As a researcher in the area of public health and health systems, I hope that any global meaningful standard for universal health coverage will include benchmarks for primary health care including patient participation in health systems.
Respecting the values and preferences of patients, engaging them in the process of care and involving them in their own treatment is part of patient-centred care. But at the core is the significance of respecting their dignity as humans.
The term “leaving no one behind,” now at the centre of a United Nations framework and campaign, has gained centre stage in the era of sustainable development goals (SDGs). It does not stop there: leaving no one behind is also now prevalent among the public health academics, development agencies and organizations that aspire to realize... Continue Reading →
Women health-care volunteers in low-income countries such as Afghanistan, Nepal and Ethiopia play a vital role in the health-care system, yet they are undervalued and undertrained. Many community health programs use volunteer Community Health Workers (CHW) to provide basic health-related services to rural and remote populations. Most of these thousands of volunteers, trained for a short period and supported by... Continue Reading →
Single-fathers have three times higher chances of dying compared to single-mothers and partnered-fathers, a recent study published in the Lancet Public Health found. The study used Canadian Community Health Survey between the years of 2001 and 2012. Families with single-parents are increasingly becoming common in high-income countries. Although most of them are headed by single-mothers,... Continue Reading →
International Women's Day, March 8th, is supposed to be about freedom, equality, and empowerment of women. Yet, many different societies have turned it into a celebration of women's status as is. Honoring motherhood and celebrating love objects are mere praises for the reproduction capacity of women and in turn a promotion of patriarchy. A gift... Continue Reading →
This administrative/political stand-off offers three ‘governance’ lessons for Afghanistan: use of local knowledge to expand legitimacy, inclusive central administration, and decentralization of authority and responsibility.
Since Harvey Weinstein’s case, sexual harassment and sexual assault have been condemned by almost everyone. The #MeToo movement went viral and thousands agreed with it. But recently, a backlash to #MeToo led by French actress Catherine Deneuve and others like Margaret Atwood has surfaced. Questions about what constitutes sexual harassment have become prominent. Are all sexual advances harassment and all... Continue Reading →
As countries work towards implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, they must monitor and evaluate not only the outcomes (ie, the targets and indicators), but also the processes through which these outcomes will be achieved. Of notable importance is the degree of inclusiveness of these processes. Over the past 7 months, I have been... Continue Reading →
