Suchergebnisse

THE HUNGRY COWBOY: SERVICE AND COMMUNITY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT, KARLA A. ERICKSON (2009) Mississippi: Mississippi University Press, 192 pp., ISBN 978-1-60473-206-1, h/bk, $50.00
MOVING PICTURES/STOPPING PLACES: HOTELS AND MOTELS ON FILM, DAVID B. CLARKE, VALERIE CRAWFORD
PFANNHAUSER AND MARCUS A. DOEL (EDS) (2009) Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, vi+394 pp., ISBN 0-7391-2855-8/978-0-7391-2855-8, cloth, £51.95
THINKING THROUGH TOURISM (ASA MONOGRAPH 46), JULIE SCOTT AND TOM SELWYN (EDS) (2010) Oxford and New York: Berg, 288 pp., ISBN 978-1-84788-531-9,
h/bk, £55.00

Newborn Vaccination is identified as a critical parameter for evaluating the overall performance of immunization programs with guidelines clearly advocating for administration of BCG, OPV zero dose and Hepatitis B birth dose to newborns. However in spite of sustained improvement in full immunization coverage in India, coverage of newborn vaccines has remained traditionally low. The USAID supported Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP), operational in India from 2009 – 2014 provided technical support to the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) at the National level and in the states of Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. During the project period, MCHIP undertook an assessment in 46 selected health facilities across 5 districts of the two states to study the implementation of the newborn vaccination program. Key findings from the assessment included a lack of knowledge among staff about the benefits of newborn vaccination, absence of written guidelines, unavailability of one vaccine compromising the administration of the remaining two and poor documentation practices. Following the assessment technical support was provided to strengthen implementation at these selected facilities which included providing on-the-job orientations to staff members posted in delivery rooms, establishing a sound supply chain mechanism to ensure round the clock availability of vaccines in labour rooms, strengthening documentation by incorporating separate columns in the delivery registers for recording vaccine administration and improved Supportive Supervision mechanisms. The intervention produced favorable results with a progressive increase in coverage of not only BCG and OPV zero dose but also Hepatitis B birth dose which was introduced in the UIP during the course of the intervention. Overall this intervention, which focused on operationalizing an already existing strategy, clearly indicated that the practice of vaccinating newborns delivered at health facilities is easily implementable and replicable, and that its ...

AbstractThis paper aims to provide an outline of the dynamic landscape of cryptocurrencies and central bank digital currencies (CBDC) so as to comment about the role and prospect of both in the future. We highlight the main drivers of the ongoing digital currency wave from a socio‐economic as well as historical perspective. From an investment standpoint, we evaluate the merits of placing a cryptocurrency within a diversified portfolio and analyse other factors to be taken into account when it comes to asset allocation considerations. We also explore environmental, social, and governance (ESG) implications of the introduction of such digital currencies. Finally, we comment on the current status of national CBDC projects and what it would mean for the digital currency universe when the official CBDC roll‐outs begin in a few years.

BACKGROUND: Medical equipment plays a crucial role in the provision of quality healthcare services, despite this more than 50% of equipment in developing countries are non-functioning due to a lack of appropriate human resources to maintain. To address this problem some government hospitals of Nepal have deployed a mid-level technical cadre called 'Biomedical Equipment Technician' (BMET). This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of deploying a BMET on the functionality of medical equipment in government hospitals of rural Nepal. METHODS: We used a mixed-methods approach with a comparative research design. A comprehensive range of 2189 pieces of medical equipment at 22 hospitals with and without BMET were observed to assess their functional status. Medical equipment were stratified into 6 categories based on department and T tests were conducted. We collected qualitative data from 9 BMETs, 22 medical superintendents, and 22 health staff using semi-structured interviews and focus-group discussions. Thematic content analysis was conducted to explore how the BMET's work was perceived. FINDINGS: The quantity of non-functional devices in hospitals without BMETs was double that of hospitals with BMETs (14% and 7% respectively, p < 0.005). Results were similar across all departments including General (16% versus 3%, p = 0.056), Lab (15% versus 7%, p < 0.005) and Operation Theater (14% versus 5%, p < 0.005). Hospitals with BMETs had fewer overall non-functional devices requiring simple or advanced repair compared to hospitals without BMETs [3% versus 7% (p < 0.005) simple; 4% versus 6% (p < 0.005) advanced]. In our qualitative analysis, we found that BMETs were highly appreciated by hospital staff. Hospital workers perceived that having a BMET on staff, rather than twice-yearly visits from central-level maintenance technicians, is an effective way to keep medical equipment functional. However, without a favorable working environment, the BMET alone cannot perform optimally. CONCLUSIONS: Having a BMET ...