Safe drinking water is essential to good health and quality of life. However, in resource-poor settings like Vietnam and Cambodia, water often comes from unsafe sources and carries dangerous pathogens. This fact sheet outlines the work that PATH is implementing in Vietnam and Cambodia to enable commercial enterprises to produce, distribute, sell, and maintain good-quality household water treatment and storage products for low-income populations.

Publication date: July 2008

Region: Asia

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza are occurring in domestic fowl in many countries, posing a considerable human public health risk. Based on the latest World Health Organization (WHO) standards and recommendations, this manual provides comprehensive recommendations to help Ukrainian health care workers establish sentinel site surveillance and promptly identify, report, confirm, and classify potential cases of avian influenza in humans. In addition, the document includes guidance on the basic parameters for surveillance data analysis, investigation of trigger cases and outbreaks, improvement of other aspects of an early warning system for humans, and communication with the public and infection-control professionals. The guidelines are most appropriate for the current and the next stages of pandemic preparedness (phases 3 and 4 of the WHO Pandemic Alert Period) and are designed primarily for health care personnel working at rayon and regional sanitary-epidemiological stations.

Publication date: July 2008

Region: Eastern Europe

Fifteen strains of Escherichia coli from various geographical areas, animal, and soil sources were tested on standard and nonstandard detection assays at temperatures from 23°C to 45°C to test the viability of currently available E. coli tests in low-resource settings. Presented at the American Society for Microbiology Conference, June 1, 2008; Boston, MA.

Author: Allen E, Dillman L, Weigl B

Publication date: June 2008

Region: Global

The Effective Vaccine Stores Management (EVSM) assessment tool was created to help countries and agencies evaluate critical components of the country’s primary vaccine store. To date, 57 countries have completed the EVSM assessment. This project Optimize report evaluates 42 EVSM assessment spreadsheets.

Publication date: June 2008

Region: Global

Technologies related to the temperature control of vaccines during the distribution process are essential to the cool chain. This project Optimize report provides a landscape analysis of these technologies and their appropriateness for use with vaccines in the developing world.

Publication date: June 2008

Region: Global

This brochure describes PATH’s work in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, through the Maternal and Newborn Health Technology Initiative (MNTI).

Author: Gundry, D

Publication date: June 2008

Region: Africa

This brochure provides recommendations for primary care providers on early detection and response to avian influenza in humans.

Publication date: June 2008

Region: Eastern Europe

This two-page fact sheet details the procurement systems strengthening work that PATH has done over two decades in over 30 countries.

Publication date: June 2008

Region: Global

This annual report highlights new initiatives that have immense potential, such as efforts to bring safe water to low-income households in India, and records progress on long-term goals, such as halting the spread of infections including malaria and HIV. The report includes information about the organization's finances, leadership, and global presence.

Publication date: May 2008

Region: Global

Part of series: Annual reports

The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative commissioned this analysis to begin elucidating the World Health Organization (WHO) process for developing policy guidelines for a malaria vaccine. The analysis considered past WHO recommendations on new interventions and assessed potential implications for a malaria vaccine.

Author: Milstien J, Brooks A, Cardenas V, Cheyne J

Publication date: May 2008

Region: Global

This report documents a participatory evaluation that sought to expand the accessibility, availability, and use of appropriate and effective neonatal resuscitator devices for South African populations.

Publication date: May 2008

Region: Africa

Part of series: Oxygen technologies

This issue of Directions in Global Health profiles our effort to expand access to safe water, particularly in India; a project to improve nutrition for infants and young children; our thermostable vaccine work; surveillance activities for Japanese encephalitis; and our work under the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition.

Publication date: May 2008

Region: Global

Part of series: Directions in Global Health

This tool was developed to provide a simple, efficient framework for conducting a self-assessment of health care waste-management (HCWM) planning at the national level. By collecting data on key achievements, knowledge, and practices at the district and national levels, the framework allows programs to quickly aggregate data, highlight trends, and identify gaps. A national-level workshop then provides the opportunity to outline next steps for moving the revised HCWM planning agenda forward.

Publication date: May 2008

Region: Global

This report shares highlights of PATH's use of flexible funding in 2007, including our work to bring lifesaving projects to mothers and children in India, win support for HIV prevention in South Africa, and prepare to turn back a rising tuberculosis epidemic.

Publication date: May 2008

Region: Global

Part of series: Reports to contributors

This edition of PATH Today highlights the first tour of PATH Journeys, our newly established donor travel program. Also featured are PATH's Sure Start program, a thank-you to the sponsors of our 2008 Breakfast for Global Health, and information on two endeavors to protect women from disease and violence: the Global Call to Stop Cervical Cancer and the International Violence Against Women Act.

Publication date: May 2008

Region: Global

Part of series: PATH Today

An overview of a diagnostic platform that PATH is developing based on nucleic-acid amplification that will require no instrumentation. It has the dual purpose of providing molecular diagnostics at the point of care as well as stabilizing nucleic-acid specimens for further analysis via a centralized surveillance system. Presented at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry 40th Annual Oak Ridge Conference, April 17, 2008; San Jose, CA.

Author: Weigl B, Domingo G, Gerlach J, et al

Publication date: April 2008

Region: Global

This document summarizes PATH’s work in Indonesia to sustain best practices among health workers in project provinces through a supportive supervision program.

Publication date: April 2008

Region: Global

These workshop materials were designed for manufacturers of male latex condoms to introduce and solicit input on the new WHO Prequalification Programme for Male Latex Condoms. The objective is to increase the successful participation of manufacturers, thereby expanding the supplier base and expediting progress toward reproductive health supply security in low- and middle-income countries. If you intend to adapt these materials, it is recommended that experienced facilitators manage each session. For more information, contact info@path.org.

Publication date: April 2008

Region: Global

These workshop materials were developed to improve the knowledge and skills of procurement implementers to enable them to effectively use the WHO Prequalification Programme for Essential Reproductive Health Medicines. The materials include educational and skills-building components to convey the benefits of prequalification within the procurement context and to effectively incorporate prequalification into bidding documents and bidder assessments. If you intend to adapt these materials, it is recommended that experienced facilitators manage each session. For more information, contact info@path.org.

Publication date: April 2008

Region: Global

This two-page policy brief discusses the benefits of breastfeeding in light of the risk of perinatal HIV transmission. Recommendations include increasing adoption of recent World Health Oragnization guidelines on infant feeding and HIV and extending support to cover the first two years of life.

Publication date: March 2008

Region: Global