WHO’s mhGAP Intervention Guide 2.0 app, launched in October, is now available in both iOS and Android. The app provides non-specialized health-care providers with access to comprehensive information to help them diagnose and treat a range of mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) disorders i...ncluding depression, epilepsy and dementia from their tablets or mobile phones. Each module includes a description and guidance on assessment and management of priority MNS conditions. The tool can be downloaded free of charge. It is currently available in English. Other languages are expected to be available soon
Download the iOS Version under: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/mhgap-ig-2-0-app-e-mhgap/id1291414206?mt=8
The Android Version under: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.universaltools.mhgap
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“mhGAP Intervention Guide for mental, neurological and substance use disorders in non-specialized health settings” is a technical tool for implementation of the mhGAP Programme. The Intervention Guide has been developed through a systematic review of evidence, followed by an international consul...tative and participatory process. It provides the full range of recommendations to facilitate high quality care at first- and second-level facilities by the non-specialist health-care providers in resource-poor settings
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Community-based interventions are vital for facilitating poststroke recovery, increasing community participation, and raising awareness about stroke survivors. To optimize recovery and community reintegration, there is a need to understand research findings on community-based interventions that focu...s on stroke survivors and their caregivers. Although nurses and community health workers (CHWs) are commonly involved in community-based interventions, less is known about their roles relative to other poststroke rehabilitation professionals (physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists). Thus, the purpose of this review is to explore research focused on improving community-based stroke recovery for adult stroke survivors, caregivers, or both when delivered by nurses or CHWs.
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Saving Lives Through Safe Surgery (SaLTS)
Objective: To review the effectiveness of antibiotic stewardship interventions in hospitals in low- and middle-income countries.
The mhGAP Humanitarian Intervention Guide (mhGAP-HIG) Training of Health-Care Providers manual is designed to guide facilitators in training non-specialist health care providers to manage mental, neurological and substance use conditions in humanitarian emergency settings.
The manual covers sugge...sted training schedules, learning objectives, and tips for planning and facilitating the training. It also includes step-by-step training modules for different conditions covered in the mhGAP Humanitarian Intervention Guide (mhGAP-HIG).
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This guideline provides evidence-based recommendations on parenting interventions for parents and caregivers of children aged 0–17 years that are designed to reduce child maltreatment and harsh parenting, enhance the parent–child relationship, and prevent poor mental health among parents and emo...tional and behavioural problems among children.
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Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic disease caused by infection with a vector-borne protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania spp. The parasite is transmitted by the bite of an infected phlebotomine sand fly. Infection results in skin lesions which take a long time to heal and may leave per...manent, disfiguring scars (de Vries et al. 2015). CL is classified as a neglected tropical disease (NTD), and in common with several other NTDs, is associated with psychosocial effects including stigma, social exclusion, and declining mental health (Bailey et al. 2019; Bennis et al. 2018; Wenning et al. 2022). Emerging evidence suggests that people with CL are at a higher risk of experiencing anxiety, depression, decreased body satisfaction, loss of social status, and lower quality of life (Bennis et al. 2018; Yanik et al. 2004). The global mean age-standardised disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost by CL was 0.58 per 100,000 people (Karimkhani et al. 2016). Notably, this statistic only considers the physical effects of the lesions and does not account for the potentially considerable psychological and social effects of CL (Bailey et al. 2017; Bailey et al. 2019; Wenning et al. 2022).
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HIV, viral hepatitis and STI epidemics, particularly among people who inject drugs and other key populations, continue to be fuelled by laws and policies criminalizing sex work; drug use or possession; diverse forms of gender expression and sexuality; stigma and discrimination; gender discrimination...; violence; lack of community empowerment and other violations of human rights. These sociostructural factors limit access to health services, constrain how these services are
delivered and diminish their effectiveness.
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Self-care interventions are evidence-based, quality drugs, devices, diagnostics and/or digital products which can be provided fully or partially outside of formal health services and can be used with or without the direct supervision of health care personnel.
