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Pathways to progress: a multi-level approach to strengthening health systems

Samuels, F., Amaya, A.B., Rodríguez Pose, R. and Balabanova, D. Overseas Development Institute (2014) C1

Findings on maternal and child health in Nepal, Mozambique and Rwanda, and neglected tropical diseases in Cambodia and Sierra Leone | This report synthesises findings from five country case studies from the health dimension of this project, which focus on maternal and child health (MCH) (Mozambique... more

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Safe management of wastes from health-care activities: A summary

World Health Organization (WHO) (2017) CC

This document highlights the key aspects of safe health-care waste management in order to guide policy-makers, practitioners and facility managers to improve such services in health-care facilities. It is based on the comprehensive WHO handbook Safe management of wastes from health-care activities (... more

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WHO technical guidance notes on Sendai Framework reporting for Ministries of Health

World Health Organization WHO (2020) CC

The Guidance Notes seek to help operationalize, simplify and standardize the collection and reporting of data through the application of common language and methods. They provide information on the key issues to take into account in the collection of health data and the types of data that should be ... more

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Health of older refugees and migrants

World Health Organization WHO, Regional Office for Europe (2018) C_WHO

Technical guidance. This technical guidance aims to inform policy and practice development specifically related to improving the health of older refugees and migrants within the European Union and the larger WHO European Region. Both ageing and migration are in themselves complex multidimensional p... more

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Impact of health systems strengthening on coverage of maternal health services in Rwanda, 2000–2010: a systematic review

Maurice Bucagu, Jean M. Kagubare, Paulin Basinga, Fidèle Ngabo, Barbara K Timmons & Angela C Lee Reproductive Health Matters (2012) CC

From 2000 to 2010, Rwanda implemented comprehensive health sector reforms to strengthen the public health system, with the aim of reducing maternal and newborn deaths in line with Millennium Development Goal 5, among many other improvements in national health. Based on a systematic review of the lit... more

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Voluntary non-remunerated blood donations to ensure blood safety in the WHO South-East Asia Region to support universal health coverage

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

Access to safe blood and blood products is recognized as one of the key requirements for delivery of modern health care in the journey towards health for all. The foundation of safe and sustainable blood supplies depends on the collection of blood from voluntary non-remunerated and low-risk donors. ... more

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Community-Based Mental Health: A Training Guide for Community Providers

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies IFRC (2023) CC

Mental health problems are common and cause great suffering to individuals and communities around the world. They have a significant impact not only on the physical and mental health of those affected but also on their families and the communities they live in. At the same time, all communities have... more

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WHO manual on sugar-sweetened beverage taxation policies to promote healthy diets

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2022) C_WHO

Obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have been steadily increasing globally, and with them, a pressing need to implement effective responses to address the contributing factors. Among the available evidence-based policy options that enable healthier choices and improved diets is ... more

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Health Survey in Kutupalong and Balukhali Refugee Settlements, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Guzek, John; Siddiqui, Rubi et al. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) (2017) C1

Survey report
Four health surveys were performed in Kutupalong Makeshift Settlment (KMS), Balukhali Makeshift Settlement (BMS), Kutupalong Makeshift Settlement Extension (KMS Extension) and Balukhali Makeshift Settlement Extension (BMS Extension). These sites were chosen to ensure that the health... more

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Clinician mental health, nursing shortages and the COVID-19 pandemic: Crises within crises

Turale S., Nantsupawat A. (2021) CC

Around the world, nurses are working under enormous pressure providing care to sick and dying patients during the pandemic. Many are faced with increased stress, and other negative effects on their mental health. They are also faced with the possibility of infection and death from COVID-19. Before t... more

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Global Education Monitoring Report 2020: Latin America and the Caribbean: Inclusion and education: All means all

UNESCO (2020) C1

Key Messages and Recommendations. The Report, Todos y todas sin excepción, produced by the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report and the Regional Bureau for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALC /UNESCO Santiago), along with the Laboratory of Education, Research and Innovation in... more

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An analysis of the services provided by community health workers within an urban district in South Africa: a key contribution towards universal access to care

Thomas, L.S., E. Buch and Y. Pillay Human Resources for Health (2021) C1

Community health worker teams are potential game-changers in ensuring access to care in vulnerable communities. Who are they? What do they actually do? Can they help South Africa realize universal health coverage? As the proactive arm of the health services, community health workers teams provide ho... more

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How to use the ICF: A practical manual for using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Exposure draft for comment.

