Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), including mental disorders, currently pose one of the biggest threats to health and development globally, particularly in low and middle income countries2. It is predicted that unless proven interventions are rapidly implemented in countries, in the short to medium ...term, health care costs will increase exponentially and severe negative consequences will ensue not only to individuals and families but to whole societies and economies. NCDs are already a major burden in South Africa, but without added rigorous and timely action the health and development consequences may well become catastrophic. Immediate and additional, high quality, evidence based and focussed interventions are needed to promote health, prevent disease and provide more effective and equitable care and treatment for people living with NCDs at all levels of the health system. The problem is further compounded by the rising global prevalence of multi-morbidity (defined as the coexistence of two or more chronic diseases in one individual).
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Health system resilience is not an inevitable byproduct of any investment in health but must be intentionally programmed and developed with necessary input, investment and contextualization. This technical product aims to guide national, subnational, and global health actors to operationalize the co...ncept of health system resilience for advancement of universal health coverage, health security and ultimately better health for all. It supports the translation of relevant conceptual guidance and high-level recommendations into practical actions.
The specific objectives are to:
present a concise overview of the concept of health system resilience;
provide a roadmap outlining practical and foundational steps for building health system resilience to be adapted to different contexts;
share examples of actions and tools, including stakeholder roles, to support country application of the roadmap.
The target audience for this work is the various stakeholders involved in strengthening health systems and public health including management of emergencies (from prevention and preparedness to response and recovery) and other public health challenges in countries. This ranges from the donors, policy-makers and decision-makers at global, national and subnational levels to the implementing institutions and line managers of health system functions and services across the health system building blocks.
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Ghana's attempt to regulate health care waste management started in 2002 with the development of guidelines on health care waste manage-ment by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 2006, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) also developed the Health Care Waste Management Policy and Guidelines as ...a single document.
Although awareness on Health Care Waste Management (HCWM) has improved in recent years, there is the need for a systematic approach to improve on effective segregation, safe collection, and storage, as well as ultimate treatment before disposal.
This guideline seeks to ensure that HCW is managed effectively in compliance with existing International Conventions that Ghana is a signatory to, national laws and regulations, and others to be passed in future.
Recommendations for better management of HCW in the nation's health care facilities have been presented in this document. Also, standard operating procedures (SOPs) have been developed to provide
guidance to various levels of the health facilities.
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This study has two broad objectives. Thefirst objective was to assess the financialsustainability of CBHI schemes, focusing on schemes that have been operational for more than twoyears. The first componentprovidesquantitative descriptions of enrollment, utilization, and financial solvency of CBHI sc...hemes over time.The second objective ofthe assessment was to provide in-depth descriptions of institutional structures, human resource capacity, engagement and commitment of key stakeholders, and community and member engagement byCBHI schemesthat drive or constrain sustainability of CBHI schemes.
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WHO regional publications. Western Pacific series ; no.3
The book has three main parts. The first part describes research in Viet Nam conducted on medicinal plants in line with the national policy of developing a system of medicine and pharmacy that integrates the modern and traditional systems. Th...e second part, which constitutes the core of the book, describes and illustrates the 200 most valuable species of wild and cultivated medicinal plants in Viet Nam. Each plant species is first documented by a full colour drawing illustrating the plant's distinctive features and natural colours. Explanatory notes for each species provide a concise description of the plant and give local names, flowering period, geographical distribution, parts used, chemical composition, and therapeutic uses. Information on indications and dosage is also provided.
To facilitate retrieval of information, the third part indexes plant species according to botanical name, Vietnamese name, and English name.
Large File to download: 75 MB!
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COVID-19 is rapidly spreading across the globe and all providers must be prepared to recognize, stabilize and treat patients with novel coronavirus infection. Following completion of this short course physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals will have a unified, evidenced-based approa...ch to saving the lives of patients with COVID-19, including those who are critically ill.
Learning modules are broken into short videos presented in a richly illustrated and compelling manner. The course is self paced and providers can schedule their learning to fit with their schedules. Topics include symptoms and signs in patients with COVID-19, early stabilization of patients, preventing the need for intubation, and ventilator management. The best evidence and guidelines are summarized while accompanying handouts provide written learning points and links to online resources. Simple infographics are available for providers to utilize within their care facilities to educate and promote optimal care across their entire institution.
