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Category: Health Information and Management Systems

  • Hosting Health Systems Global Secretariat

    Introduction and Overview

    Health Systems Global (HSG) is the first international membership organization fully dedicated to promoting health systems research and knowledge translation.

    Starting from March 1st, 2015 Curatio International Foundation hosts the HSG secretariat, which was previously housed in the Center for Health and Infectious Disease Research at the University of Copenhagen.

    Dr. George Gotsadze, Director and President of Curatio International Foundation assumed the role of the Executive Director of Health Systems Global. He leads secretariat together with the communications team from  Institute of Development Study (Brighton, UK) and strives for the HSG to become a stronger society.

    CIF will hand over secretariat management to another LMIC country in 2020.

    HSG Financial Supporters Since 2015 

    Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research

    Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

    Canadian Institute for Health Research

    China Medical Board

    Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

    Global Affairs Canada

    Global Ideas Fund at CAF America

    International Development Research Centre, Canada

    Rockefeller Foundation

    Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

    Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency

    USAID

    Wellcome Trust

    Project Objectives and Contributions

    To connect health systems research and policy communities globally to contribute to the attainment of better health, equity, and well-being.

    About the Global Symposia

    Health Systems Global organizes a symposium every two years to bring together its members with the full range of players involved in health systems and policy research. There is currently no other international gathering that serves the needs of this community.

    The venue chosen for each meeting facilitates inclusion of participants from a specific part of the world and a focus on that region, although each is a global meeting in terms of content and representation. Each symposium is determined to:

    • Share new state-of-the-art evidence;
    • Review the progress and challenges towards implementation of the global agenda of priority research;
    • Identify and discuss the approaches to strengthen the scientific rigour of health systems research including concepts, frameworks, measures, and methods;
    • Facilitate greater research collaboration and learning communities across disciplines, sectors, initiatives, and countries.

    Previous global symposia were held in Montreux, 2010, Beijing 2012, Cape Town 2014, Vancouver 2016 and the fifth one will take place in Liverpool during October 8-12, 2018 and is expected to bring together around 3000 global participants.

    Detailed information about the 5th global symposium on the Health Systems Research is available on the website.

  • Webinar on Improving Quality of Care during Childbirth: Learnings and Next Steps from the BetterBirth Trial

    This webinar took place on April 24, 2018. However, if you missed the session or want to listen to it again, you can watch the recording.

    Join the webinar organized by HSG Thematic Working Group Quality in Universal Health and Healthcare. During this webinar, Katherine Semaru will discuss the lessons learned from the BetterBirth trial towards the increase of quality of maternal and newborn care, and the work still needed to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

    The Ariadne Labs’ BetterBirth Program has been focused on developing, implementing, and testing the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Safe Childbirth Checklist globally. In 2014, after a successful pilot of the Checklist in southern India, the BetterBirth study was initiated in Uttar Pradesh, India, at primary and community health centers. The study measured the effectiveness of the BetterBirth Program on the uptake of essential birth practices by birth attendants and on early neonatal mortality, maternal mortality, and maternal morbidity. With follow up data on over 300,000 mothers and infants, the BetterBirth trial is one of the largest maternal health trials ever conducted.

    About the speaker

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    Katherine Semrau, PhD, MPH, is director of the BetterBirth Program at Ariadne Labs. She is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an Associate Epidemiologist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the Division of Global Health Equity.She led a large randomized controlled trial of a coaching-based intervention to increase use and adherence to the WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist.

    Curatio International Foundation Hosts Health Systems Global Secretariat. Health Systems Global (HSG) is the first international membership organization fully dedicated to promoting health systems research and related knowledge translation. HSG brings together researchers, policy-makers, funders, implementers, civil society and other stakeholders from all over the world. Around 1900 HSG members work together to create, share and apply knowledge necessary for strengthening health systems globally.

  • Technical Assistance to Evaluate HIV Monitoring and Evaluation System in the Republic of Moldova

    Introduction and Overview

    The evaluation is expected to comprehensively assess the HIV Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system aimed to standardizing the reporting forms, build the national information flow within HIV related organizations, developing the national M&E System and Plan. The evaluation has to provide recommendations for improvement of M&E System, enhance its quality and comprehensiveness, including coordination and sustainability of the system.

    The evaluation will assess the HIV/AIDS M&E system, type of indicators and data flows starting from the first service contact level up to the national level, between different sectors and with particular emphasis on Prednestrovya region. The evaluation will last by the end of November, 2017.

    Organizations involved in the research

    Public Institution “Coordination, Implementation and Monitoring Unit of the  Health  System Projects” is implementing the project, funded by The Global Fund. Partners of the project are Ministry of Health (MoH) and other sectorail ministries under the leadership of the National Coordination Council of Moldova.