World Health Organization (WHO) (2013) C_WHO

The ICF Practical Manual provides information on how to use ICF. Anyone interested in learning more about use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF, WHO 2001) may benefit from reading this Practical Manual. The ICF is presently used in many different contexts... more

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Climate Change and Health. Key facts

World Health Organization (WHO) (2021) C_WHO

Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity, and health professionals worldwide are already responding to the health harms caused by this unfolding crisis. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has concluded that to avert catastrophic health impacts and prevent... more

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Antimicrobial stewardship programmes in health-care facilities in low- and middle-income countries. A WHO practical toolkit

World Health Organization WHO (2019) C_WHO

Stewardship is defined as “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care”. It was originally applied in the health-care setting as a tool for optimizing antimicrobial use, termed “antimicrobial stewardship” (AMS). Stewardship has since be... more

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Linking Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) - Practical tools, approaches and case studies

World Health Organization (WHO) and InterAgency Standing Committee (IASC), Save the Children, et al. (2021) C_WHO

Technical Note Recently, the approach to hazardous events has undergone a considerable shift, away from reactive activities focused on managing and responding to events and towards a more proactive process of emergency and disaster risk management (DRM). The ultimate goal of this shift in focus is ... more

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A Compendium of Tools and Methods to Address Social Inequities Affecting the Health and Well-being of Women, Children, and Adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) (2023) C_WHO

To support the achievement of health equity in the Region, the regional inter-agency movement Every Woman Every Child Latin America and the Caribbean (EWEC-LAC) advocates for and supports the use of equity and evidence-based policies, strategies and interventions to accelerate equitable progress in ... more

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Africa’s Health Financing in a New Era

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) (2025) CC

Africa’s health sector is facing an unprecedented financing crisis, driven by a sharp decline of 70% in Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 2021 to 2025 and deep-rooted structural vulnerabilities. This collapse is placing immense pressure on Africa’s already fragile health systems as ODA ...is seen as the backbone of critical health programs: pandemic preparedness, maternal and child health services, disease control programs are all at risk, threatening Sustainable Development Goal 3 and Universal Health Coverage. Compounding this is Africa’s spiraling debt, with countries expected to service USD 81 billion by 2025—surpassing anticipated external financing inflows—further eroding fiscal space for health investments. Level of domestic resources is low. TThe Abuja Declaration of 2001, a pivotal commitment made by African Union (AU) member states, aimed to reverse this trend by pledging to allocate at least 15% of national budgets to the health sector. However, more than two decades later, only three countries—Rwanda, Botswana, and Cabo Verde—have consistently met or exceeded this target (WHO, 2023). In contrast, over 30 AU member states remain well below the 10% benchmark, with some allocating as little as 5–7% of their national budgets to health. In addition, only 16 (29%) of African countries currently have updated versions of National Health Development Plan (NHDP) supported by a National Health Financing Plan (NHFP). These two documents play a critical role in driving internal resource mobilisation. At the same time, public health emergencies are surging, rising 41%—from 152 in 2022 to 213 in 2024—exposing severe under-resourcing of health infrastructure and workforce. Recurring outbreaks (Mpox, Ebola, cholera, measles, Marburg…) alongside effects of climate change and humanitarian crises in Eastern DRC, the Sahel, and Sudan, are overwhelming systems stretched by chronic underfunding. The situation is worsened by Africa’s heavy dependency with over 90% of vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics being externally sourced—leaving countries vulnerable to global supply chain shocks. Health worker shortages persist, with only 2.3 professionals per 1,000 people (below the WHO’s recommended 4.45), and fewer than 30% of systems are digitized, undermining disease surveillance and early warning. Without decisive action, Africa CDC projects the continent could reverse two decades of health progress, face 2 to 4 million additional preventable deaths annually, and a heightened risk of a pandemic emerging from within. Furthermore, 39 million more Africans could be pushed into poverty by 2030 due to intertwined health and economic shocks. This is not just a sectoral crisis—it is an existential threat to Africa’s political, social, and economic resilience, and global stability. In response, African leaders, under Africa CDC’s stewardship, are advancing a comprehensive three-pillar strategy centered on domestic resource mobilization, innovative financing, and blended finance. more

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Ethiopia: Antimicrobial Resistance Prevention and Containment Strategic Plan: The One Health Approach 2021-2025

Ethiopian Food, Medicine and Healthcare Administration and Control Authority (2021) C2

To understand the national situation, Ethiopia did a situation assessment, launched its first strategy in 2011, and took action to contain AMR, as detailed in the blue boxes found throughout this strategy. This updated version of the strategy was in response to the revised health and medicines polic... more

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The Missing Billion. Access to Health Services for 1 Billion People with Disabilities

Kuper, H.; and P. Heydt (2019) CC

One billion people around the world live with disabilities. This report makes the case that they are being “left behind” in the global community’s work on health. This lack of access not only violates the rights of people with disabilities under international law, but UHC and SDG 3 cannot be a... more