Transition from paediatric to adult health services in Scotland for young people with cerebral palsy.

Transition from paediatric to adult health-care services has been characterized as being poorly planned and coordinated, resulting in a reduction in services and may be distressing for families. This study aimed to establish what provisions are currently available in Scotland for transition of young people with cerebral palsy and what some clinicians believe future provisions should involve. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 community paediatricians (or equivalents in health boards without community paediatricians) from 12 different Scottish health boards. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically using framework analysis. Both current transition provision and the areas that the clinicians felt needed improvement varied greatly between health boards. Key areas in need of improvement were coordination and communication within health services and also between health services and educational, social services and adult health services to which young people were transitioning. Transition remains problematic and variable. For transition to be improved, further research is needed to explore the effect this variation is having on young people and their families.

Human Rabies in the WHO Southeast Asia Region: Forward Steps for Elimination.

There are eleven Member States in the WHO southeast Asia region (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste) of which eight are endemic for rabies. More than 1.4 billion people in the Region are at risk of rabies infection, and approximately 45% of worldwide rabies deaths occur in Asia. Dog bites account for 96% of human rabies cases. Progress in preventing human rabies through control of the disease in dogs has been slow due to various factors. Innovative control tools and techniques have been developed and standardized in recent years. The introduction of cost-effective intradermal rabies vaccination regimens in Asian countries has increased the availability and affordability of postexposure prophylaxis. Elimination of rabies is not possible without regional and intersectoral cooperation. Considering the importance of consolidating achievements in rabies control in Member countries, the WHO Regional Office for southeast Asia has developed a regional strategy for elimination of human rabies transmitted by dogs in the Region. They have committed to provide technical leadership, to advocate national health authorities to develop major stakeholder consensus for a comprehensive rabies elimination programme, and to implement national strategies for elimination of human rabies.