the aid library

HEARTS. Technical package for cardiovascular disease management in primary health care.

World Health Organization WHO (2016) C_WHO

The HEARTS technical package provides a strategic approach to improving cardiovascular health in countries. It comprises six modules and an implementation guide. This package supports Ministries of ... more

Integrating health in urban and territorial planning: a sourcebook

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

This sourcebook aims to detail why health needs to be part of urban and territorial planning and how to make this happen. It brings together two vital elements we need to build habitable cities on a habitable planet: 1) Processes to ... more

Guide Material for Medical Store Management Training
recommended

Community Development Medicinal Unit (2012) C_WHO

Drugs and medical supplies are dispensed at the cutting edge level of the interface between the public health system and the people. Availability or lack of it brings either credit or discredit to the public ... more

GLI Guide to TB Specimen Referral Systems and Integrated Networks

Global Laboratory Initiative (GLI), Stop TB Partnership (2018) C1

This guide includes information relevant for tuberculosis (TB) program and laboratory managers, as well as Ministry of Health officials across disease programs interested in establishing integrated ... more

Operationalizing management of sick young infants with possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI) when referral is not feasible in the context of existing maternal, newborn, and child health programm
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2015) C_WHO

It provides guidance on care for use in resource-limited settings or in settings where families with sick young infants do not accept or cannot access referral care, but can be managed in outpatient settings by an appropriately trained health ... more

3MDG Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Indicator Guidelines [2nd ed.]

Three Millennium Development Goal Fund (3MDG) (2016) C1

Version 2, January 2016
The primary purpose of this document is to provide 3MDG stakeholders with some essential information on the MNCH core-indicators for 3MDG, which were derived from the 3MDG Logical Framework, Data Dictionary for Health S ... (2014 June, DoPH, MoH), A Guide for Monitoring and Evaluating Child Health Programmes (MEASURE Evaluation, September 2005) and Monitoring Emergency Obstetric Care (WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA/AMDD). Partners are strongly encouraged to integrate the MNCH indicators into their ongoing monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities.
These indicators are designed to help Partners assess the current state of their activities, their progress towards achieving their targets, and contribution towards the national response. This guideline is designed to improve the quality and consistency of data collected at the township level, which will enhance the accuracy of conclusions drawn when the data are aggregated. more

Motivation and retention of primary healthcare workers in rural health facilities: An exploratory qualitative study of Chipata and Chadiza Districts, Zambia.

Manda, K.; Silumbwe, A.; Kombe, M.M. et al. ResearchSquare (2022) CC

While motivational factors vary, opportunities for career advancement, stimulating and challenging tasks, opportunities for promotion, and co-worker recognition are core factors that can engender retention of rural ... more

The Barefoot Guide 5: Mission Inclusion - Stories and practices of building a world where all belong

The Barefoot Guide Connection (2017) C1

From 2011 until 2016, a multi-actor programme was run in five countries to improve the life chances and living conditions of people experiencing exclusion and marginalisation of various kinds. This programme worked with local leaders, organisations and movements as well as various institutions and a ... more

Where there is no psychiatrist : a mental health care manual

Patel, Vikram Royal College of Psychiatrists (2003) C2

This book is a practical manual of mental health care for community health workers, primary care nurses, social workers and primary care doctors, particularly in developing countries.Helpful feature ... more

WHO Guideline on self-care interventions for health and well-being

World Health Organization WHO (2021) C_WHO

Self-care interventions are among the most promising and exciting new approaches to improve health and well-being, both from a health systems perspective and for people who use these interventions. ... more

Stronger collaboration, better health: global action plan for healthy lives and well-being for all
recommended

World Health Organization WHO; The Global Fund; UNAIDS, et al. (2019) C_WHO

The overall objective of the Global Action Plan is to enhance collaboration among 12 global organizations engaged in health, development and humanitarian responses to accelerate country progress on the hea ... more

Management of a cholera epidemic - Practical guide for doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, medical auxiliaries, water and sanitation specialists and logisticians
recommended

Médecins Sans Frontières MFS (2023) CC

The document is a comprehensive practical guide for managing cholera epidemics. It includes detailed instructions on outbreak investigation, control measures, case management, and the organization of treatment facilities. It emphasizes strategies su ... more

Guidelines for the prevention, surveillance and management of COVID-19 infection among health care workers in Zimbabwe