Where HPV tests are available as part o...f the national programme, HPV self-sampling offers an additional option to improve cervical cancer screening coverage.
Self-sampling can help reach a global target of 70% coverage of screening by 2030. Women may feel more comfortable taking their own samples, rather than going to see a health worker for cervical cancer screening.
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Adolescence, defined as the period between 10 and 19 years of age, is a developmental stage during which many psychosocial and mental health challenges emerge. There is a well-established link between mental health and HIV outcomes. Adolescents and young adults living with HIV typically have additio...nal mental health needs linked to their experiences of living with and managing a chronic illness, along with prevailing stigma and discrimination. Mental health promotion and prevention is thus a critical priority for this group.
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According to the latest available data, over half of the world’s population lack access to essential health services, and health worker shortages are estimated to reach 10 million by 2030. These contextual factors point to an urgent need to explore innovative strategies – that go beyond a conven...tional health-sector response – for reaching people with the health services they need.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has been present in Niger since 1960, and acts as the Government's principal advisor on public health and lead of the health cluster. WHO covers all eight regions of the country with 113 staff members in Niamey and in 7 sub-offices (Agadez, Diffa, Zinder, Maradi,... Tillabéri, Dosso, Tahoua).
To strengthen its cooperation with Niger, WHO has recently developed a new Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) for 2023-2027 period in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, Popula-tion and Social Affairs. The CPS is based on the WHO's 13th General Programme of Work (GPA) 2019-2025 and national priorities. It enables WHO to support Niger in the implementation of its national health policy and the 2022-2026 Health and Social Development Plan (HSSP).
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Background
Noncommunicable diseases are major contributors to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Modifying the risk factors for these conditions, such as physical inactivity, is thus essential. Addressing the context or circumstances in which physical activity occurs may promote physical activity a...t a population level. We assessed the effects of infrastructure, policy or regulatory interventions for increasing physical activity.
Methods
We searched PubMed, Embase and clinicaltrials.gov to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs), controlled before-after (CBAs) studies, and interrupted time series (ITS) studies assessing population-level infrastructure or policy and regulatory interventions to increase physical activity. We were interested in the effects of these interventions on physical activity, body weight and related measures, blood pressure, and CVD and type 2 diabetes morbidity and mortality, and on other secondary outcomes. Screening and data extraction was done in duplicate, with risk of bias was using an adapted Cochrane risk of bias tool. Due to high levels of heterogeneity, we synthesised the evidence based on effect direction.
Results
We included 33 studies, mostly conducted in high-income countries. Of these, 13 assessed infrastructure changes to green or other spaces to promote physical activity and 18 infrastructure changes to promote active transport. The effects of identified interventions on physical activity, body weight and blood pressure varied across studies (very low certainty evidence); thus, we remain very uncertain about the effects of these interventions. Two studies assessed the effects of policy and regulatory interventions; one provided free access to physical activity facilities and showed that it may have beneficial effects on physical activity (low certainty evidence). The other provided free bus travel for youth, with intervention effects varying across studies (very low certainty evidence).
Conclusions
Evidence from 33 studies assessing infrastructure, policy and regulatory interventions for increasing physical activity showed varying results. The certainty of the evidence was mostly very low, due to study designs included and inconsistent findings between studies. Despite this drawback, the evidence indicates that providing access to physical activity facilities may be beneficial; however this finding is based on only one study. Implementation of these interventions requires full consideration of contextual factors, especially in low resource settings.
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Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the commonest chronic diseases worldwide. Self-Management Education (SME) is regarded as a critical element of treatment for all people with diabetes, as well as those at risk of developing the condition. While a great variety of diabetes self-management education (D...SME) interventions are available in high-income countries, limited information exists on educational programs for the prevention and management of diabetes complications in Africa. This study, therefore, aimed at synthesizing information in the literature to describe the state of the science of DSME interventions in the WHO African Region.
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The document outlines a comprehensive package of interventions for the rehabilitation of cardiopulmonary conditions, emphasizing assessments, treatments, and support mechanisms aimed at improving patients' quality of life and functional ability, provided by a multidisciplinary team.