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Yaws, a neglected tropical disease (NTD) of the skin caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue, is targeted in the latest WHO NTD Roadmap for eradication by 2030. In January, 2022, WHO published a manual that outlines the key activities that Ministries of Health in endemic count...ries should undertake to achieve this goal. The aim of the manual is to provide guidance on surveillance and evaluation of yaws as programmes progress towards eradication. However, yaws eradication in Africa faces several challenges.
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This Urban Flood Risk Handbook: Assessing Risk and Identifying Interventions is a roadmap for conducting an urban flood risk assessment in any city in the world. It includes practical guidance for a flood risk assessment project, covering the key hazard and risk modeling stages as well as the evalua...tion of different flood-mitigating infrastructure intervention options and management of the project. The Handbook has been developed based on lessons learned from implementing urban flood risk assessments around the world in a diversity of contexts. It is intended for a wide variety of practitioners: project managers, city officials, and anyone else interested in conducting a strategic study of a city's flood risk and developing potential solutions for it. We expect this Handbook tocontribute to the understanding of urban flood risk, make this specialized knowledge more accessible to a wider public, and support the process of building cities that are not only capable of withstanding floods but also provide safe, inclusive, and sustainable environments for all their residents.
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This document presents the World Health Organization Operational framework for building climate resilient and low carbon health systems*. ***The framework's goal is to increase the climate resilience of health systems to protect and improve the health of communities in an unstable and changing clima...te, while optimizing the use of resources and implementing strategies to reduce GHG emissions. It aims to contribute to the design of transformative health systems that can provide safe and quality care in a changing climate.
Implementation of the framework's ten components would help health organizations, authorities, and programmes to be better able to anticipate, prevent, prepare for, and manage climate-related health risks and therefore decrease the burden of associated climate-sensitive health outcomes. Implementing low carbon health practices would contribute to climate change mitigation while also improving health outcomes. Achieving these aims is an important contribution to universal health coverage (UHC), global health security, and specific targets within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The document is a useful resource for decision-makers in health systems, including public health agencies, and other specialized institutions, and for decision-makers in health-determining sectors.
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ABSTRACT
More than 500 million people worldwide live with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Health systems today face fundamental challenges in delivering optimal care due to ageing populations, healthcare workforce constraints, financing, availability and affordability of CVD medicine, and service del...ivery.
Digital health technologies can help address these challenges. They may be a tool
to reach Sustainable Development Goal 3.4 and reduce premature mortality from
non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by a third by 2030. Yet, a range of fundamental barriers prevents implementation and access to such technologies. Health system governance, health provider, patient and technological factors can prevent or distort their implementation.
World Heart Federation (WHF) roadmaps aim to identify essential roadblocks on the pathway to effective prevention, detection, and treatment of CVD. Further, they aim to provide actionable solutions and implementation frameworks for local adaptation. This WHF Roadmap for digital health in cardiology identifies barriers to implementing digital health technologies for CVD and provides recommendations for overcoming them.
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Barbados currently has a rudimentary framework and capacity to address the issue of antimicrobial resistance. There however needs to be coordination of efforts and improvement in areas where gaps have been identified.Actions required include improved antibiotic stewardship in healthcare settings, pr...evention of the spread of drug-resistant organisms//bacteria, elimination of the use of medically-important antibiotics for growth promotion in food animals, and expanded surveillance for drug-resistant bacteria in humans and animals.
The National Action Plan will provide the roadmap to guide Barbados in the effort to address the urgent and serious threat of AMR and will be organized around three goals for collaborative action.
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This handbook is for health care providers involved in the care of girls and women who have been subjected to any form of female genital mutilation (FGM). This includes obstetricians and gynaecologists, surgeons, general medical practitioners, midwives, nurses and other country-specific health profe...ssionals. Health-care professionals providing mental health care, and educational and psychosocial support – such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and health educators – will also find this handbook helpful.
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Les premiers secours psychologiques sont un moyen simple, mais efficace, d'aider une personne en détresse. Ils consistent à prêter attention aux réactions de la personne, à l'écouter activement et, le cas échéant, à lui apporter une aide pratique pour l'aider à résoudre ses problèmes imm...édiats et à satisfaire ses besoins fondamentaux. L'apprentissage des premiers secours psychologiques et la compréhension des réactions aux crises permettent aux personnes qui les pratiquent d'aider les autres et d'appliquer ces mêmes compétences à leur propre vie.
