Census Report Volume 4-B
In the 2014 Census, early-age mortality was measured from the responses to two simple retrospective questions on childbearing addressed to ever-married women aged 15 and over. These questions referred to how many live children they had ever given birth to, and how many ...had died (or survived). Adult mortality was measured by using a question on the number of household members who had died during the 12 months preceding the Census.
According to the 2014 Census, infant and child mortality, which comprises under-five mortality, was high compared to other countries in the region. Previous estimates indicated a rapid decline during the 1960s and 1970s, with a substantial deceleration starting in the early 1980s. The decline has accelerated again during recent years.
more
An all-hazards tool for hospital administrators and emergency managers.
The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe has developed the Hospital emergency response checklist to assist hospital administrators and emergency managers in responding effectively to the most likely disaster sce...narios. This tool comprises current hospital-based emergency management principles and best practices and integrates priority action required for rapid, effective response to a critical event based on an all-hazards approach
more
Cities are uniquely positioned to understand local needs and respond rapidly to changing conditions to safeguard health. These changes require strong city leadership to implement multisectoral, health-relevant policies and public services that engage communities. The response to malaria must be an i...ntegral part of such policies and processes.
This framework supports the control and elimination of malaria in urban environments. It provides guidance for city leaders, health programmes and urban planners as they respond to the challenges of rapid urbanization in a targeted way. For each urban context, the strategic use of data can inform effective, tailored responses and help build resilience against the threat of malaria and other vector-borne diseases.
more
We as a large world community are facing an extraordinary challenge: keeping healthy against the threat of rapidly spreading novel Covid-19 virus. Starting with flu-like symptoms, the virus attacks the airways leading to severe breathing difficulties in the m ost vulnerable, that is, those whose im ...m unity is decreased because of various reasons: age over 65, living with chronic illness, taking im m unity reducing medicines. Rapid spread of the virus along with severity of its sym ptom s led health specialists to recommend social distancing, confinement and thorough hand washing to our governm ents who took actions to implement these guidelines.
more
Advanced HIV disease (defined in persons living with HIV with a CD4 cell count of <200cells/mm3 or presenting with a WHO Stage 3/4 AIDS-defining illness) poses a challenge to many countries globally and is responsible for significant mortality and morbidity among people living with HIV. In 2017, WHO... recommended a package of care for the prevention and management of advanced HIV disease. The package was composed of screening tests, diagnostics, prophylaxis, rapid antiretroviral therarpy initiation and enhanced adherence counselling.
more
July 2021. This publication brings together important clinical and programmatic updates produced by WHO since 2016 and provides comprehensive, evidence-informed recommendations and good practice statements within a public health, rights-based and person-centred approach.
These guidelines bring in... the most recent guidance on HIV testing strategies - the entry point for HIV prevention and treatment - and include comprehensive guidance on infant diagnosis. Key recommendations are presented on rapid antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and the use of dolutegravir. Updated recommendations are included on the timing of ART for people with TB, and the use of point-of-care technologies for treatment monitoring.
more
The GHS Index is intended to be a key resource in the face of increasing risks of high-consequence and globally catastrophic biological events and in light of major gaps in international financing for preparedness. These risks are magnified by a rapidly changing and interconnected world; increasing ...political instability; urbanization; climate change; and rapid technology advances that make it easier, cheaper, and faster to create and engineer pathogens.
Key findings from the study of 195 countries:
• Out of a possible 100 points, the average GHS Index score across 195 countries was 40.2.
• The majority of high- and middle-income countries do not score above 50.
• Action is urgently needed to improve countries’ readiness for high-consequence infectious disease outbreaks.
more
The Cholera Outbreak Guidelines: Preparedness, Prevention, and Control provide a practical field guide for responding to cholera outbreaks. Developed by Oxfam GB, the guidelines combine lessons from past cholera interventions and best practices for effective outbreak management. The document outline...s key strategies, including preparedness planning, rapid response to outbreaks, water and sanitation improvements, hygiene education, and coordination among stakeholders. It covers both non-endemic and endemic cholera outbreaks, offering step-by-step guidance on surveillance, intervention, and monitoring. The aim is to ensure community-based, gender-sensitive, and rapid public health responses to control cholera and minimize mortality.
more
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 (1). Studies show that 34.6% of all mental health disorders begin by 14 years of age and 62.5% by 25 years (2). More broadly, adolescents ar...e also navigating the transition to adulthood, exploring their autonomy and identity as they undergo rapid physical and social changes. In the context of
these significant developmental, physical and social shifts, mental health needs may increase, even for adolescents and young people with no diagnosis.
more
Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2020;44:e153.
