Background: To investigate the socio-economic and demographic determinants of tobacco use in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

This paper presents an initiative to revive the previous Somali–Swedish Research Cooperation, which started in 1981 and was cut short by the civil war in Somalia. A programme focusing on research capacity building in the health sector is currently underway through the work of an alliance of three partner groups: six new Somali universities, five Swedish universities, and Somali diaspora professionals. Somali ownership is key to the sustainability of the programme, as is close collaboration with Somali health ministries. The programme aims to develop a model for working collaboratively across regions and cultural barriers within fragile states, with the goal of creating hope and energy. It is based on the conviction that health research has a key role in rebuilding national health services and trusted institutions.

Healing the health system after civil unrest

No abstract

This paper reviews the overarching strategies, implementation rigour, achievements, strengths and weaknesses, and challenges and opportunities faced by Pakistan’s National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTP) during the period 2011-2020. NTP’s annual reports, Global Tuberculosis (TB) Report (2019 & 2020), peer-reviewed journal articles, NTP and NSP plans, along with voluminous programmatic data reviewed. Pakistan’s national and provincial tuberculosis control program has treated around four million people and gained more than 90% treatment success. Iterative planning, partnership with the private sector, strategic advocacy, communication, social mobilization, operational research, and increasing domestic funding are essential to improving case notification and treatment success. Lack of adequate political commitment, over-and under-reporting, lack of a systematic mechanism for sputum transport, and inefficient coverage from the private sector are the main areas for improvement. Local and national strategic planning in funding, program development, and implementation is imperative from a multisectoral perspective for ending TB. Ensuring universal health coverage, treating drug-resistant cases, maintaining and strengthening the national health information system, and upgrading the vital registration system is the cornerstone for ending TB.