This month (May 2018), the Institute of Development Studies, in collaboration with Future Health Systems, the Impact Initiative, the Open Society Foundations, and Unequal Voices, publishes a new edition of the IDS Bulletin focusing on ‘Accountability for Health Equity’, which places relationships of power at the centre of our understanding of how health systems function – or don’t – for all levels of society. The issue includes draws on research enabled by the ESRC-DFID strategic partnership.

With a new President and the promise of a new era in South African democracy, there may be an opportunity to rebuild trust, accountability and capacity across the country. A new ESRC/DfID-funded study on ‘Accountability, trust and capacity to improve learning outcomes’ led by researchers at University College London aims to do just that.

According to the latest World Malaria Report, recent progress against malaria stalled between 2015 and 2016, while aid from the international community is on the decline. In such an environment, it is critical to ensure that precious resources – particularly antimalarial medications – are appropriately targeted to the patients who truly need them. In recognition of World Malaria Day, we would therefore like to call attention to the problem of overtreatment – the use of antimalarials by malaria negative patients.

Catherine Dolan, Julie Hennegan and Gabby Edlin discuss the challenges faced by women and girls without access to sanitary products, or a safe place to use them. Published on Project Syndicate on 17 April 2018.