Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37277827›Full record

ArticleConflict and health2023

Assessment of the WHO non-communicable diseases kit for humanitarian emergencies in South Sudan: a retrospective, prospective, observational study.

Ahmad Hecham Alani, Laura Miller, Bhavika Darji, Isaac Waweru, Aston Benjamin Atwiine, Marcello Tonelli, Joseph Lou Kenyi Mogga, Ali Adams, Lilian Ndinda, Said Jongo and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Conflict and health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Ahmad Hecham AlaniInternational Rescue Committee, London, UK.
Laura MillerInternational Rescue Committee, New York City, NY, USA.
Bhavika DarjiInternational Rescue Committee, New York City, NY, USA.
Isaac WaweruInternational Rescue Committee, Nairobi, Kenya.
Aston Benjamin AtwiineInternational Rescue Committee, Kampala, Uganda.
Marcello TonelliDepartment of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Joseph Lou Kenyi MoggaWHO Country Office, Ministry of Health, Ministerial Complex, Juba, South Sudan.
Ali AdamsInternational Rescue Committee, Juba, South Sudan.
Lilian NdindaInternational Rescue Committee, Juba, South Sudan.
Said JongoInternational Rescue Committee, Juba, South Sudan.
Lilian KiapiInternational Rescue Committee, London, UK. Lilian.Kiapi@rescue.org.

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe WHO Non-Communicable Diseases Kit (NCDK) was developed to support care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in humanitarian settings. Targeting primary healthcare, each kit contains medicines and supplies that are forecasted to meet the needs of 10,000 people for 3 months. This study aimed to evaluate the NCDK deployment process, contents, usage and limitations, and to explore its acceptability and effectiveness among healthcare workers (HCWs) in South Sudan.

methodsThis mixed-method observational study captured data from pre-and-post NCDK deployment. Six data collection tools included: (i) contextual analysis, (ii) semi-structured interviews, in addition to surveys measuring/assessing (iii) healthcare workers' knowledge about NCDs, and healthcare workers' perceptions of: (iv) health facility infrastructure, (v) pharmaceutical supply chain, and (vi) NCDK content. The pre- and post-deployment evaluations were conducted in four facilities (October-2019) and three facilities (April-2021), respectively. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative data and content analysis for open-ended questions. A thematic analysis was applied on interviews findings and further categorized into four predetermined themes.

resultsCompared to baseline, two of the re-assessed facilities had improved service availability for NCDs. Respondents described NCDs as a growing problem that is not addressed at a national level. After deployment, the same struggles were intensified with the COVID-19 pandemic. The delivery process was slow and faced delays associated with several barriers. After deployment, poor communications and the "push system" of inventories were commonly perceived by stakeholders, leading to expiry/disposal of some contents. Despite being out-of-stock at baseline, at least 55% of medicines were found to be unused post-deployment and the knowledge surveys demonstrated a need for improving HCWs knowledge of NCDs.

conclusionsThis assessment further confirmed the NCDK role in maintaining continuity of care on a short-term period. However, its effectiveness was dependent on the health system supply chain in place and the capacity of facilities to manage and treat NCDs. Availability of medicines from alternative sources made some of the NCDK medicines redundant or unnecessary for some health facilities. Several learnings were identified in this assessment, highlighting barriers that contributed to the kit underutilization.

Indexed as

ConflictEmergency kitsHumanitarian settingsNoncommunicable diseasesSouth Sudan

Identifiers

PMID37277827
PMCPMC10241119

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LicenceCC BY
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.