Version 1.1. The WHO protocol has been adapted to resource-limited settings and builds on existing methodologies from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the Global PPS project from University of Antwerp, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Med...icines Utilisation Research in Africa (MURIA).
Point Prevalence Surveys collects information on prescribing practices of antibiotics and other information relevant to treatment and management of infectious diseases in hospitalized patients, and complements surveillance of antimicrobial consumption.
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Research to develop point-of-care tests is in progress. Treatment of Buruli ulcer comprises 8 weeks of combined antibiotics (rifampicin and clarithromycin). Complementary therapies such as wound care, skin graft and prevention of disability are needed in some cases to ensure full recovery.
The targ...et set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for control of Buruli ulcer is for countries to achieve a rate of case confirmation by PCR of at least 70%. All endemic countries have at least one PCR facility to support confirmation of cases. However, most countries in the WHO African Region have not been able to reach the target, and the rate of case confirmation has been declining
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The Cholera Q&A Fact Sheet provides essential information about cholera, including its causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention. Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease caused by Vibrio cholerae, which spreads through contaminated water and food. It leads to rapid dehydration and can be fatal if un...treated. Symptoms range from mild diarrhea to severe dehydration, shock, and death.
Treatment primarily involves Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) to replace lost fluids, and in severe cases, intravenous fluids. Antibiotics are generally not recommended for mass treatment. Prevention focuses on safe drinking water, sanitation, hand hygiene, and proper food handling.
The document also discusses cholera vaccination, with three WHO-approved oral vaccines available. However, vaccines should be used alongside other control measures. The Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) aims to eliminate cholera transmission in 20 countries by 2030 through improved sanitation, vaccination, and rapid outbreak response.
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Buruli ulcer is a disease caused by the environmental pathogen Mycobacterium ulcerans that affects skin and soft tissue. It was first described in Australia in 1948 and has been reported in several sub-Saharan African countries since the late 19th century. The disease mainly affects children in rura...l areas and causes lesions and ulcers that can lead to disability if not treated. Recent research has identified a toxin produced by M. ulcerans that may be responsible for the disease's pathogenesis. Efforts are ongoing to understand transmission and develop effective control strategies, including through training of medical professionals and increased detection and treatment of cases.
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This comprehensive intermediate level course is for clinicians caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola virus disease (EVD). Modules provide information on screening and triage, infection prevention and control, laboratory diagnostics, organization of the Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC), c...linical care of patients in the ETC, and investigational therapeutic agents.
This training course provides clinicians with access to downloadable presentations and posters to facilitate their management of Ebola virus disease (EVD). Under this section, please find a Congolese Swahili translation of all modules with their presentation.
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The World Health Organization's cholera fact sheet provides essential information about cholera, an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. The disease remains a global public health threat, particularly in areas lacking safe water and ...adequate sanitation. While many infected individuals exhibit mild or no symptoms, severe cases can lead to rapid dehydration and death if untreated. Prevention focuses on ensuring access to clean water, proper sanitation, and hygiene practices. Effective treatment primarily involves prompt administration of oral rehydration solutions. The fact sheet also highlights the importance of surveillance, preparedness, and response strategies to control outbreaks.
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The World Health Organization's cholera fact sheet provides essential information about cholera, an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. The disease remains a global public health threat, particularly in areas lacking safe water and ...adequate sanitation. While many infected individuals exhibit mild or no symptoms, severe cases can lead to rapid dehydration and death if untreated. Prevention focuses on ensuring access to clean water, proper sanitation, and hygiene practices. Effective treatment primarily involves prompt administration of oral rehydration solutions. The fact sheet also highlights the importance of surveillance, preparedness, and response strategies to control outbreaks.
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This technical guideline has been prepared for the water supply operators to facilitate them identifying the risks of water contamination in source, treatment process, storage and distribution system, and the means to control these risks. The guidelines have been prepared with extensive use of photo...graph to make it convenient for the water supply operators and mechanics who are working at different steps of a water supply system. Use of this document will help the water supply operators to supply safe water at consumer end
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The Lancet Volume 390, Issue 10110p2397-2409November 25, 2017.
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also called sleeping sickness, is a parasitic infection that almost invariably progresses to death, unless treatment is provided. HAT caused devastating epidemics during the 20th century. Thanks to ...sustained and coordinated efforts during the past 15 years the number of reported cases has fallen to a historic low. Fewer than 3,000 cases were reported in 2015, and the disease is targeted for elimination by the World Health Organization. Despite recent success, HAT still poses a heavy burden on the rural communities where this highly focal disease occurs, most notably in Central Africa. Since patients are also reported from non-endemic countries outside Africa, HAT should be considered in differential diagnosis for all travellers, tourists, migrants and expatriates who have visited or lived in endemic areas. In the absence of a vaccine, disease control relies on case detection and treatment, and vector control. Available drugs are sub-optimal, but ongoing clinical trials give hope for safer and simpler treatments.
