A healthcare worker manual. 2nd edition
The development of this National Manual for the Management of HIV-related Opportunistic Infections and Conditions for use by health care workers at the frontline of our fight against HIV/AIDS is intended to improve their understanding of the causes, preventio...n and appropriate management of opportunistic infections and conditions in adults and adolescents (OIs in children is covered effectively in the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses – IMCI – materials). It is also intended to be a practical guide at the clinic level, so as to improve quality of life, treatment outcomes and survival of PLHA. Crucially, this manual uses a “symptom-based” approach to support health care workers at the most basic primary level to be able to effectively initiate the care of PLHA with OIs and refer patients as appropriate (effective triage of patients at the primary care level). The result of this will be to move the management of OIs closer to the patient while ensuring that referral links with higher-level facilities and care is cultivated.
more
It highlights the numerous challenges to quality service provision, along with the organisation’s response to mental health needs, and recommendations for international and regional decision-makers including:
- Advocating and working towards mental health policies that support adequate funding f...or mental health care and government suppor
- Legislation to protect the rights of people with mental disorders and vulnerable communities
- Advocating for multi-year funding to support the sustainability of MHPSS programs
- Creating capacity building opportunities consistent with the IASC guidelines and supported with continuous supervision
more
Lancet Glob Health 2019 Published Online January 24, 2019 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30479-0
The health-care system collapse underway in Venezuela is a cause of utmost concern for its people and, increasingly, for the wider region. Declines in provision of basic services, such as ...childhood immunisation, malaria control, water, sanitation, and nutritional support, have led to increasing morbidity and mortality rates from an array of preventable diseases, including malaria, measles, and diphtheria. Secondary and tertiary care have also been greatly affected, due to declining investment, out-migration of providers, and spiralling hyperinflation that has driven the country and its people into poverty.1 As is so often, and so tragically, the case, the most affected populations have been the most vulnerable: infants and children, their mothers, the poor (now the great majority of the populations), and indigenous people
more
Climate change presents the single biggest threat to human development, and its widespread impacts disproportionately burden the poorest and most vulnerable households in fragile and rural developing contexts – particularly women and children.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate C...hange’s (IPCC) latest report, ‘between 2010 and 2020, droughts, floods and storms killed 15 times as many people in highly vulnerable countries, particularly in Africa — which is responsible for less than 3 percent of global emissions – than in the wealthiest countries’.
Recognising environmental degradation and climate change are key accelerators of extreme child vulnerability, World Vision (WV) approved the Environmental Stewardship Management Policy (‘the Policy’) and Guidelines (‘the Guidelines’) in 2021.
To support the implementation of the Policy and Guidelines, WV has developed this Environmental Stewardship and Climate Action Handbook (‘the Handbook’) to help offices across the WV Partnership implement best practice environmental management strategies both in the field and in our operations and facilities.
Integrating environmental stewardship and climate action into all our work – whether that be in our Area Programmes, grant projects, responses to disasters or advocacy – is critical to achieving WV’s strategy.
As a Christian organisation we are compelled to follow the ways of Jesus Christ, calling us to care for the ‘least of these’ (Matthew 25:40) – the vulnerable children who are disproportionately impacted by climate change. Our response to the degradation of the environment is not motivated by political expediency or funding – but because we are called to steward God’s creation (Genesis 1:28).
more
Evidence-based guidelines are one of the most useful tools for improving public health and clinical practice. Their purpose is to formulate interventions based on strong evidence of efficacy, avoid unnecessary risks, use resources efficiently, reduce clinical variability and, in essence, improve hea...lth and ensure quality care, which is the purpose of health systems and services. These guidelines were developed following the GRADE methodology, with the support of a panel of clinical experts from different countries, all convened by the Pan American Health Organization. By responding to twelve key questions about the clinical diagnosis and treatment of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, evidence-based recommendations were formulated for pediatric, youth, adult, older adult, and pregnant patients who are exposed to these diseases or have a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of infection. The purpose of the guidelines is to prevent progression to severe forms of these diseases and the fatal events they may cause. The recommendations are intended for health professionals, including general, resident, and specialist physicians, nursing professionals, and medical and nursing students, who participate in caring for patients with suspected dengue, chikungunya, or Zika. They are also intended for health unit managers and the executive teams of national arboviral disease prevention and control programs, who are responsible for facilitating the process of implementing these guidelines.
more
Essential public health functions (EPHFs) have
been recognized as a core component of the
primary health care approach and are central to
an integrated, comprehensive, sustainable and
cost-effective approach to enhancing individual
and population health and reducing the burden of
disease, as a...rticulated in the Declaration of Astana
on Primary Health Care and in various World Health
Assembly and regional committee resolutions.
However, their application to meeting population
health needs has remained obscure. This document
presents a technical reference package to support
comprehensive operationalization of public health
using the EPHFs and describes a step-by-step
approach to their application, including a number of
case examples.
more
In response to the devastating earthquakes impacting Türkiye and the Syrian Arab Republic, the World Health Organization delivered 72 metric tons of trauma and emergency surgery supplies, including treatments, to both countries to support ongoing response efforts.