    The HIV Monitoring and Evaluation is one part of the project fulfilled by Curatio International Foundation.

    Expected Results

    The Program Management structure, regional health authorities, health and other service providers will largely benefit from enhanced and comprehensive M&E system, for which the evaluation will formulate recommendations.

  • Establishment of evidence base for national HIV/AIDS program by strengthening of HIV/AIDS surveillance system in the country

    The project was funded by the Global Fund and implemented by the Curatio International Foundation (CIF) in partnership with Georgian Infectious diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center, Public Union “Bemoni,” and association “Tanadgoma.” The project took place from February, 2008 to December 2010.

    The aim of the project was to reform HIV/AIDS surveillance system in the country. The project encompassed 3 basic components, each of them embracing series of activities.

    In the framework of the first (1) component of the project, Improvement of the routine HIV/AIDS Surveillance system, the HIV/AIDS surveillance system was assessed, which later allowed to develop the HIV/AIDS national surveillance plan. Qualitative and quantitative research methodology, as well as literature review have been applied for exploring international approaches and requirements for the HIV surveillance system, priorities of national policy, and legal environment; assessing information flows, technical capacities and human resources of health care facilities, public health centers, and laboratories/blood stations; and analyzing skills and drawbacks of professional staff in regards to HIV/AIDS surveillance.

    Exhaustive assessment and analysis of HIV/AIDS surveillance system led to the development of the National HIV/AIDS surveillance Plan. The document incorporates clear, comprehensive, and operationally viable information serves as a guideline for policy implementation and as an instrument for advocating and mobilizing adequate financial and technical resources. It increases understanding of key concepts and models of the HIV/AIDS surveillance system and suggests ways for effective labor division among various participants and responsible parties. The National HIV/AIDS Surveillance Plan provides an opportunity to better understand financial implications of strategy alternatives and choices to recognize financial requirements and effectively mobilize resources to support sustainability of the HIV/AIDS Surveillance System.

    Collaboration of the National HIV/AIDS Routine Surveillance Guidelines was the step following the elaboration of National HIV/AIDS Surveillance Plan, clarifying standard operational procedures for routine surveillance related to and without voluntary consulting and testing (VCT), consultation before and after blood capture, and transportation rules for HIV testing. HIV/AIDS Routine surveillance guideline was endorsed by the Decree of the Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs #217/o on 23, July 2010.

    Along with endorsing guidelines, the trainings on routine HIV/AIDS surveillance requirements, registration/notification/reporting procedures were delivered to health care specialists throughout the country.

    Based on the National HIV/AIDS Surveillance Plan the electronic data base for HIV/AIDS surveillance system was developed. Electronic surveillance system collects case-based data on every tested individual by epidemiological groups. The data allows and software automatically calculates all routine surveillance indicators and produces different types of analytical reports.
    The second (2) component of the project foresaw elaboration of the sentinel HIV/AIDS Surveillance guidelines including registration, notification, reporting forms and standard operation procedures. Collection of data through sentinel surveillance would make it possible to provide evidence-grounded HIV/AIDS statistics and strengthen HIV/AIDS surveillance in Georgia.

    The third (3) component focused on carrying out behavior surveillance survey with biomarker component among the IDUs, CSWs, Prisoners and MSM and development of standard guidelines for BSS, including standard methodology, standard tools/questioners for data collection, and standard framework for data analysis.

    Newly designed HIV/AIDS surveillance system gathers information from different sources: routine surveillance, sentinel surveillance and BSS.

    Follow the links to view:
    Bio-Behavioral Surveillance Surveys
    National HIV/AIDS Surveillance Plan (Eng.version)
    National HIV/AIDS Surveillance Plan (Geo.version)
    HIV/AIDS Surveillance Assessment Report (Eng.version)
    HIV/AIDS Surveillance Assessment Report (Geo.version)

  • Winner of the Fellowship Program 2011 Revealed

    In May, 2011 the winner of the CIF fellowship program was revealed. According to the decision of the experts committee the fellowship will be granted to Maia Khutsishvili, Master program student of the Tbilisi State Medical University.

    Over more than 15 years, Maia has been exposed to different aspects of healthcare field. From early nineties she has been working as a Medical Doctor (Pediatrician) in the leading hospitals of Georgia. In 2009 she joined one of the largest pharmaceutical companies Aversi in the capacity of Medical Representative.

    Maia’s academic background includes master level degree from the Tbilisi State Medical University with the specialization of Pediatrician (completed in 1993). She expects her Master’s degree in Public Health Management by the middle of summer 2011.

    Aside from clinical experience, Maia has a strong knowledge of specifics of Public Health Management related issues. In 2008-2009 she passed basic program for the managers at Business School of European School of Management. Maia plans to exercise her power in public health management and contribute to development of this field in Georgia.