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Following the encouraging initial results of the pilot project, the Ministry of Health is committed to increasing access to MDR-TB diagnosis, treatment and care. An expansion plan for the programmatic management of drug-resistant TB has been developed and forms part of the Five Year National Strateg...ic Plan for TB Control, 2011-2015. The long-term goals of the MDR-TB expansion plan are threefold:
1. Diagnosis of MDR-TB in all groups of patients at risk for MDR-TB
2. Diagnosis of MDR-TB in all HIV-infected TB patients
3. MDR-TB treatment for all patients diagnosed with MDR-TB under WHO-endorsed treatment protocols
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The Transformation Agenda (TA) ushered in an ambitious reform process intended to transform the World Health Organization (WHO) into an organization that is proactive, results-driven, accountable and which meets stakeholder expectations, towards transforming and improving public health services in t...he African Region. It aimed to achieve a WHO that is pro-results, which optimally and creatively targets technical work as well as make operations more responsive, with greater effectiveness in both communications and partnerships. The Africa Region has been the epicentre of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic and it’s one of the leading causes of disease and death on the continent. The WHO, with partners, has worked tirelessly for many years to control the threat and reduce the negative impact of the disease. Since the early 2000s, significant progress has been made in the global fight against the scourge of HIV. However, the WCA subregion was falling concerningly behind ESA on several key indicators of progress. In 2016, the WHO joined UNAIDS, UNICEF and other partners in a call for a strong and urgent response to support WCA countries to develop catch-up plans to triple and fast-track ART coverage, to enable the region to catch up with ESA by the end of 2020. Implementation of a widespread test-and-treat strategy, coupled with the scale-up of differentiated service delivery (DSD) and mobilization of requisite funding, accelerated WCA’s progress towards this goal. The HIV treatment catch-up and fast-track plan has achieved its target of seeing the West and Central African region (WCA) catch up with the Eastern and Southern African region’s (ESA) antiretroviral coverage rate of 78% in 2021, albeit later than the 2020 target time frame. A 33% improvement was achieved in WCA, against 21% in ESA, between 2015–2020. WCA achieved a significant 42% increase, compared to ESA’s 23%, between 2015 and 2021, to see WCA draw level with ESA at 78%. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) alone, progress of up to 47% was observed between 2015 and 2020, for example. In addition, 1.6 million more People Living with HIV (PLHIV) were enrolled on antiretroviral treatment (ART) between 2015 and 2020.
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The pharmacological management of asthma has changed considerably in recent decades, as it has come to be understood that it is a complex, heterogeneous disease with different phenotypes and endotypes. It is now clear that the goal of asthma treatment should be to achieve and maintain control of the... disease, as well as to minimize the risks (of exacerbations, disease instability, accelerated loss of lung function, and adverse treatment effects). That requires an approach that is personalized in terms of the pharmacological treatment, patient education, written action plan, training in correct inhaler use, and review of the inhaler technique at each office visit. A panel of 22 pulmonologists was invited to perform a critical review of recent evidence of pharmacological treatment of asthma and to prepare this set of recommendations, a treatment guide tailored to use in Brazil. The topics or questions related to the most significant changes in concepts, and consequently in the management of asthma in clinical practice, were chosen by a panel of experts. To formulate these recommendations, we asked each expert to perform a critical review of a topic or to respond to a question, on the basis of evidence in the literature. In a second phase, three experts discussed and structured all texts submitted by the others. That was followed by a third phase, in which all of the experts reviewed and discussed each recommendation. These recommendations, which are intended for physicians involved in the treatment of asthma, apply to asthma patients of all ages.
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The pharmacological management of asthma has changed considerably in recent decades, as it has come to be understood that it is a complex, heterogeneous disease with different phenotypes and endotypes. It is now clear that the goal of asthma treatment should be to achieve and maintain control of the... disease, as well as to minimize the risks (of exacerbations, disease instability, accelerated loss of lung function, and adverse treatment effects). That requires an approach that is personalized in terms of the pharmacological treatment, patient education, written action plan, training in correct inhaler use, and review of the inhaler technique at each office visit. A panel of 22 pulmonologists was invited to perform a critical review of recent evidence of pharmacological treatment of asthma and to prepare this set of recommendations, a treatment guide tailored to use in Brazil. The topics or questions related to the most significant changes in concepts, and consequently in the management of asthma in clinical practice, were chosen by a panel of experts. To formulate these recommendations, we asked each expert to perform a critical review of a topic or to respond to a question, on the basis of evidence in the literature. In a second phase, three experts discussed and structured all texts submitted by the others. That was followed by a third phase, in which all of the experts reviewed and discussed each recommendation. These recommendations, which are intended for physicians involved in the treatment of asthma, apply to asthma patients of all ages.
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Cotonou Declaration oBuruli Ulcer
Cotonou, Benin, 30 March 2009
Neglected tropical diseases kill, weaken or incapacitate millions of people every year, causing permanent physical suffering, social stigmatization and reduced productive capacity. Buruli ulcer, one such disease, causes immense suffer...ing and disabilities, especially among children. Delayed schooling and loss of productivity are considerable among the affected populations. These adverse consequences tend to aggravate poverty in affected communities. Globally, the disease has been reported in 30 countries. In WHO’s African Region, Buruli ulcer has been confirmed in 12 countries and is suspected in 10 others.
