The IFRC Psychosocial Centre has published a guidance note providing an overview of the psychosocial consequences of virus outbreaks, with a focus on mpox, and outlines key considerations for MHPSS programming.
The current mpox outbreaks present numerous challenges for responding National Societi...es. A key issue is addressing stigma as individuals infected, or suspected of having mpox may experience social ostracization, discrimination, and even violence. In many African communities, where cultural and social norms are vital to community health, considering the cultural and psychosocial implications of virus outbreaks is integral for effective disease management. In addition, Red Cross Red Crescent staff and volunteers may be personally exposed and working in complex environments with rumours and misinformation generating fear and anxiety. This guidance addresses the key mental health and psychosocial support implications of the ongoing mpox crisis.
Guleed Dualeh, MHPSS Advisor
This guidance note is intended for Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies and IFRC departments who may be responding to mpox in their country, or region. It includes guidance on:
Common reactions and behaviours in epidemics
Caring for staff and volunteers in health emergencies
Integration of MHPSS considerations for into health responses
Links to existing relevant materials
more
DHS Working Papers No. 110 | Zimbabwe Working Papers No. 11
This toolkit will help you to plan and run an event that helps to change the way that people in your community think about, and behave towards, people with mental health problems
The LDHS provides an opportunity to inform policy and provide data for planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of national health programs. It is designed to provide up-to-date information on health indicators including fertility levels, sexual activity, fertility preferences, awaren...ess and use of family
planning methods, breastfeeding practices, nutritional status of children, early childhood and maternal mortality, maternal and child health, and awareness and behaviors regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. The study also incorporated measurements of HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis Cprevalence along with seroprevalence of Ebola virus disease antibodies, the results of which will be included in future addendums. In addition to presenting national estimates, the report provides estimates of key indicators for both rural and urban areas, the country’s 15 counties, and the capital, Monrovia.
more
The government of Rwanda conducted the 2010 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) to gather up-to-date information for monitoring progress on healthcare programs and policies in Rwanda, including the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS), the Millennium Development Goals ...(MDGs),
and Vision 2020. The 2010 RDHS is a follow-up to the 1992, 2000, 2005, and 2007-08 RDHS surveys. Each survey provides data on background characteristics of the respondents, demographic and health indicators, household health expenditures, and domestic violence. The target groups in these surveys were women age 15-49 and men age 15-59
who were randomly selected from households across the country. Information about children age 5 and under also was collected, including the weight and height of the children.
more
This study looks at commitments made at the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) under the Grand Bargain and provides an overview of good practices on localisation approaches, provides a number of case studies from the regional response and makes recommendations on how to further strengthen leadership an...d participation of national and local actors within the response to the Syria crisis.
more
Despite the stated centrality of protection in humanitarian action and a growing attention to protection activities, the evaluation of protection has received relatively little attention. This pilot guide seeks to fill this gap, providing insights and guidance to those evaluating protection in the c...ontext of humanitarian action
more
Guiding principles for reuse are:
Respirators which have been visibly contaminated (e.g. during procedure at intubated patients, such as suction cleaning of airways, taking probes, extubation attempts, etc.) or are damaged or not fitting, should be discarded and cannot be taken for re-use or de...contamination procedures.
Respirators may be protected by a medical face mask in order to prevent soiling.
Use of new ‘expired respirators’ (manufacturers expiry date) is possible if they were properly stored until use.
more
JOINT RESPONSE PLAN (JRP)
The Strategic Executive Group has developed a Joint Response Plan (JRP) for 2019 regarding the displaced people from Myanmar and who are affected specially by this influx The JRP has included different issues in terms of measuring people who are in need, of support interve...ntions and assistance, types of aid, a emphasizing on a coordinated approach among all NGOs and concerned government sectors pointing the below topics:
• Overview of the crisis and needs
• Protection framework for humanitarian response
• Response strategy of 2019
• Coordination and monitoring
• The new way of working
• Cross-cutting issues
• People targeted by sector
Through developing this Plan, the SEG attempted to depicting shared understanding of the crisis, including the most pressing humanitarian needs. It represents a consolidated evidence-base and will helps this joint strategic response plan who are working at the same ground.
more
What recommendations did the assessment produce?
• Developing guidelines and plans to further the process of SRH and Hiv integration.
• Training stakeholders at different levels of the health system on how to integrate activities.
• Establishing mechanisms for collaboration/coordinati...on on SRH and Hiv at different levels.
• Developing plans for SRH and Hiv integration that include: situation analysis; feasibility studies; assessment of needs for reorganizing and reorienting services towards better integration; necessary tools (e.g. job descriptions, work plans); and tools to evaluate service quality and user satisfaction in relation to integration.
more
Food safety and antimicrobial resistance research: A One Health perspective. Presented at the Emerging Pathogens Institute Seminar Series, Gainesville, Florida, 26 July 2019
The occurrence of a high percentage of couterfeit medicines on the global medicines market is often attributed to a lack of effective regulation and a weak enforcement capacity. This review, while focusing on counterfeit medicines and medical devices in developing countries, will present information... on their impact and how these issues can be addressed by regulation and control of the supply chain using technology appropriate to the developing world.
more
The Equal Rights Review Volume 9, pp.117-137
WHO today published the new edition of its Model Lists of Essential Medicines and Essential Medicines for Children, which include new treatments for various cancers, insulin analogues and new oral medicines for diabetes, new medicines to assist people who want to stop smoking, and new antimicrobials... to treat serious bacterial and fungal infections.
The listings aim to address global health priorities, identifying the medicines that provide the greatest benefits, and which should be available and affordable for all. However, high prices for both new, patented medicines and older medicines, like insulin, continue to keep some essential medicines out of reach for many patients.
more
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a major public health problem all over the world. Infections caused by resistant microbes fail to respond to treatment, resulting in prolonged illness and greater risk of death. This document focuses on the mechanism to develop a practically applicable h...ospital antibiotic policy and standard treatment guidelines (STG). In addition, the document contains information on various effective strategies for implementation of STG. It also discusses various activities and information required for the development of the antibiogram, antibiotic policy and standard treatment guidelines, such as surveillance programmes, the cause and controlling strategies for AMR and HAI; performance measures of antibiogram, antibiotic policy and standard treatment guidelines. A model hospital STG for community-acquired pneumonia in adults is included.
more
Practical guidance on immunization services and the risks they present for both Ebola affected and non-affected countries. The specific purpose of this document is to assist countries to:
- Maintain immunization services and use immunization contacts and surveillance system as opportunities to ...educate and monitor for Ebola;
- Provide guidance on infection prevention and control during vaccination;
- Prepare where there is a potential risk of Ebola (e.g. border, etc.) and low immunization coverage, to implement activities to increase immunization coverage in these areas.
more