Fragile Beginnings. The Fragile Beginnings series examines the growing body of research on the unique vulnerabilities of children: in utero and at birth, during infancy and childhood and throughout adolescence. Its purpose is to enable evidence-based advocacy and action on children’s environmental... health
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Malaria Journal (2021) 20:190
The National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination 2021–2025 outlines Bangladesh’s roadmap to achieve zero indigenous malaria cases by 2030, with an interim goal to reduce transmission to near-zero levels by 2025. The strategy builds upon earlier successes in malaria control and shifts focus to...ward elimination in both high- and low-endemic areas.
The plan emphasizes five core objectives: ensuring universal access to quality malaria prevention and treatment services, strengthening surveillance and case detection systems, improving vector control through long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS), building community engagement, and enhancing program governance and accountability.
High-priority districts, especially in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, are targeted for intensified interventions, including active case detection and tailored outreach to mobile and vulnerable populations. The strategy also calls for robust health systems support, cross-border collaboration, and integration of malaria services into broader primary health care.
This document serves as Bangladesh’s strategic foundation to transition from malaria control to phased elimination, in line with national and global targets.
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The document “Malaria Prophylaxis for Travellers: Guideline for Healthcare Workers” (2019) from Sri Lanka provides guidance for healthcare providers on preventing malaria among travelers to endemic areas.
It explains that since Sri Lanka was certified malaria-free in 2016, the main risk comes f...rom imported cases, mostly Sri Lankan travelers. The document emphasizes assessing travelers’ risk, advising on mosquito bite prevention, and prescribing appropriate chemoprophylaxis like chloroquine, mefloquine, atovaquone-proguanil, or doxycycline depending on destination and traveler profile.
It highlights that children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals are particularly at risk, and stresses adherence to medications and protective measures. Special instructions are given on handling missed doses, long-term prophylaxis, and managing side effects. Overall, the guideline aims to maintain Sri Lanka’s malaria-free status by preventing reintroduction through well-informed traveler care.
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The Manual for Indoor Residual Spraying in Urban Areas for Aedes aegypti Control is intended not only for operational personnel and middle and senior management of programs responsible for the prevention and control of Aedes-borne diseases, but also for the academic community involved in Aedes resea...rch, private pest control personnel, and the general public.
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Manual para aplicar rociado residual intradomiciliario en zonas urbanas para el control de Aedes aegypti no solo está dirigido al personal operativo y los mandos medios y directivos de los programas de prevención y control de las enfermedades transmitidas por Aedes, sino también a la comunidad ac...adémica relacionada con la investigación operativa sobre RRI-Aedes, a los controladores de plagas privados y al público en general.
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O Manual para aplicação de borrifação residual em áreas urbanas para o controle do Aedes aegypti não se dirige apenas ao pessoal operacional e aos gerentes e gestores de nível médio dos programas de prevenção e controle das doenças transmitidas pelo Aedes, mas também à comunidade acadê...mica ligada à pesquisa operacional sobre BRI-Aedes, aos controladores de pragas privados e ao público em geral.
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This training module on malaria case management has been developed to support the staff involved in malaria control and elimination programmes in the effective organization of malaria diagnosis and case management services
Offering additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) choices has the potential to increase uptake and effective use of PrEP, and of HIV prevention overall, as it allows people to choose a method that they prefer.
In this guideline, WHO recommends an offering long-acting injectable lenacapavir (LEN...) as an additional HIV prevention choice, as part of combination HIV prevention approaches. LEN, administered twice a year as PrEP, has been shown to be highly effective at reducing the risk of HIV acquisition. In this guideline, WHO also recommends using HIV rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for individuals initiating or continuing long-acting injectable PrEP, such as LEN and long acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA). Flexible HIV testing approaches are essential for ensuring that testing does not become a barrier to accessing or continuing PrEP, including long-acting injectable options.
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Guidelines on lenacapavir for HIV prevention and testing strategies for long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis. Web Annex B
This global guidance was developed to support malaria-free countries and those that are close to malaria elimination to prevent re-establishment. The document outlines key concepts and principles for preventing re-establishment and provides guidance on strategies, interventions, planning and managem...ent. Country examples are included to highlight good practices and illustrate practical applications.
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Diabetes is an increasingly prevalent yet under-recognised health crisis in Africa, driven by demographic and socioeconomic transitions. In 2021, 24 million adults in the region were living with diabetes, and this figure is expected to increase by 129% by 2045.
The Manual for Parasitological Surveillance in Prevention of Reintroduction or Re-establishment of Malaria in Sri Lanka (2019) provides guidelines to health professionals on how to conduct effective malaria surveillance to prevent the reintroduction of the disease in Sri Lanka, which was certified m...alaria-free in 2016.