Significant progress has been made in the past 10 years in knowledge of Buruli
ulcer, investments in related research, control of the disease, and improvement
of tools for case diagnosis and development of treatment protocols. Substantial achievements have been made in diagnosis, treatment, immunology and epidemiology. Despite these achievements, little is known about the exact mode of transmission of the disease, and there is no simple diagnostic test usable in the field.
The use of antibiotics has revolutionized treatment and contributed to reducing the need for surgery by half. However, efforts are still needed to develop simple diagnostic tools usable in the field as well as disability prevention methods. The Global Buruli Ulcer Initiative has adopted the strategy recommended by WHO. The strategy is based on early diagnosis of the disease and the use of antibiotics for treatment upon the onset of the first signs by improving access to screening and case management at the most peripheral level of the health system.
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Diabetes country profiles 2016 - The aim of the diabetes country profiles is to synthesize, in one reference document, the national status of diabetes prevention and control. Each profile includes data on diabetes prevalence and trends; mortality; risk factors; availability of diabetes country plans...; monitoring and surveillance; primary prevention and treatment policies and availability of medicines, basic technologies and procedures.
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Issue Brief 33: Since 21 June 2023, 57 024 new cholera cases, including 399 new death have been reported worldwide (European Center for Disease Prevention and Control). In total, 25 countries have reported cases since the beginning of 2023. The major underlying causes of potential outbreaks are poor... environmental infastructure, lack of health care services, lack of save water and sanitation as well as increase population movement. Climate change becomes an additional trigger, as extreme climate events like cyclones,floods and droughts reduce access to clean water and create an ideal environment for cholera to thrive. The overall capacity to respond to the multiple outbreaks is obstructed by a global lack of resources.
This issue brief provides an overview of the current outbreaks, treatment guidelines, information material, countries strategies and more.
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Asthma is the most common chronic illness of childhood. The prevalence is rising and the mortality and morbidity from asthma are unacceptably high in South Africa. This article emphasizes the importance to make a correct diagnosis based, most importantly, on the clinical history and supported by inv...estigations. Further, the appropriate drug and device must be chosen to achieve good asthma control. It explains that patients must be followed up regularly and their asthma control must be assessed so that the treatment can then be adjusted according to the level of control. Additionally, Asthma education and adherence are important components of management of the condition.
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Frontline health workers (FHWs) provide services directly to communities where they are most needed, especially in remote and rural areas. Many are community health workers and midwives, though they can also include local emergency responders/paramedics, pharmacists, nurses, and doctors who serve in... community clinics.
The growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on low- and middle-income countries threatens many health systems that are already weakened. In many countries, health systems—and health workers—are not prepared to address the complex nature of NCDs. Health systems are often fragmented, and designed to respond to single episodes of care or long-term prevention and control of infectious diseases.1 Many countries also continue to face shortages and distribution challenges of trained and supported health workers. As most NCDs are multifactorial in origin and are detected later in their evolution, health systems face significant challenges to provide early detection as well as affordable, effective, and timely treatment, particularly in underserved communities.
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The burden of diabetes is enormous, positioning it as one of the main challenges facing public health today. Currently, it is estimated that 62 million people are living with diabetes in the Region of the Americas and projections show its prevalence will continue rising over the following years. The... Region shows the highest number of years of healthy life lost (through either disability or premature death) due to diabetes worldwide. The high costs associated with its treatment produce a heavy economic burden. Its complications can seriously affect the quality of life of people living with diabetes, their families, and society and overload health systems. This report shows the latest internationally comparable data on diabetes and its main risk factors by year, country, and sex. It also includes a summary of the countries health systems’ response to diabetes, including national plans, targets, surveillance, guidelines, and access to essential drugs and technologies, and synthesizes information about diabetes-related complications and the close relationship between diabetes and other pathologies, such as cardiovascular diseases, tuberculosis, and COVID-19. The data presented here reveal that, despite advances in national responses, diabetes continues to expand, and our response remains insufficient. This report aims to draw attention to the urgent need to strengthen efforts to prevent, diagnose, and control diabetes in the Region of the Americas.
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Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global epidemic with significant morbidity. Diabetic
retinopathy (DR) is the specific microvascular complication of DM and affects 1 in 3 persons with DM. DR remains a leading cause of vision loss in working adult populations. Patients with severe levels of DR are report...ed to have poorer quality of life and reduced levels of physical, emotional, and social well-being, and they utilize more health care resources.
Epidemiological studies and clinical trials have shown that optimal control of blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids can reduce the risk of developing retinopathy and slow its progression. Timely treatment with laser photocoagulation, and increasingly, the appropriate use of intraocular administration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors can prevent visual loss in vision- threatening retinopathy, particularly diabetic macular edema (DME). Since visual loss may not be present in the earlier stages of retinopathy, regular screening of persons with diabetes is essential to enable early intervention.
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