Achieving integrated disease surveillance in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Access to reliable and timely information is key for healthcare decision-making at the regional, national and sub-national levels. However, lack of access to such information hampers to progress towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), as indicated in the Regional Progress Report on Health-Related Sustainable Development Goals.

Preparations for sustainability and transition from Global Fund support in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Background: HIV, tuberculosis and malaria (HTM) services receive financial support from the Global Fund and need to plan for sustainability and transition from external funding. Aim: To recommend actions for addressing key sustainability and transition issues in 15 countries receiving Global Fund grants in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean (EMR) Region. Methods: We reviewed documents, interviewed key informants, and conducted case studies in Sudan and Tunisia to highlight key considerations for sustainability and transition from Global Fund that is tailored to the EMR and the health system building blocks. Sustainability considerations should align with the health system building blocks, including governance, financing, service delivery, workforce and health product management, with the addition of considerations for key and vulnerable populations because of their particular importance for HIV and tuberculosis services. Conclusion: While hoping for economic growth and reduction of the burden of HTM, EMR countries need to prepare for transition from Global Fund support. Proactive steps that are tailored to the health system building blocks and address the needs of key and vulnerable populations should progressively increase national capabilities as well as resources dedicated to HTM.

Caries prevalence in 11- to 14-year old migrant children in Germany.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether immigration stage is associated with higher prevalence of dental caries among schoolchildren in Heidelberg, Germany. METHODS: A cross-sectional dental examination on 570 schoolchildren, aged 11 to 14 years, in schools with high proportions of immigrant pupils (49.5%) was performed. Carious, missing and filled permanent teeth were recorded for each child, so that mean DMFT values could be calculated. The pupils were classified into three groups: M0 (children and their parents were born in Germany), M1 (children who were born in Germany but whose parents were born outside of Germany), and M2 (children and their parents were born outside of Germany). RESULTS: The mean DMFT values in M1 and M2 were close, and both were significantly higher than the corresponding values in M0. The proportions of caries-free children in M0, M1 and M2 were 63.7%, 40.3% and 42.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In Germany, migrant children have a poorer dental health status than native children coming from the same low socio-economic classes. Risk-oriented public health policies with appropriate prevention programs must be developed for these children.