Este analisis publicada de la Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública determina el comportamiento de los indicadores de incidencia de tuberculosis (TB) y número de muertes por TB en el marco de la meta 3.3 de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) ...y su correlación con los determinantes sociales. Al ritmo de la disminución actual de la tasa de incidencia y del número de muertes por TB, la Región de las Américas no alcanzará las metas propuestas en los ODS y en la Estrategia Fin de la TB. Se requiere una implementación y expansión rápidas de las intervenciones en prevención y control de TB para lograrlo. Esto implica, entre otras acciones, reducir las barreras de acceso al diagnóstico y tratamiento y fortalecer las iniciativas para abordar los determinantes sociales.
more
Known avoidable environmental risks to health cause at least 12.6 million deaths every year, and account for about one quarter of the global burden of disease (2016 data) (1). Air pollution alone causes about 7 million
deaths a year, placing it among the top global risks to health (2). Global envir...onmental challenges are on the rise, including climate change, rapid urbanization and increased resistance to drugs.
more
On 25 August, UN agencies and partners launched a US$187.3 million Flash Appeal to reach 500,000 of the most vulnerable people affected by the 14 August earthquake.
Around 650,000 people are in need of emergency humanitarian assistance in the three most affected departments – Grand’Anse, Nipp...es and Sud – where 634,000 were already in need of multisectoral assistance before the quake.
Based on lessons learned from past emergencies, humanitarian actors are aiming to capitalize on local and national level expertise, capacities and knowledge to promote a rapid and effective response tailored to the expressed needs of affected people.
more
This document summarizes the results of the WHO-commissioned full value proposition for new tuberculosis (TB) vaccines. The assessment was commissioned to provide early evidence for national and global decision-makers involved in TB vaccine development and implementation, who include stakeholders in...volved in vaccine research, financing, regulation and policy-making, manufacturing, introduction and procurement. The goal is to accelerate development of effective vaccines against TB and their rapid introduction into countries.
more
DHS Further Analysis Reports No. 90 - In Rwanda, between 2005 and 2010, there have been radical declines in the desired number of children, actual fertility, and child mortality along with a large increase in contraceptive prevalence. This study reviews trends in some of these measures. Multivariate... analyses evaluate the relative importance for
the desired number of children of years of schooling, wealth, urban residence, media exposure, child mortality, and attitudes toward gender equality. Variations in reproductive preferences, the total fertility rate, and unmet need for family planning are mapped for the 30 districts of Rwanda. The explanations for the rapid changes in reproductive attitudes and behavior are clearly related to the concerns of the country, the rapid rate of population growth, and its implications for economic development and reproductive health.
more
Prompt, effective antimalarial treatment, and supportive care can substantially reduce the rate of mortality from severe malaria. However, many children in malaria-endemic countries do not have access to health facilities or a qualified health care provider and do not receive the necessary care in a... timely fashion. Without rapid detection of danger signs and access to effective treatment, including pre-referral treatment that can be administered in the community level, many of these children with severe malaria die.
In situations where there is no immediate access to a health care facility, WHO recommends the administration of a standard dose of an effective antimalarial medicine as pre-referral treatment before referral to a facility at which complete treatment can be administered.
Rectal artesunate is the WHO-recommended pre-referral intervention in situations where artesunate injection are not feasible for children under the age of 6 years with suspected severe malaria. The intervention reduces the risk of death or permanent disability by up to 50% provided the child is referred to a health facility at which complete treatment can be administered.
This field guide is aimed at supporting the effective deployment of RAS as pre-referral treatment of suspected severe malaria in line with the WHO malaria guidelines.
more
Policy Brief November 2021 Available in English, Spanish and Portuguese
The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled the ongoing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) global crisis due to the increase in the use of antibiotics to treat COVID-19 patients, disruptions to infection prevention and control practices in o...verwhelmed health systems, and diversion of human and financial resources away from monitoring and responding to AMR threats. Moreover, AMR is likely to have caused more COVID-19 deaths, as secondary bacterial infections can worsen the outcome of severe and critical COVID-19 illness. Therefore, it is more urgent than ever to prioritize efforts towards AMR containment and support countries to improve the detection, characterization and rapid response to emerging AMR.
more
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.
more
HAT diagnosis relies on laboratory techniques because clinical signs and symptoms are unspecific. Serodiagnostic tests exist only for Tbg and are based on the detection of specific antibodies, thus they are not confirmatory of infection. With the current low disease prevalence, the positive predicti...ve value of serological tests is particularly low. Field-applicable tools include the card agglutination test for trypanosomiasis (CATT) used mainly in active screening by specialized mobile teams, and the rapid diagnostic tests that are more suitable for individual testing at point-of-care. Confirmation of Tbg infection requires microscopic examination of body fluids necessitating specific training. The best performing methods are laborious and reach 85–95% diagnostic sensitivity when performed by skilled personnel.
more
HAT diagnosis relies on laboratory techniques because clinical signs and symptoms are unspecific. Serodiagnostic tests exist only for Tbg and are based on the detection of specific antibodies, thus they are not confirmatory of infection. With the current low disease prevalence, the positive predicti...ve value of serological tests is particularly low. Field-applicable tools include the card agglutination test for trypanosomiasis (CATT) used mainly in active screening by specialized mobile teams, and the rapid diagnostic tests that are more suitable for individual testing at point-of-care.
more