The new global scenario in times of COVID-19 makes it necessary to take urgent measures and assess the impacts they will have. ECLAC has built this Observatory to support review and follow-up over the medium and long terms and at the request of CELAC. The Observatory tracks the public policies that ...the 33 countries of the Latin America and Caribbean region are implementing to limit the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and offers analyses of the economic and social impacts that these policies will have at the national and sectoral levels.
more
The Vaccination Demand Hub is a network of partner organizations innovating together to understand why people miss out and to improve acceptance and uptake of vaccines, to ensure that everyone everywhere is protected against vaccine preventable diseases.
Data Collection: Recommended Surgical and Anaesthesia Care Indicators
AMCC, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) association governed by the law of 1901, the French branch of the INCTR (International Network for Treatment and Research on Cancer) mainly oriented towards women's and children's cancers, aims to strengthen the fight against cancer in low- and middle-inco...me countries through training, education, teaching, research with support for therapeutic care.
more
WHO is working closely with our offices in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, as well as partners to rapidly respond to the health emergency triggered by the conflict and to minimize disruptions to the delivery of critical healthcare services.
WHO continues to deliver much-needed support on urge...nt health needs.
During the crisis, health must remain a priority pillar, with health workers being protected so they can continue to save lives and with health systems and facilities being protected so that they remain functional, safe and accessible to all who need essential medical services. It is imperative to ensure that life-saving medical supplies – including oxygen – reach those who need them
more
Humanitarian Situation Updates
If you are fleeing the war in Ukraine and coming to the European Union, you will find key information about your rights with regard to crossing the border into an EU country, eligibility for temporary protection and applying for international protection, as well as the rights of travel inside the Eu...ropean Union.
Available in English, Russian and Ukrainian
more
A comprehensive view of global deaths directly and indirectly associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The monitoring of excess mortality provides us with a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of COVID-19 beyond the number of COVID-19 deaths reported by countries. The World Health Organiza...tion (WHO) is tracking global excess mortality as the pandemic evolves over time to reveal a picture of its full impact and burden on countries, health systems and individuals.
more
We know that your current situation is incredibly dangerous and distressing for you and your loved ones. You are not alone. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and other partners are doing their best to help you.
Climate Central communicates climate change science, effects, and solutions to the public and decision-makers.
Please find here the latest updates & maps
Russia began an all-out invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, carrying out extensive military operations marked by war crimes and other violations of international humanitarian law. Using indiscriminate weapons such as cluster munitions in populated areas, including in cities such as Kharkiv and ...Chernihiv, Russian forces have killed civilians and demolished residential structures, including apartment blocks. The hardest-hit city of all has been Mariupol, where relentless Russian attacks have left many areas in ruins. In Bucha and other towns northwest of Kyiv, Russian soldiers have extrajudicially executed civilians and looted civilian property. More than 14 million people have been uprooted by the conflict, with close to six million fleeing to neighbouring countries as refugees. Sexual crimes have been reported.
There are reports that Ukrainian forces have operated out of residential areas, drawing Russian fire there and endangering the civilian population. There is also compelling evidence to indicate that both Russian and Ukrainian forces have mistreated prisoners of war.
more
The Lancet Group publishes the latest monkeypox-related content across epidemiology, treatments, and much more. Here you can explore monkeypox content published across all Lancet journals and content types. All of our monkeypox content is free to access.
Soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections are among the most common human infections worldwide with over 1 billion people affected. Many estimates of STH infection are often based on school-aged children (SAC). This study produced predictive risk-maps of STH on a more finite scale, estimated the nu...mber of people infected, and the amount of drug required for preventive chemotherapy (PC) in Ogun state, Nigeria. Georeferenced STH infection data obtained from a cross-sectional survey at 33 locations between July 2016 and November 2018, together with remotely-sensed environmental and socio-economic data were analyzed using Bayesian geostatistical modelling. Stepwise variable selection procedure was employed to select a parsimonious set of predictors to predict risk and spatial distribution of STH infections. The number of persons (pre-school ages children, SAC and adults) infected with STH were estimated, with the amount of tablets needed for preventive chemotherapy. An overall prevalence of 17.2% (95% CI 14.9, 19.5) was recorded for any STH infection. Ascaris lumbricoides infections was the most predominant, with an overall prevalence of 13.6% (95% CI 11.5, 15.7), while Hookworm and Trichuris trichiura had overall prevalence of 4.6% (95% CI 3.3, 5.9) and 1.7% (95% CI 0.9, 2.4), respectively. The model-based prevalence predictions ranged from 5.0 to 23.8% for Ascaris lumbricoides, from 2.0 to 14.5% for hookworms, and from 0.1 to 5.7% for Trichuris trichiura across the implementation units. The predictive maps revealed a spatial pattern of high risk in the central, western and on the border of Republic of Benin. The model identified soil pH, soil moisture and elevation as the main predictors of infection for A. lumbricoides, Hookworms and T. trichiura respectively. About 50% (10/20) of the implementation units require biannual rounds of mass drug administration. Approximately, a total of 1.1 million persons were infected and require 7.8 million doses. However, a sub-total of 375,374 SAC were estimated to be infected, requiring 2.7 million doses. Our predictive risk maps and estimated PC needs provide useful information for the elimination of STH, either for resource acquisition or identifying priority areas for delivery of interventions in Ogun State, Nigeria.
more
We created a dataset to generate estimates of donor-reported ‘official development assistance’ and private grants (ODA+) to reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) by donor, recipient country and activity type over the period 2003–2013. We collected disbursement information fr...om the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Creditor Reporting System (CRS) in January 2015. All 2.1 million records across all sectors were coded based on donor name, project title, short and long descriptions, and CRS code describing the purpose of the disbursement. We classified records according to the degree to which they would promote attainment of Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 (reproductive and sexual health, maternal and newborn health, and child health). We also classified records according to whether they supported prenatal and neonatal health (PNH). The dataset includes project funding as well as allocating shares of general budget support, health sector support and basket funding. The data can be used to analyse resource flows to RMNCH or to other purposes or beneficiaries of ODA+.
more
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.
more