Blogs
The HEART blog features views from the HEART team and guests on the latest issues in health, education, nutrition, social protection and water & sanitation.
The content on the HEART blog page does not necessarily represent the views of HEART or their funders. HEART is not responsible for content on external links. For more information on HEART blogs please contact [email protected].
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Steve Lewis from RESULTS reports on events in New York at the UN General Assembly In September I marched with over 300,000 people in New York, protesting against Climate Change and the weak global response so far. But why was I marching on an environment issue when my work with RESULTS is to manage health… Read more
A new Topic Guide on Educational Technology (edtech) has been launched bringing together evidence on the use of edtech and the impact on teaching and learning practices and learning outcomes. Produced by the DFID funded HEART programme at the Institute of Development Studies his Guide contributes to what we know about the relationship between edtech… Read more
In the first blog from his series from the UN General Assembly in New York, Steve Lewis reports on progress on Women and Children’s health in the last year. It was impressive to find a room-full of global health leaders at 8.30am on a Sunday morning, meeting to discuss progress on health indicators. The presence of a welcoming breakfast was… Read more
The lack of essential vitamins and minerals in diets, known as hidden hunger, affects over two billion people worldwide. This was the focus of this year’s Global Hunger Index, launched on Monday by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide. Despite increased access to food, the absence of micronutrients in a… Read more
October 9 was World Sight Day, which is in principle an advocacy event, where eye health practitioners, organisations, researchers, partners and supporters raise public awareness of blindness & vision impairment as major international public health issues. So what do we know about blindness and visual impairment? It is estimated that about 285 million people are… Read more
Improving the capacity of local researchers in low- and middle-income countries is a recognized way to advance health and development. Numerous approaches to health research capacity strengthening (health RCS) exist including training for individuals, improving research systems within institutions, and international collaborations among health research agencies. But how do we know if these approaches work… Read more
Ebola is threatening gains made in health systems strengthening in post conflict Sierra Leone. The ReBUILD consortium working in partnership with College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) in Freetown has been assessing the opportunities and challenges of the post conflict window(s) for health systems strengthening with a particular focus on human resources for… Read more
A new Topic Guide on Inclusive Learning has been launched that brings together evidence of what works for children aged 3 to 12 years with disabilities and difficulties in learning in low and middle income countries. Produced by the DFID funded HEART programme at the Institute of Development Studies, this Guide is the first of… Read more
The House of Commons International Development Committee reported last Friday on the findings of its enquiry into the role of the UK Department for international Development (DFID) in strengthening health systems in developing countries. It recommended that DFID must use its expertise in this area to show global leadership and influence the agendas of its… Read more
Globally, deficiencies in micronutrients are staggering in scale. According to some estimates, between 40 and 60 percent of all children in developing countries suffer negative health consequences from not receiving enough iron, and a similar percentage don’t get enough Vitamin A. One response to this problem has been more widely adopted than any other: food… Read more
A health system consists of all the organizations, institutions, resources and people whose primary purpose is to improve health.a There is mounting evidence that health systems that can deliver services equitably and efficiently are critical for achieving improved health status. While increased attention to health systems strengthening is welcome, it requires a sound monitoring strategy… Read more