World Health Organization WHO, Regional Office of Africa (2022) C_WHO

The Guidelines for the Prevention, Surveillance and Management of COVID-19 Infection amongst Health Care Workers (HCW) in Zimbabwe were developed to prevent, detect and manage HCW COVID-19 infection, an emerging pandemic affecting the whole world. T ... more

Training Videos on Child Mental Health

Federal Ministry of Health of Ethiopia OpenLearn Create (2013) CC

A set of 5 training videos on child mental health created by the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health. The research team produced five short training videos, modelling an HEW interviewing mothers o ... more

Story of change in four countries Building capacity for integrating mental health care within health services across humanitarian settings

World Health Organization WHO; mGAP (2021) C_WHO

The world is facing an unprecedented range of emergencies. In reaction to these complex adversities, many people experience considerable distress and impairment, and a minority may even go on to develop mental health conditions. Meanwhile, those wit ... more

Community health workers to improve uptake of maternal healthcare services: A clusterrandomized pragmatic trial in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Geldsetzer, P.; Mboggo, E.; Larson, E.; et al. (2019) CC2

PLoS Med 16(3): e1002768. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002768 Home delivery and late and infrequent attendance at antenatal care (ANC) are responsible for substantial avoidable maternal and pediatric morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. This cluster-randomized trial aimed to de ... more

Africa’s Health Financing in a New Era

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) (2025) CC

Africa’s health sector is facing an unprecedented financing crisis, driven by a sharp decline of 70% in Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 2021 to 2025 and deep-rooted structural vulnerabilities. This collapse is placing immense pressure o ... n Africa’s already fragile health systems as ODA is seen as the backbone of critical health programs: pandemic preparedness, maternal and child health services, disease control programs are all at risk, threatening Sustainable Development Goal 3 and Universal Health Coverage. Compounding this is Africa’s spiraling debt, with countries expected to service USD 81 billion by 2025—surpassing anticipated external financing inflows—further eroding fiscal space for health investments. Level of domestic resources is low. TThe Abuja Declaration of 2001, a pivotal commitment made by African Union (AU) member states, aimed to reverse this trend by pledging to allocate at least 15% of national budgets to the health sector. However, more than two decades later, only three countries—Rwanda, Botswana, and Cabo Verde—have consistently met or exceeded this target (WHO, 2023). In contrast, over 30 AU member states remain well below the 10% benchmark, with some allocating as little as 5–7% of their national budgets to health. In addition, only 16 (29%) of African countries currently have updated versions of National Health Development Plan (NHDP) supported by a National Health Financing Plan (NHFP). These two documents play a critical role in driving internal resource mobilisation. At the same time, public health emergencies are surging, rising 41%—from 152 in 2022 to 213 in 2024—exposing severe under-resourcing of health infrastructure and workforce. Recurring outbreaks (Mpox, Ebola, cholera, measles, Marburg…) alongside effects of climate change and humanitarian crises in Eastern DRC, the Sahel, and Sudan, are overwhelming systems stretched by chronic underfunding. The situation is worsened by Africa’s heavy dependency with over 90% of vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics being externally sourced—leaving countries vulnerable to global supply chain shocks. Health worker shortages persist, with only 2.3 professionals per 1,000 people (below the WHO’s recommended 4.45), and fewer than 30% of systems are digitized, undermining disease surveillance and early warning. Without decisive action, Africa CDC projects the continent could reverse two decades of health progress, face 2 to 4 million additional preventable deaths annually, and a heightened risk of a pandemic emerging from within. Furthermore, 39 million more Africans could be pushed into poverty by 2030 due to intertwined health and economic shocks. This is not just a sectoral crisis—it is an existential threat to Africa’s political, social, and economic resilience, and global stability. In response, African leaders, under Africa CDC’s stewardship, are advancing a comprehensive three-pillar strategy centered on domestic resource mobilization, innovative financing, and blended finance. more

Framework and toolkit for infection prevention and control in outbreak preparedness, readiness and response at the health care facility level

World Health Organization WHO (2022) C_WHO

Infectious disease outbreaks and epidemics are increasing in frequency, scale and impact. Health care facilities can amplify the transmission of emerging infectious diseases or multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) within their settings and communiti ... more

Protocol for assessment of potential risk factors for 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection among health care workers in a health care setting
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2020) C_WHO

This is a case-ascertained prospective investigation of all identified health care contacts working in a health care facility in which a laboratory confirmed 2019-nCoV infected patient (see 2.2 Stud ... more