Cooperation, Integration, and Long-term Commitment: What Solomon Islanders and Development Workers Say About Health Sector Aid

Martiniuk, Alexandra; Millar, Heather; Malefoasi, George; Vergeer, Petra; Garland, Trevor; Knight, SL

doi:10.1177/1010539508322251

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Located in the south Pacific about 1,800 kilometres north-east of Australia, the Solomon Islands has a population of 515,870 [5], spread over 9 provinces and 350 populated islands [6,7]. The Solomon Islands is a "least developed country" (LDC) [8], defined by low income, human resource weakness and economic vulnerability, and is ranked 123 of 169 countries on the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Human Development Index [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical care resources in the Solomon Islands: a cross-sectional survey

Westcott

Martiniuk

Fowler

et al. 2012

BMC Int Health Hum Rights

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BackgroundThere are minimal data available on critical care case-mix, care processes and outcomes in lower and middle income countries (LMICs). The objectives of this paper were to gather data in the Solomon Islands in order to gain a better understanding of common presentations of critical illness, available hospital resources, and what resources would be helpful in improving the care of these patients in the future.MethodsThis study used a mixed methods approach, including a cross sectional survey of respondents' opinions regarding critical care needs, ethnographic information and qualitative data.ResultsThe four most common conditions leading to critical illness in the Solomon Islands are malaria, diseases of the respiratory system including pneumonia and influenza, diabetes mellitus and tuberculosis. Complications of surgery and trauma less frequently result in critical illness. Respondents emphasised the need for basic critical care resources in LMICs, including equipment such as oximeters and oxygen concentrators; greater access to medications and blood products; laboratory services; staff education; and the need for at least one national critical care facility.ConclusionsA large degree of critical illness in LMICs is likely due to inadequate resources for primary prevention and healthcare; however, for patients who fall through the net of prevention, there may be simple therapies and context-appropriate resources to mitigate the high burden of morbidity and mortality. Emphasis should be on the development and acquisition of simple and inexpensive tools rather than complicated equipment, to prevent critical care from unduly diverting resources away from other important parts of the health system.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical care resources in the Solomon Islands: a cross-sectional survey

Westcott

Martiniuk

Fowler

et al. 2012

BMC Int Health Hum Rights

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“…Short‐term projects may have negative consequences if they are not coordinated with local health care and lack adequate follow‐up . Poorly planned aid projects may increase dependence on foreign aid, compete with local resources, decrease local investment in health care, and undermine confidence in local providers . Dickson and Dickson reported that local providers who cannot compete with Western volunteers may become so dissatisfied that they choose to emigrate, further harming the developing country…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Effective models for short‐term humanitarian health work include principles that have much in common with general volunteer program guidelines . The Health Volunteers Overseas model contains elements in common with the volunteer management cycle and additional elements specific to humanitarian health work in developing countries .…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lessons Learned Preparing Volunteer Midwives for Service in Haiti: After the Earthquake

Floyd¹

2013

J Midwife Womens Health

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“…The country's health system is heavily donor-reliant. Recent health system initiatives include a sector-wide approach to health, which emphasises a Ministry of Health-mandated strengthening of health sector management and greater co-ordination of health services with the national health plan [10-12]. However, the health system has to date failed to meet many identified health targets [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

"We can move forward": challenging historical inequity in public health research in Solomon Islands

Redman-MacLaren

MacLaren

Asugeni³

et al. 2010

International Journal for Equity in Health

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BackgroundIn resource-poor countries, such as Solomon Islands, the research agenda on health is often dominated by researchers from resource-rich countries. New strategies are needed to empower local researchers to set directions for health research. This paper presents a process which seeks to enable a local and potentially more equitable research agenda at a remote hospital in Solomon Islands.MethodsIn preparation for a health research capacity-building workshop at Atoifi Adventist Hospital, Malaita, Solomon Islands, a computer-based search was conducted of Solomon Islands public health literature. Using a levels-of-agreement approach publications were categorised as: a) original research, b) reviews, c) program descriptions and d) commentaries or discussion. Original research publications were further sub-categorised as: i) measurement, ii) descriptive research and iii) intervention studies. Results were reviewed with Solomon Islander health professionals in a focus group discussion during the health research workshop. Focus group participants were invited to discuss reactions to literature search results and how results might assist current or future local researchers to identify gaps in the published research literature and possible research opportunities at the hospital and surrounding communities. Focus group data were analysed using a grounded theory approach.ResultsOf the 218 publications meeting inclusion criteria, 144 (66%) were categorised as 'original research', 42 (19%) as 'commentaries/discussion', 28 (13%) as 'descriptions of programs' and 4 (2%) as 'reviews'. Agreement between three authors' (MRM, DM, AC) independent categorisation was 'excellent' (0.8 <κ). The 144 'original research' publications included 115 (80%) 'descriptive studies' (κ = 0.82); 19 (13%) 'intervention studies' (κ = 0.77); and 10 (7%) 'measurement studies'(κ = 0.80). Key themes identified in the focus group discussion challenged historical inequities evident from the literature review. These included: i) who has done/is doing research in Solomon Islands (largely non-Solomon Islanders); ii) when the research was done (research needs to keep up to date); iii) amount of published research (there should be more); iv) types of research (lack of intervention and operational research); v) value of published research (important); vi) gaps in published literature (need more research about nursing); vii) opportunities for research action (start small); viii) support required to undertake research at the hospital and in surrounding communities (mentoring and partnering with experienced researchers).ConclusionsA search and collaborative review of public health literature for Solomon Islands at a health research capacity building workshop has uncovered and challenged historical inequity in the conduct and access to public health research. Emerging Solomon Islander researchers at a remote hospital are now working to set priorities and strengthen local research efforts. These efforts have highlighted the importance of collaboration and mento...

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Cooperation, Integration, and Long-term Commitment: What Solomon Islanders and Development Workers Say About Health Sector Aid

Abstract: Themes and quotations arising from the analyses may assist in understanding theoretical frameworks for coordination, particularly in postconflict states. Future needs regarding mechanisms of collaboration in the Solomons are also discussed.

Cited by 7 publications

References 13 publications

Critical care resources in the Solomon Islands: a cross-sectional survey

Critical care resources in the Solomon Islands: a cross-sectional survey

Lessons Learned Preparing Volunteer Midwives for Service in Haiti: After the Earthquake

"We can move forward": challenging historical inequity in public health research in Solomon Islands

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