game I would encourage her to go. If lonely, I would ask her about her problems and exchange ideas. If she told me she could not sleep or was afraid, I would take her to my bed and share it. One would hear the problem, explain it and solve it.'

Nor did they confine themselves to individual solutions. The children were writing a play to educate people about the problems they faced. ... The drama was called All Is Not Lost." p.179-180.

Lynne Jones (2017) Outside the Asylum: A Memoir of War, Disaster and Humanitarian Psychiatry. London: W&N. ISBN 9781474605748. (Book cover image Amazon)

This isn't a review book but was a bargain in Waterstones (£6.99), Gower Street, London. I really wish the rail-strike situation was resolved. Waiting to visit again ... This is a great book too!!

Webinar: ‘Global Remote and Rural Healthcare – how can we do it better?’

Following a successful online event last November Ms Jackie Aldridge got in touch, seeking speakers and attendees for a further webinar next month.

If you can suggest a speaker, present yourself, or are interested in attending please contact Jackie as per her [edited] message below.

Many thanks

Peter J.

-----------------------

Hello Mr Jones

We were so pleased that you agreed to be a speaker at our conference last November on the subject of ‘Global Remote and Rural Healthcare – how can we do it better?’.

As part of our follow up after the conference we decided it would be a good idea to try and run a short webinar a few times a year to keep this important subject under discussion. We are planning to run our first one on Tuesday 18 May.

I am hoping you may be able to help us by suggesting another contact who works in the field of remote and rural healthcare, who you think may be interested in giving a short presentation (no more than 20 minutes) about their specific field of expertise.

All I would need is their name, contact details and a short indication of what their specialism is.

I hope you can help and I look forward to hearing from you with your suggestions.

Best wishes

   Jackie 

 Jackie Aldridge

Programme Delivery Coordinator 

jackie.aldridge AT bridge2aid.org

Working part time, usually on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays

UK office: Bridge2Aid, The Keepers, Symn Lane, Wotton-Under-Edge, GL12 7BD

Tel: 01453 546776.   Registered Charity No: 1170578

Global Remote and Rural Healthcare - How Can We Do It Better?

Unfortunately, I am working during the day, but I look forward to sharing Hodges' model on the 18th evening (UK) session and an opportunity for discussion and feedback:

Global Remote and Rural Healthcare - How Can We Do It Better?

 

Global Remote and Rural Healthcare - How Can We Do It Better?

 

c/o @TheLancetPlanet - Paper: Residential greenness and prevalence of major depressive disorders... or "All colours fictitious"

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INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

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An analysis on 94879 participants recruited across ten UK Biobank centres shows the protection effect of greenness on depression. New in the Lancet Planetary Health @TheLancetPlanet read it now https://t.co/lziiD7YeWG — The Lancet Planetary Health (@TheLancetPlanet) April 6, 2018

Disclaimer:

Any significance that might be deemed between greenness as identified in Hodges' model with mental health, psychology, ecopsychology, memory, personhood, emotional, beliefs, mood ... and other colours* as portrayed is, of course, entirely coincidental.

 *colours to include black & white

Search of 'mental health' posts:
https://hodges-model.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/mental%20health

Development of a robotic health assistant to the management of malaria among nomads

The following very interesting item was posted on the Healthcare Information For All by 2015 [HIFA2015] list (I have added some formatting and links).

Dear All,

We received a Grand Challenges Exploration grant (a Gates Foundation initiative) for the development of a robotic health assistant to the management of malaria among nomads whose access to health service has always posed a concern. A robotic health assistant was constructed using aluminum casing. The device has three components: an interactive non-replaceable section that processes information and provides output. A replaceable laboratory containing supplies for qualitatively distinguishing between fevers associated with malaria and those that are non-malaria and a second replaceable component, a dispensary containing analgesics, ant malaria [*] and antibiotics for treating different types of fevers. The user communicates with the device using three buttons and receives feedback in Fulfude the nomadic Fulani language. The device interviews the user, processes the user’s responses and gives instructions. The accuracy of the information provided by the patient (user), and the ability of the user to carry out the instructions are critical to illness outcome. The device is solar-powered, is able to repeat previous instructions as many times as the patient desires, and provides referral.

Ten such robotic health assistants (ROBODOCs) were deployed among two main groups of nomads (those with previous experience using communication devices such as handheld mobile phones and those without such experience). The volunteer user was given basic information on the use, the switch-ON button, charging the device, and replacing the components. The user contacts a Field Assistant with hand-held mobile phone who in turn alerts the Research Supervisor whenever a case is managed. The Supervisor holds a phone interview with user and beneficiary patient at the end of the consultation with Robodoc as part of the quality assurance.

Robodoc was withdrawn after three months of deployment. Members of the community, beneficiaries and users were interviewed. Each device was examined for durability in the field. The ten units managed more than 80 cases of fever and appropriately diagnosed and treated 90% of them. Previous experience with using a modern communication device was not an important factor in the use of the Robodoc. The nomads found the device very useful and made suggestions on how it may be used for the management of several other health problems besides fevers.

We are keen to publish the findings from testing the device in a peer-reviewed journal. Does anyone have an idea of any journal that may be interested in this sort of research?

Oladele Akogun

HIFA2015 profile: Oladele Akogun is a professor of public health parasitology at the Federal University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria and Principal Scientist at the Common Heritage Foundation/Nigeria. He has spent over 24 years carrying out research and community service on access of community populations to health care delivery among marginalized populations. He is a pioneer researcher and contributor to the development of the community directed intervention approach to health service delivery now used in onchocerciasis control in Africa. With a Grand Challenges exploration (GCE) grant from The Gates Foundation, he is leading a team to develop a robotic health assistant for the management of malaria among nomads. He sits on two committees of the WHO/African region and on 5 committees at the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria. He has worked at various times as consultant to Constella-Futures, Africare and WHO where he worked for a year as Technical Adviser. He has made presentations to the African Regional Ministers forum on Primary Health, the US Congressional subcommittee on international aid and PAHO. He holds a PhD (1991) from the University of Jos and a Master of Public Health (2008) from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. Some of his views are expressed in http://blog4globalhealth.wordpress.com/bios/akogun1/
akoguno AT yahoo.com

[*Notes from HIFA2015 moderator:
1. I think this should read 'antimalarials'.2. A picture of the device in action is available on the Gates Foundation website at:
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/global-health/Pages/grand-challenges-explorations.aspx
'Oladele Akogun of the Common Heritage Foundation in Nigeria is testing a 'fever kit' for use among nomadic populations. The device is equipped with simple diagnostic tools and prerecorded treatment instructions in the native language to help nomadic caregivers accurately diagnose and treat fevers in a way that reduces mortality and drug resistance.' Thanks, Neil PW]
(In re-posting I have added the image at left.)