Clinical trials of drug repositioning for COVID-19 treatment
The World Health Organization (WHO) was informed in December 2019 about a coronavirus pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei province (China). Subsequently, on March 12, 2020, 125,048 cases and 4,614 deaths were reported. Coronavirus is an enveloped RNA virus, from the genus Betacoronavirus, that is distributed in birds, humans, and other mammals.
The More Doctors Program and the health of indigenous peoples: the case of Alto Solimões, Amazonas, Brazil
Objective.
To describe the effects of the More Doctors Program (PMM) on the health of indigenous groups in the Alto Rio Solimões Special Indigenous Sanitary District in Brazil.
Methods.
The present descriptive study was based on individual interviews with health care professionals and users, direct field observation, and analysis of health records and secondary health care data.
Social and political crisis in Chile: the demand for universal access to health and universal health coverage
In Chile, economic development has not resolved deep inequalities. Today, attempts are being made to solve an intense political and social crisis sparked in October 2019 by a hike in public transport fares. A decade after initial implementation of the last health system reform, this continues to be a priority area of public concern––and part of what citizens are now demanding. This social movement is proposing new reforms that will require consensus in order to be viable from a technical and political standpoint. The necessary changes in the health field cannot be postponed.
Telehealth and hepatitis C treatment for indigenous communities in the United States
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To the editor: In the United States (US), an estimated 2.4 million persons have chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV).(1) The number of deaths from HCV-related mortality is greater than that of HIV and tuberculosis combined.(2) Treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), usually 1-3 pills a day for 8 or 12 weeks, can cure over 95% of patients.(3) Successful treatment of HCV has been shown to greatly reduce liver-related as well as all-cause mortality.(4) American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people have over twice the national rate of HCV-related mortality.(5) The largest h
Socioeconomic inequalities in access barriers to seeking health services in four Latin American countries
Objective.
To present summary measures of socioeconomic inequalities in access barriers to health services in Colombia, El Salvador, Paraguay, and Peru.
Lancet Commission on Hypertension Group position statement on the global improvement of accuracy standards for devices that measure blood pressure
The Lancet Commission on Hypertension identified that a key action to address the worldwide burden of high blood pressure (BP) was to improve the quality of BP measurements by using BP devices that have been validated for accuracy. Currently, there are over 3 000 commercially available BP devices, but many do not have published data on accuracy testing according to established scientific standards. This problem is enabled through weak or absent regulations that allow clearance of devices for commercial use without formal validation. In addition, new BP technologies have emerged (e.g.
Status of national policy on companion of choice at birth in Latin America and the Caribbean: Gaps and challenges
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a companion of choice during labor and birth, to improve maternal and perinatal outcomes and women’s satisfaction with health services.
More Doctors Program: context of implementation and effect on the provision of primary health care physicians in Brazil, 2008-2016
Objective.
To characterize the Brazilian municipalities in each More Doctors Program (MDP) priority profile and to assess the effect of the program on the emergency supply of primary care physicians in Brazil according to implementation context.
Method.
Temporal trend of leprosy among the elderly in Brazil, 2001 – 2018
Objective.
To describe the temporal trends of leprosy indicators among the elderly in Brazil in 2001 – 2018.
Methods.
This was an ecological time‑series study of new leprosy cases in the elderly reported to the Notifi‑ able Diseases Information System. Prais-Winsten generalized linear regression was used to estimate temporal variations.