A first charter flight depar...ted to Türkiye on 9 February carrying 37 metric tons of life-saving supplies, and a second flight is scheduled to deliver 35 metric tons of supplies to the Syrian Arab Republic today.
In total, these life-saving supplies from both flights will be used to treat and care for 100 000 people as well as for 120 000 urgent surgical interventions in both countries.
more
nformation is scarce about the extent to which official development assistance (ODA) is spent on reproductive health to provide childbirth care; support family planning; address sexual health; and prevent, treat, and care for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. We analysed flows of ODA t...o reproductive health for 2009 and 2010, assessed their distribution by donor type and purpose, and investigated the extent to which disbursements respond to need. We aimed to provide global estimates of aid to reproductive health, to assess the allocation of resources across reproductive health activities, and to encourage donor accountability in targeting aid flows to those most in need.
more
This module takes you through the NICE coronavirus disease (COVID-19) rapid guideline: critical care in adults, providing resources to support their recommendations and patient scenarios to demonstrate key learning points.
Learning outcomes
After completing this module you should understand:
... Actions to take when admitting patients to hospital with possible coronavirus disease 2019
Which groups of patients to consider for admission to critical care
When to start, review, and stop critical care treatment
Key principles for clinical decision making around critical care treatment
Key aspects of service organisation which may help manage the critical care workload within your hospital, including provision of telephone advice, coordination of resources within and between hospitals, and the role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) services.
more
The document, "Sustainable Management of Radiotherapy Facilities and Equipment," by WHO and IAEA, provides guidelines for managing radiotherapy equipment and facilities to ensure effective and safe cancer treatment. It covers essential aspects like preventive and corrective maintenance, funding, inf...rastructure, and staffing requirements for sustainable operation. The document aims to support radiotherapy departments, especially in low-resource settings, by outlining strategies for equipment procurement, maintenance, and replacement, emphasizing safety, quality assurance, and optimal patient care.
more
The document "Pocketbook for Management of Diabetes in Childhood and Adolescence in Under-Resourced Countries" (2nd Edition) provides practical guidelines for managing diabetes in children and adolescents, particularly in resource-limited settings. It covers key topics like diagnosing and treating d...iabetes, managing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), insulin therapy, blood glucose monitoring, nutritional management, and dealing with complications. The pocketbook aims to support healthcare professionals in delivering effective diabetes care and improving outcomes for young patients in under-resourced areas.
more
One of the main aims of the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer and the CureAll Americas framework is to strengthen centers of excellence and promote the training of the health workforce, especially pediatric oncology nurses, specialized in nursing care for children and adolescents with cance...r and their families. These health personnel provide compassionate, non traumatic, complex, continuous, ethical, conscious patient- and family-centered care in order to meet the physical, emotional, psychosocial, and cultural needs of the people involved. This publication is aimed at health administration teams, hospital management teams, and professional pediatric oncology nursing groups. Its objective is to identify, systematize, and consolidate available evidence on the scope of pediatric oncology nursing practice in Latin America and the Caribbean based on core competencies, in order to incorporate them into clinical practice, teaching, and research. The preparation process included a systematic review aimed at finding the best evidence on this subject. Patient- and family centered care and the conceptual model of competencies for teenagers and young adults with cancer, developed by the Teenage Cancer Trust with the support of the Royal College of Nursing, were the theoretical foundations supporting the systematization of recommendations.
more
The third edition, released in 2018, has grown to include a total of 18 chapters, contributed by 20 experts and authors from many countries. The goal remains the same: to educate primary care providers on the best practices in TB diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. All articles are richly illustrate...d, and most include quizzes and CME questions for self learning. The 3rd edition includes new chapters on MDR-TB, adverse effects of TB drugs, adherence monitoring strategies, and nutritional support. There is also content on how to manage children with TB, care for patients co-infected with TB and HIV, how to read and interpret chest x-rays, and how to avoid common pitfalls in TB management.
To download book chapters or the whole book go to the website: http://www.letstalktb.org/download/
more
Background: Community Health Workers (CHWs) have a positive impact on the provision of community-based
primary health care through screening, treatment, referral, psychosocial support, and accompaniment. With a
broad scope of work, CHW programs must balance the breadth and depth of tasks to mainta...in CHW motivation for
high-quality care delivery. Few studies have described the CHW perspective on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to
enhance their programmatic activities.
Methods: We utilized an exploratory qualitative study design with CHWs employed in the household model in Neno
District, Malawi, to explore their perspectives on intrinsic and extrinsic motivators and dissatisfiers in their work. Data
was collected in 8 focus group discussions with 90 CHWs in October 2018 and March–April 2019 in seven purposively
selected catchment areas. All interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed using Dedoose.
