Resources

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major, under–recognized public health problem causing more severe respiratory infections and hospitalizations in infants and young children each year than any other pathogen. New immunization tools now recommended for global use by the World Health Organization (WHO) could help change that.The opportunity to address this pervasive virus has never been better. To raise awareness, WHO and PATH have developed a toolkit of communication materials that public health stakeholders and advocates can use to share information about RSV disease, new prevention tools, and delivery considerations. Other expert contributors include the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seattle Children's Hospital/University of Washington, UMC Utrecht, the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), RRD Design, and more.To accommodate varying audience and engagement needs, this toolkit includes a stand-alone RSV primer presentation (and fact sheet) providing an overview of RSV disease and prevention options. Also available are modular PowerPoint slides that can be mixed and matched with the primer presentation to dive deeper into key topics for informing understanding and decision-making around RSV prevention. All slides come with speaker notes.To learn more about the toolkit, visit the web page.NOTE: Files available here as read-only. Editable files are readily available upon request. Please contact us.

A comprehensive care approach to save lives of small and sick newborns

Preventable maternal, newborn, and child deaths remain unacceptably high. After decades of progress, mortality rates have stagnated. The targets set by leaders around the world to reduce maternal, newborn, and child deaths by 2030 are currently out of reach for many countries. However, with renewed commitment and strategic actions, we can get back on track.This brief from PATH's Center for Advocacy and Policy explores five key calls to action to address urgent maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) advocacy priorities and accelerate progress. It is intended for advocates, technical decision-makers, policymakers, and anyone who wants to learn about key MNCH advocacy approaches that can help drive sustainable improvements in health for women and children.

A lack of formal clinical training often limits the effectiveness of community health workers (CHWs) and, thus, their ability to generate timely and accurate insights based on the information shared with them. Integrating large language models (LLMs) into the CHWs’ workflow presents a novel opportunity to enhance their decision-making capabilities by providing real-time, context-specific, and evidence-based guidance. This non-interventional study aims to explore whether LLMs can support more effective decision-making. After an interaction between a CHW and a patient, the LLM will analyze the recorded conversation to determine the appropriateness of referral decisions made by CHWs compared to the LLM against the clinical expert panel consensus. The study also assesses the feasibility and appropriateness of an LLM-based clinical decision support system for CHWs. The results will inform future research, including the need for an interventional trial of such a product.

PATH partners with governments, civil society organizations, and advocates to advance health equity by informing evidence-based policymaking and funding decisions. We leverage technical expertise and deep relationships from country to global levels to design and shape impactful policies, ensure effective implementation, and strengthen capacity along the way.