Published in Crossing the Divide·Jul 22, 2020We Need a Greater Commitment to Community Healthby Ruth Ngechu-Kihara The spread of COVID-19 in Kenya presents a considerable public health challenge. Any resulting decline in primary health care would only intensify that challenge — this is why Kenya must continue to bolster its support for community health volunteers. Despite extensive containment measures — including testing, contact…Covid-193 min readCovid-193 min read
Published in Crossing the Divide·Jul 13, 2020Opinion: Lessons from Liberia — What We Learned from the Fight Against EbolaBy Marion Subah and Dr. Bernice Dahn Outside the Liberian Ministry of Health one sunny morning this past February, people were once again washing their hands at sanitizing containers and refraining from shaking hands and hugging — a sobering reminder of the 2014–16 Ebola epidemic. …Liberia3 min readLiberia3 min read
Published in Crossing the Divide·Apr 28, 2020Africa: Primary Health Care — There’s a Reason It’s Called PrimaryBy Vicky Okine and Nii Sarpei The outbreak of COVID-19 threatens to exact a high toll in sub-Saharan Africa, both because of its devastating effects on its victims and because of its potential to interrupt routine health services. …Phc3 min readPhc3 min read
Published in Crossing the Divide·Apr 8, 2020Fast and Furious: Now Is the Time to ActBy Dr. Lola Dare Africa faces a potential human and economic catastrophe because of its particular vulnerabilities to the new coronavirus. In recent days, confirmed COVID-19 cases have surged to nearly 11,000 across the continent, although due to lack of testing, the exact total is suspected to be much higher…Coronavirus4 min readCoronavirus4 min read
Published in Crossing the Divide·Feb 27, 2020Upskilling Critical for Sustainable Health WorkforceWe recently attended the CORE Group’s 2019 Global Health Practitioner Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, which partly focused on identifying solutions to persistent community health workforce challenges. …Uhc3 min readUhc3 min read
Published in Crossing the Divide·May 28, 2019You(th) on UHC: A Call to ActionIn March 2019, AMREF Health Africa held the Africa Health Agenda International Conference, which included the youth preconference under the theme “nothing about us without us.” This meeting highlighted the importance of meaningful youth engagement in the planning, implementation and evaluation of all policies and programs that affect young people…Sustainable Development3 min readSustainable Development3 min read
Published in Crossing the Divide·Dec 12, 2018Africa: Despite National Health Insurance Scheme, Ghana Can Do BetterBy Vicky Okine Over the festive season, our thoughts naturally turn to our families, and our plans for the New Year ahead. As we welcome the beginning of another year, there are three essentials that everyone wishes for themselves, their families, friends and communities. …Health4 min readHealth4 min read
Published in Crossing the Divide·Oct 30, 2018CSO Voices: Finding Common Goals in the SDG EraBy: Elizabeth Lopez, Knowledge Maanagement Associate, PHC Initiative, PAI In September, Gavi CSO Constituency and Catholic Relief Services held the Gavi CSO ConneXions 2018 conference in Nairobi, Kenya. This meeting highlighted the importance of ensuring routine access to immunization, strengthening health systems and the advocacy needed to achieve those goals…Global Health3 min readGlobal Health3 min read
Published in Crossing the Divide·Aug 8, 2018Quality of Care at the Last Mile — Clinical Supervision of Community Health WorkersBy: S. Olasford Wiah, Community Health Services Director, Ministry of Health Liberia Brittney Varpilah, National Community Health Systems Director Last Mile Health Katey Linskey, Policy & Advocacy Officer, Last Mile Health In a rural community in the dense rainforest of Liberia’s Rivercess County, a young mother named Odell exchanges conversation…Health6 min readHealth6 min read
Published in Crossing the Divide·Aug 8, 2018The Intersection of Research and Advocacy for Health EquityWhy Research Matters for Noncommunicable Disease Advocacy — By Nicholas Matovu When I began my year as a Global Health Corps (GHC) fellow working at the Ministry of Health in Uganda last July, I held a negative attitude towards advocacy for several reasons. First, I believed that advocacy was just about politics, and I have a strong dislike…Global Health5 min readGlobal Health5 min read