    “Curatio International Foundation has long been the the organization I would like to cooperate with. After completing Master’s program I plan to focus on issues that are embraced in public health management, such as HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, Drug Addiction etc. These are topics that are widely covered by studies provided by CIF. Becoming the winner of the program is very important for me not only in terms of getting financial award and increasing motivation but also it poses a golden opportunity to get exposed to wonderful experience of Foundation’s experts and listen to their recommendations while working on the research projects in the future”- says Maia.

    CIF has been running the Fellowship Program since 2009. Participants are being selected through an open and merit-based competition. The grant worth around of 250 GEL monthly (over ten academic months) is given to ONE student of the Master Program of Public Health Management or Business Administration with the focus on Public Health Management.

    For further information please visit the fellowships page.

  • HIV/AIDS Surveillance Plan, 2010

    The National HIV/AIDS Surveillance Plan in Georgia was developed by the national working group in the frame of the project funded by The Global Fund- “Establishment of evidence-base for national HIV/AIDS program by strengthening the HIV/AIDS surveillance system in the country”.

    Download the document here.

     

     

     

     

  • Georgia Immunization MIS and Disease Surveillance Reforms: Achievements, Lessons Learned and Future Directions

    From 2001 to 2006, the government of Georgia and the Partners for Health Reformplus (PHRplus) project collaborated to strengthen two components of the Georgia Health Information System (HIS): the immunization management information system (MIS) and infectious disease surveillance system (IDS). The work was funded by USAID/Caucasus and coordinated by a multidisciplinary expert group of stakeholders. Participating expert group members came from the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs, the Department of Public Health, the National Center for Disease Control and Medical Statistics, local Centers of Public Health (CPH), and several international donors (USAID, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization). Implementation was the responsibility of the Georgian nongovernmental organization Curatio International Foundation, subcontracted by PHRplus. View the document.

  • Strategic Plan for the Development of Health Information Systems in Georgia

    The purpose this document is to outline a strategy for the development of a Health Information System (HIS) in Georgia. The strategy is expected to be used by in-country stakeholders and international development partners to strengthen in a logical and practical way the Health Information Systems (HIS) bringing it up to international standards. If successful the HIS will contribute to evidence-based decision making in health policy area.

    The current work on the development of the strategic plan to strengthen HIS has been carried out within the framework of a grant made to Georgia by Health Metrics Network (HMN), which is a global partnership whose mission is to champion and facilitate better health information at country, regional, and global levels.

    Curatio International Foundation, a non-for-profit institution with on-ground experience in research and policy advice has been awarded the Grant to assist the Government and non-government stakeholders in the HIS development strategy design. View the document.

  • Strengthening Surveillance, IEC and Procurement Planning to Address Avian Influenza in Georgia

    In May 2006, the USAID/Caucasus Mission awarded PATH $400,000 to strengthen surveillance, information, education, communication (IEC) activities, and procurement planning to address avian influenza (AI) in Georgia. As specified in the proposal, PATH has established a partnership with a Georgian nongovernmental organization, Curatio International Foundation (CIF), to implement this activity. View the document.

  • Statement for the Media-The Study on Injected Drug Users Completed

    Only 1/4 of Intravenous Drug Users are getting tested for HIV, putting their wife’s and girlfriends and the rest of the Georgian population at risk for a widening epidemic

    Curatio International Foundation, a Georgian think tank, says “motivating IDUS to get tested is the key to prevention.”

    According to a recent study by Curatio International Foundation and Public Union Bemoni, the Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) can put their regular sex partners at risk of HIV infection by having unprotected sex with them.

    The study, which was conducted in 2009 in five different locations in Georgia (Tbilisi, Batumi, Zugdidi, Telavi and Gori) found that only 25% of intravenous drug users have been ever tested for HIV through their lifetime -even though the testing is free and available in their communities.

    The IDUs especially in Tbilisi are well educated and half are married. The majority of them started drug injection in their late teens. The most frequently injected drug by Tbilisi IDUs is subutex, while Batumi IDUs favor heroin.

    The IDUs are quite knowledgeable on HIV transmission routes, however they still commit behaviors that pose risk to their sexual or needle partners.

    About half of married IDUs have occasional sex partners and every second of them did not use condoms with such partners. This is particularly unconscionable because in most of cases IDUs do not use condoms with their wives, girlfriends.

    Highest HIV rates and risky behavior were found among Batumi IDUs compared to other cities.

    “Low uptake of testing services indicates that a large proportion of IDUs is unaware of their HIV status, which leads to high risk behaviors,” says Ketevan Goguadze, project manager, “Motivating IDUs to get tested is the most effective way to prevent spread this infection.”

    The study was undertaken in 2009 under the Global Fund supported project implemented by Curatio International Foundation, a local think tank working on the health care issues, and its partner organizations.