Results: Themes of complex intrinsic and extrinsic factors were generated from the perspectives of the CHWs in
the focus group discussions. Study results indicate that enabling factors are primarily intrinsic factors such as positive
patient outcomes, community respect, and recognition by the formal health care system but can lead to the chal-
lenge of increased scope and workload. Extrinsic factors can provide challenges, including an increased scope and
workload from original expectations, lack of resources to utilize in their work, and rugged geography. However, a posi-
tive work environment through supportive relationships between CHWs and supervisors enables the CHWs.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated enabling factors and challenges for CHW performance from their perspec-
tive within the dual-factor theory. We can mitigate challenges through focused efforts to limit geographical distance,
manage workload, and strengthen CHW support to reinforce their recognition and trust. Such programmatic empha-
sis can focus on enhancing motivational factors found in this study to improve the CHWs’ experience in their role. The
engagement of CHWs, the communities, and the formal health care system is critical to improving the care provided
to the patients and communities, along with building supportive systems to recognize the work done by CHWs for
the primary health care systems.
more
The war in Gaza has resulted in many hundreds of spinal cord injuries (SCI), which will have a devastating impact on those injured and their families for the rest of their lives.
The optimal management of SCI requires effective pre-hospital care, early specialized imaging (using CT or MRI) and in... many cases early surgical interventions by a highly specialised neurosurgical team. Surgery requires many hours of use of a sterile operating room environment and supportive critical care capacity, as well as intensive post-operative care – none of which is currently possible due to the ongoing war, destruction, and disruption of health services in Gaza.
An alternative to surgery is conservative management – this requires intensive nursing care under full spinal precautions for many weeks in order to allow for bone and soft tissue healing and prevent further injury to the spinal cord. The patient is unable to move independently in bed during this period. Those caring for the patient need to be able to safely reposition them every 2 hours, and manage all their bowel and bladder care needs. The patient needs good nutrition and hydration at all times, as well as access to medication to support bowel care, manage pain (including neuropathic pain). A caregiver must remain with the patient to be trained to provide ongoing care and assist with daily care.
more
CFCA PRACTICE RESOURCE – JUNE 2016 ~ CHILD FAMILY COMMUNITY AUSTRALIA┃INFORMATION EXCHANGE ~ This practice paper provides an overview of what we know from research about cognitive development in children who have experienced trauma, and provides principles to support
effective practice respons...es to those children’s trauma.
more
WHO is launching a “Revised edition, 2021” for the Caring for women subjected to violence: A WHO training curriculum for health-care providers today. The revised edition includes 4 new modules three of which are for health managers to assess and strengthen health facility readiness and one modul...e, which is for managers and providers to support prevention of violence against women. The earlier content published in 2019 remains unchanged. The 2021 edition is aimed at creating an enabling health systems environment for health workers to provide quality care to women subjected to violence.
more
This handbook offers a simple framework of action for actors in local government, and in particular, health leaders such as Civil Surgeons (CSs) and Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers (UHFPQOs), to take ownership and leadership to combat COVID-19 at each district and upazila respectively, w...ith support and guidance from elected representatives and local administration, and through effective engagement of various segments of society including informal health care providers, religious leaders, journalists, police and law enforcement agencies, etc. The toolkit draws extensively from the experiences in Chapainawabganj, Savar and other areas and contains relevant best practises that have already proven effective in these places, which should be readily adaptable to various contexts.
It is important to note that while this framework has been developed in the context of COVID-19 and with related best practises, it is by no means limited to COVID-19 response. Indeed, the experience from Savar shows that the same approach has proven extremely effective in combating the dengue outbreak and the severe floods in 2020, and hence can be used to combat future public health emergencies in Bangladesh and other countries having similar contexts.
more
The mhGAP guideline supports countries to strengthen capacity to deal with the growing burden of mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) conditions and narrow the treatment gap. This new edition includes 30 updated and 18 new recommendations, alongside 90 pre-existing recommendations. This is t...he third iteration of the guideline and reflects 15 years of investment in the mhGAP programme. The revised recommendations ensure that mhGAP continues to offer high-quality, timely, transparent, and evidence-based guidance to support non-specialist health workers in low-income and middle-income countries in providing treatment and care to individuals with MNS conditions.
more
The coronavirus outbreak that began in 2019 (COVID-19) threatens to reverse years of hard-won gains in preventing and treating HIV. Fragile health systems are further stressed as health workers navigate an increased client load and demands at work while also being concerned for their own health and ...that of their families. Health facilities have been redesigned to care for patients with COVID-19, posing challenges to other services. Governments and civil society organizations have redirected scarce resources and shifted programming priorities to respond to the pandemic. Several countries have reported intermittent declines in HIV testing and diagnosis, antenatal care visits, collection of antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) by people living with HIV, and attendance at clinic appointments. Community-based education and support programmes have had to rapidly adapt to restrictions on movement and public gatherings. Children, adolescents, and women have experienced multiple deprivations due to the adverse impact of the pandemic.
more