The manual outlines strategies for active and passive case detection, laboratory diagnosis, case investigation, foci investigation, and follow-up measures. It emphasizes targeted screening of high-risk populations, including travelers and migrant workers, and explains the importance of prompt reporting, accurate parasitological confirmation, and coordination between healthcare levels. The overall goal is to maintain Sri Lanka’s malaria-free status by ensuring early detection and rapid response to any imported or locally suspected malaria cases.
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The National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan (NMESP) 2024–2028 of Ghana outlines the country’s roadmap to shift from malaria control to elimination. Despite major progress—like reducing malaria deaths from nearly 2,800 in 2012 to 151 in 2022—malaria remains a major public health challenge... in Ghana.
The plan aims to reduce malaria deaths by 90% and cases by 50% by 2028 (compared to 2022), and to eliminate malaria entirely in 21 low-burden districts. It includes a mix of interventions such as insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, seasonal chemoprevention, malaria vaccination, and strong surveillance systems.
The strategy is tailored to the local malaria burden, promotes community engagement, relies on multisectoral partnerships, and ensures adequate resource mobilization. Its ultimate goal is to protect Ghana’s population, improve public health, and support the country’s socioeconomic development.
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The Rwanda Malaria Strategic Plan 2020–2024 outlines Rwanda’s national strategy to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality by at least 50% compared to 2019 levels. The vision is a malaria-free Rwanda contributing to socioeconomic development.
The plan includes strengthening prevention through lo...ng-lasting insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, and larval source management; ensuring universal access to testing and treatment; improving surveillance and data use; and enhancing program management, coordination, and financing. It also emphasizes community engagement and behavior change to ensure at least 85% of the at-risk population adopts protective practices.
The strategy builds on past lessons, involves multi-sectoral collaboration, and aligns with global malaria goals. It highlights equity, quality services, and evidence-based interventions as guiding principles, aiming to mobilize national and international resources for sustained impact.
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This toolkit is a comprehensive set of practical tools and resources designed to support country-level risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) practitioners, decision-makers, and partners to plan and implement readiness and response activities for yellow fever outbreaks. The toolkit conta...ins: information about yellow fever; RCCE considerations for how to approach key issues during yellow fever outbreaks; tools for understanding the context in which yellow fever outbreaks occur; methods for collecting data to inform strategy development and bring evidence into planning and implementation of activities; guidance to support vector control and immunization campaigns; and links to existing RCCE tools and training. It is one of a suite of toolkits on RCCE readiness and response to a range of disease and response areas.
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National tuberculosis (TB) prevalence surveys provide a nationally representative measurement of the burden of TB disease in the population, at a given point in time. Repeat surveys allow assessment of trends and tracking of progress towards national and global targets for reductions in TB disease b...urden. Survey data also provide important insights that can help national TB programmes to identify ways to improve TB diagnosis and treatment.
National TB prevalence surveys are relevant in countries that do not yet have national disease notification and vital registration systems that are of sufficiently high quality and coverage to allow reliable tracking of TB disease burden.
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Integrated Outbreak Analytics (IOA) applies a multidisciplinary approach to understanding outbreak dynamics and to inform outbreak response. It aims to drive comprehensive, accountable, and effective public health and clinical strategies by enabling communities, and national and subnational health a...uthorities to use data for operational decision-making. IOA embraces a holistic perspective of outbreak dynamics throughout: from the trigger questions to the data that are collected or accessed, to the interpretation of results and the recommendations that follow. In addition, IOA promotes co-development and monitoring of evidence informed actions.
The IOA toolkit aims to provide a clear understanding of IOA and highlight the importance of using an integrated, holistic approach to manage outbreak responses. It provides step-by-step guidance for setting up IOA and putting IOA principles into action. Finally, this toolkit provides guidance on applying IOA in humanitarian and emergency contexts, offering a practical and adaptable approach to informing public health emergency responses.
Developed based on the model from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), its creation involved extensive consultation with experts experienced in IOA applications. The toolkit was piloted in Tanganyika Province, DRC, as well as Somalia and Sudan, demonstrating its adaptability to diverse emergency scenarios. It builds upon an existing array of tools, templates, reports, case studies, animations, and publications used by stakeholders in diverse contexts.
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The Compendium of Solid Waste Management in Humanitarian Contexts is a comprehensive, structured and userfriendly manual and planning guide that provides a systematic overview of existing Solid Waste Management (SWM) technologies and approaches appropriate for use in humanitarian contexts.
As we approach World Asthma Day on the May 2, 2023, we reflect on the theme “ Asthma Care for All”. Prevalence of Asthma is increasing amongst children, adolescents and adults. Under-diagnosis, underutilization of inhaled corticosteroids, inaccessibility of treatment, and unaffordability of medi...cines are amongst the challenges that low-middle income countries are faced with. This commentary seeks to highlight the challenges, the resources available and to suggest recommendations that can be implemented to improve asthma care for all and reduce burden of asthma in Africa.
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