Quality of primary health care in China: challenges and recommendations.

China has substantially increased financial investment and introduced favourable policies for strengthening its primary health care system with core responsibilities in preventing and managing chronic diseases such as hypertension and emerging infectious diseases such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, widespread gaps in the quality of primary health care still exist. In this Review, we aim to identify the causes for this poor quality, and provide policy recommendations. System challenges include: the suboptimal education and training of primary health-care practitioners, a fee-for-service payment system that incentivises testing and treatments over prevention, fragmentation of clinical care and public health service, and insufficient continuity of care throughout the entire health-care system. The following recommendations merit consideration: (1) enhancement of the quality of training for primary health-care physicians, (2) establishment of performance accountability to incentivise high-quality and high-value care; (3) integration of clinical care with the basic public health services, and (4) strengthening of the coordination between primary health-care institutions and hospitals. Additionally, China should consider modernising its primary health-care system through the establishment of a learning health system built on digital data and innovative technologies.

Interconnected clusters of invasive meningococcal disease due to Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C ST-11 (cc11), involving bisexuals and men who have sex with men, with discos and gay-venues hotspots of transmission, Tuscany, Italy, 2015 to 2016.

In 2015 an increased incidence of invasive meningococcal disease due to serogroup-C (MenC) occurred in Tuscany, Italy. This led the Regional Health Authority of Tuscany to implement a reactive immunisation campaign and to launch an epidemiological field investigation aiming to address targeted immunisation interventions. In 2011-14, 10 MenC cases had been reported compared with 62 cases in 2015-16. The case fatality rate was 21% (n = 13) and 51 cases (82.3%) were confirmed as C:P1.5-1,10-8:F3-6:ST-11(cc11). Overall, 17 clusters were recognised. Six discos and four gay-venues were found to have a role as transmission-hotspots, having been attended by 20 and 14 cases in the 10 days before symptoms onset. Ten and three cases occurred, respectively, among men who have sex with men (MSM) and bisexual individuals, who were involved in 11 clusters. In addition, heterosexual cases (n = 5) attending gay-venues were also found. Secondary cases were not identified. Molecular typing indicated close relationship with MenC clusters recently described among gay, bisexual and other MSM in Europe and the United States, suggesting a possible international spread of the serogroup-C-variant P1.5-1,10-8:F3-6:ST-11(cc11) in this population-group; however, epidemiological links were not identified. In December 2016, a targeted vaccination campaign involving discos and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) associations was implemented. During 2017, 10 cases of MenC occurred, compared with 32 and 30 cases reported in 2015 and 2016 respectively, suggesting the effectiveness of the reactive and targeted immunisation programmes.

Infant immunization coverage in Italy (2000-2016).

BACKGROUND: In Italy, national-level immunization polices are included in the National Immunization Prevention Plan (PNPV), whose latest edition - 2017-2019 PNPV - was finally approved in February 2017. Coverage rates are a key measure of immunization system performance; it can inform and support national and regional polices' implementation monitoring, as well as measure the impact of interventions aimed at increasing vaccine uptake. METHODS: We collected, analysed and critically interpreted 2000-2016 Italian national infant immunization coverage trends, by different vaccine, target population, and by Region. Data were provided by the Directorate General for Prevention of the Italian Ministry of Health. RESULTS: In 2016, none of the mandatory or recommended vaccines reached the 95% national coverage target set in the PNPV. Weighted average national coverage for currently mandatory vaccines (against Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Hepatitis B) and other antigens included in the hexavalent vaccine (Pertussis, and Haemophilus influenzae type b) ranged between 93.0% for Hepatitis B and 93.7% for Tetanus; it was lower for Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccines (87.2%), pneumococcal (88.4%) and meningococcal C conjugate vaccines (80.7%), with a high degree of heterogeneity by Region. Both hexavalent and MMR vaccines coverage rates have been decreasing in the last years, respectively from 2012 (-2.8%) and from 2010 (-3.6%). DISCUSSION: Further efforts are needed to increase vaccine uptake in Italy, to improve data collection and reporting, as well as to fight the growing phenomenon of the vaccine hesitancy so that PNPV's objectives and targets can be met in the near future.

Increased incidence of invasive meningococcal disease of serogroup C / clonal complex 11, Tuscany, Italy, 2015 to 2016.

We report an increase of serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis invasive meningococcal disease in Tuscany. From January 2015 to end February 2016, 43 cases were reported, among which 10 were fatal, compared to two cases caused by serogroup C recorded in 2014 and three in 2013. No secondary cases occurred. Thirty-five strains belonged to C:P1.5-1,10-8:F3-6:ST-11(cc11). Control measures have been adopted and immunisation campaigns implemented. Studies on risk factors and carriage are ongoing.

Vaccine coverage in Italy and assessment of the 2012-2014 National Immunization Prevention Plan.

BACKGROUND: In 2012, the ItalianMinistry of Health issued the National Immunization Prevention Plan (Piano Nazionale Prevenzione Vaccinale, or PNPV 2012-2014), with the aim of harmonizing immunization strategies across the country and ensuring equitable access to infectious disease prevention to all citizens. The Plan defines the immunization standards all regions should comply with. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: As new evidence has accumulated in the field of immunization, and the new National Immunization Prevention Plan is about to be launched, the aim of the current study is to: i. present immunization coverage data (2000-2014) for 14 vaccines included in the PNPV to be offered to the general population, ii. assess to what extent the PNPV coverage targets and objectives have been met, and iii. report on how the PNPV was transposed into regional immunization programs. Data are also available for the eight regions that piloted varicella immunization. RESULTS: The 2012-2014 PNPV first introduced a "lifecourse" approach to vaccination at the institutional level, and has been a milestone for prevention in the Italian health policy agenda. However, infant vaccine coverage rates have been decreasing over the last years, as has influenza immunization in the elderly. HPV vaccine coverage has been increasing for all birth cohorts, but is still far below the targets set in the Plan. Promising preliminary data show that pneumococcal and meningococcal C conjugate vaccines were well introduced in regional immunization schedules. CONCLUSION: The 2012-2014 PNPV objectives have only been partially met, due to several factors, in particular increase in vaccine hesitancy. Strengthened efforts are needed to promote immunization. The new National Immunization Prevention Plan should introduce new vaccines and extend immunization programs to other target populations on the basis of the most recent scientific evidence available. It is of crucial importance that interventions of proven efficacy be planned and implemented to contrast the growing phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy and ultimately increase immunization uptake.

Quality of life, vulnerability and resilience: a qualitative study of the tsunami impact on the affected population of Sri Lanka.

AIM: This qualitative study is aimed at analysing the impact of the 2004 tsunami on the Quality of Life of the Sri Lankan population. It focused on the factors that have contributed to an increase in the people's susceptibility to the impact of hazards - their vulnerability - as well as of the natural ability to cope of the populations affected - their resilience. METHODOLOGY: The study is based on the conduction of 10 Focus Group discussions and 18 In-depth Interviews, then analysed through a qualitative analysis software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The analysis shows that each factor involved in the interplay among the different processes that produced the changes in the affected people's quality of life is at the same time a damaged asset, a vulnerability factor and a resource to draw upon for coping. The complexity of this situation opens further speculation as to how disasters and relief interventions influence relationships and dynamics in society. This should thus be further investigated, together with the effects of individual and group trauma on society.