Background: Shortage of health workers in developing countries including Tanzania is a major obstacle to the scale-up of HIV/AIDS care, and implementation of health interventions toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This situation has necessitated informal task shifting practices that might compromise the quality of health care services. In this paper, we report Health Workers (HWs)’perceived effects of task shifting on HIV/AIDS and Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) service delivery in Tanzania.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in nine randomly selected districts identified in nine regions, Tanzania. Data were collected from HWs through interviews conducted using a structured questionnaire. This was achieved in 57 Health Facilities (HFs) including government (public) owned and faith-based ones. Data were double entered into computer using EpiData (3.1) before the analysis that was conducted with support of STATA (11) software.

Results: A total of 566 HWs participated in the study. Of these, 412 (72.8%) were females. Four hundred and forty-three (76.5%) workers reported to know others who were involved or had personal experiences in practicing duties that were beyond their official job descriptions and this is what was referred to as a kind of ‘Informal Task-shifting’. Most (n=439, 77.6%) of staff reported the latter task shifting practice to have had a positive effect on the health service delivery; ensuring continuity of health care service provision was reported by 292 (66.5%) of the respondents. Meanwhile, 281(49.6%) of the reporters claimed that informal task shifting practices had negative consequences. Of the most frequently mentioned to be negative effect was the provision of poor quality health care services to patients, as reported by 166 (n=281, 63.8%) of the workers.

Conclusion: Given the persistent HWs crisis situation in Tanzania, task-shifting was found to be highly welcome and valued among the HWs visited as it was seen as an alternative initiative for continuation of health service delivery at Health Facility levels. This informs the government of Tanzania to consider officially approving the initiative and continue monitoring its implementation in order to maintain the quality of health care services.

Mercury (Hg) is considered one of the most dangerous toxic metals to the environment and to human. High Hg level may induce different types of toxic effects on human health and the main target is the Central Nervous System (CNS). One of the main mechanisms involved in neurotoxicity caused by Hg is the oxidative stress and its effect on antioxidant systems. Currently it is known that deforestation is one of the main reasons for the high levels of Hg in the aquatic ecosystems in Amazon. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no recent investigations that evaluate the Hg exposure in a human population of the Low Amazon region. The present work aims to fill the gap of the lack of information related to how the urban and floodplain populations of Santarém city (Pará state, Brazilian Amazon) is affected by Hg exposure, also investigating the GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms for the population studied. Our results show that the individuals studied are environmentally exposed to Hg due to the fish intake. Additionally, the analysis of our data suggests that fish intake, age, and sex are more relevant for prediction of Hg level in blood than the polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes.

After being discovered on the borders of Mozambique and Tanzania in 1952, the Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV) is now classified as a category C priority pathogen, as it has spread to over 40 countries worldwide. As the virus circulates through either human or mosquito vectors, it is important to closely monitor its progression within vulnerable countries, as it mimics the tenacity of other dangerous diseases such as the Dengue virus and more recently the Zika virus that has caused an outbreak in Brazil and has spread to other Latin American regions. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the Chikungunya viral infection by relating the history with the spread of the disease as well as its impact on global populations. Understanding the transmission of the virus, as well as its current spread (in relation to Central / East Africa), will enable conclusions to be made about which treatment and prevention methods should be implemented in order to target those specific demographics. The demographics that were found to have the highest prevalence of Chikungunya include Southeast Asia and Central Africa. Since this virus has the ability for global spread, containing it and preventing further spread, requires preventative measures that must be undertaken globally.

Until recently, biologists thought evolution was too slow a process to be observed in a human lifetime. Today, from studies of the adaptation of mammals and birds to an urban environment, we are learning that spectacular transformations of species may be fast and that non genetic factors have been previously underestimated.

Background: To identify effective methods of developing and delivering consumer health education materials related to reproductive health and the environment.

Methods: One focus group (n=58). Inclusion criteria were self-selected attendees from the 2014 Reproductive Health and the Environment conference held in Los Angeles. The focus group was divided into eight groups with seven to ten participants. A table facilitator and note taker were assigned to each group. The same four reproductive health and the environment consumer education publications were reviewed by each group and were selected because of their widespread availability and/or were developed by noted health professionals. The identical questions were posed to the participants by the table facilitator and related to the readability level, format, target audience, and content.

Results and discussion: The reoccurring themes identified in the publications were focused on readability levels being too high for a low literacy population, and content too complex and presented in hard to follow formats. Additionally, the fear levels were considered at a level that could immobilize action instead of motivating change. The font styles and sizes, along with a cluttered design, were other variables that limited the impact of some of the publications reviewed. A wallet card format was the recommendation for a future publication. Surveys with drafts of the wallet card were distributed to 20 women in the target audience soliciting their responses to the information and format.

Conclusion: A community participatory process for developing the wallet card and translating it into Spanish translation was essential for individuals and communities to take action in reducing exposure. Affordable and easy to adopt recommendations for actions are essential when targeting low income women.