In addition to being a good tracing system, mobile technology can also strengthen the referral systems between the different health facilities and facilitate the exchange of information, to ensure a continuum of care [ 55].
This learning Symposium will have as an overarching aim the strengthening of national communication capacity to ensure a continuum from outbreak communication to behaviour change communication, while maintaining a government's capacity to respond in a timely and constructive manner to the information needs of the public and of the media.
While this response may seem simple, the technical capacity along with the human and financial resources required to ensure a continuum of quality and sustained PMTCT services is beyond what the health care systems of most countries in the region can currently afford.
On co-ordination, the framework proposed development of: "Mechanisms to involve all private health providers to ensure a continuum of care among all citizens, regardless of their economic status" and, strengthening of "co-ordination and collaboration with civil society organisations, particularly CBOs and NGOs, in community health development" [ 31 ].
Another example of this approach is the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, where patients and their families are first introduced to the transition program at a newborn's initial visit or on transfer from another clinic to ensure a continuum of care [ 67].
Furthermore, our results highlight that these laboratories manage to ensure POC continuums by using older methods than rapid tests and ensuring coordination with the treating provider.
In all settings, the TATs of all tests are potentially compromised because the onus is on patients to ensure POC continuums: patients often have to travel to peripheral laboratories (or a different facility in the same setting) to give samples and bring results back to doctors.
For those patients without present or imminent symptoms and limited risk for rapid deterioration, the aim is prevention of tumor progression with symptom disappearance and prolongation of life with minimal treatment, thus ensuring continuum care.
Here providers find alternative measures to ensure the POC continuum.
'The Guna model' The District Health Society and UNICEF conceptualized what came to be known as the 'Guna model' to ensure a quality continuum of care.
