Resources

Universal health coverage (UHC) is a critical global health goal, aimed at ensuring that all individuals and communities have access to essential health services without experiencing the financial hardship.The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the significance of robust health care systems and the need for UHC. Serving as a catalyst for transformative change by urging nations to prioritize health as a fundamental human right, the pandemic has highlighted the necessity for solidarity in addressing health challenges, and emphasized the value of preparedness, resilience, and inclusivity in health systems. The lessons learned from the pandemic inspire us toward a renewed commitment to building resilient, equitable, and accessible health care systems for the well-being of all.Led by Population Services International, and with support from UNITAID, PATH India implemented the STAR Africa, Asia, Americas COVID-19 Preparedness (3ACP) project, examining various aspects of COVID-19 diagnostics. This multi-country project involved a consortium of partners across several nations. The project yielded valuable insights into the feasibility and effectiveness of antigen-detection rapid diagnostic tests and self-testing in different settings.Additionally, it generated knowledge on procurement and supply chain practices for COVID-19 diagnostic products. The documentation of treatment guidelines and protocols also offered insights into best practices and challenges, highlighting the implementation and utilization of AI tools for screening and diagnosis. Evidence generated from this project has the potential to contribute significantly to national guidelines and pandemic preparedness efforts.PATH has developed and disseminated high-quality, reliable, and ready-reference knowledge products, such as guidance documents on patient support groups, technical briefs, COVID-19 clinical management protocols, and more.

Simple technologies like pulse oximeters offer a lifeline to those who urgently need oxygen to breathe. Yet, these devices are often not available in low-resource settings, suited for children who need them most, or perform accurately on darker skin tones. Growing evidence suggests that pulse oximeters can overestimate oxygen saturation in the blood of patients with darker skin pigmentation—leading to delayed or inadequate medical treatment, often with tragic consequences.PATH, through its Tools for Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (TIMCI) initiative and with support from Unitaid, has partnered with the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Open Oximetry Project to improve access to appropriate and accurate pulse oximeters for every patient, regardless of skin tone.

PATH has played a major role in discussions around the proposed Kenya Drugs Authority Bill, which had been under development and stakeholder engagement for approximately seven years.The Kenya Drugs Authority Bill was initiated by the Ministry of Health, with support from parliamentary champions in the National Assembly, and recommendations from partners in the health research and development ecosystem, including PATH.

This concept note outlines the evolution and current status of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) laboratories in India, initially established for COVID–19 diagnosis. With a decreased demand for COVID–19 testing, the focus has shifted to leveraging this infrastructure for broader disease surveillance.PATH is emphasizing The One Health approach, and promoting integrated diagnostics for human, animal, and environmental health. We're also supporting the expansion of laboratory capabilities to enhance public health resilience through technical assistance, and molecular epidemiology data generation.

New vaccines given in pregnancy are licensed or in development that could not only reduce infant illness and death from high-risk diseases (e.g., respiratory syncytial virus and Group B Streptococcus), but also pave the way for maternal immunization as a broader, more integrated platform for new vaccines to come. Getting there, however, will require coordination across immunization and antenatal care programs in new ways. As such, a better understanding of maternal immunization systems readiness, implementation feasibility, and intervention acceptability across these programs is needed, particularly in low- and middle-income economic settings where diseases often hit the hardest.This fact sheet describes a research project that PATH is conducting in Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia to help fill these information gaps. The research is designed to generate country-specific data on decision-making drivers, feasibility, and health system/service requirements for delivering maternal vaccines routinely, efficiently, and equitably. Participants include national, sub-national, and community stakeholders across the health care hierarchy in each country. Results will be useful for informing the evidence base for new maternal vaccine delivery in Africa and beyond.