A Short Introduction to Psychological First Aid contains chapters about What is PFA, Who needs PFA and How to provide PFA. It also contains a short introduction to PFA for children and PFA in Groups.
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This information can be used to assess the extent of the damage and the needs of affected communities. Information should be gathered on the extent of damage to infrastructure, housing, and public facilities such as hospitals, schools, and water systems. This information can be used to prioritize th...e response effort and to direct resources to where they are most needed.
In addition to gathering information on the extent of damage, it is also important to gather information on the number of people affected and the types of assistance they need. This may include information on the number of people who are injured, displaced, or in need of shelter, food, and water. This information can be used to prioritize the response effort and to ensure that assistance is provided in a way that meets the specific needs of affected communities.
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Uganda is Africa's largest refugee-hosting country and ranks fifth globally. Over the decades, Uganda has hosted refugees from nations including South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Burundi, and Rwanda. As of early 2024, it hosts 1 600 000 refugees, primarily in re...fugee settlements in northern and southwestern Uganda, and in Kampala City. Thirteen districts accommodate 94% of these refugees.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Uganda’s Ministry of Health conducted a joint review mission to provide a comprehensive overview of the health system's response. The aim was to understand service delivery challenges and identify opportunities to further support Uganda in strengthening health system capacity and ensuring continued access to health services for refugees, migrants and host communities.
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It is Zika virus (ZIKV) that most often causes these neurological effects it appears to be the only arbovirus than can cause congenital malformations such as microcephaly. In any case, more scientific tests are needed to establish the causal relationship between the virus and this malformation (7-10...).
This document is a practical tool designed to help health workers improve clinical diagnosis and provide timely care for patients infected
with the dengue, chikungunya, or Zika virus. It is intended mainly for
health workers in primary care facilities where laboratory diagnosis of
arboviruses is not always available. However, this guide may also be
very useful in hospitals that provide second- and third-level care, as it
describes the clinical manifestations of each of the three most important
arboviral diseases currently found in the Region, the elements for
differential diagnosis, and their clinical behavior.
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Introduction Pharmacovigilance (PV) systems to monitor drug and vaccine safety are often inadequate in sub-Saharan
Africa. In Malawi, a PV enhancement initiative was introduced to address major barriers to PV.
Objective The objective of this initiative was to improve reporting of adverse events (A...Es) by strengthening passive safety
surveillance via PV training and mentoring of local PV stakeholders and healthcare providers (HCPs) at their own healthcare
facilities (HCFs).
Methods An 18-month PV training and mentoring programme was implemented in collaboration with national stakeholders,
and in partnership with the Ministry of Health, GSK and PATH. Two-day training was provided to Expanded Programme on
Immunisation coordinators, identified as responsible for AE reporting, and four National Regulatory Authority representa-
tives. Abridged PV training and mentoring were provided regularly to HCPs. Support was given in upgrading the national
PV system. Key performance indicators included the number of AEs reported, transmission of AE forms, completeness of
reports, serious AEs reported and timeliness of recording into VigiFlow.
Results In 18 months, 443 HCPs at 61 HCFs were trained. The number of reported AEs increased from 22 (January 2000 to
October 2016) to 228 (November 2016 to May 2018), enabling Malawi to become a member of the World Health Organization
Programme for International Drug Monitoring. Most (98%) AE report forms contained mandatory information on reporter,
event, patient and product, but under 1% were transmitted to the national PV office within 48 h.
Conclusion Regular PV training and mentoring of HCPs were effective in enhancing passive safety surveillance in Malawi,
but the transmission of reports to the national PV centre requires further improvement.
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This document offers suggested risk communication actions in relation to Zika virus infection and other health issues linked to this disease. It is directed toward ministers of health and other health sector actors who, with their national (multidisciplinary) teams for communication and social mobil...ization, will be able to adapt the provided information to the needs of their countries and audiences.
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This guide assumes the reader already has a general understanding of the Care Group methodology. It is highly recommended that all Care Group implementers familiarize themselves with the contents of theCare Groups: A Training Manual for Program Design and Implementation,and, ideally,to participate i...n an in-person training on Care Groups, before commencing Care Group activities. This guide is meant to serve as a companion to the Care Group Training Manual; and additional details on all topics covered in this guide are provided in the Training Manual. This guide may also be used by program evaluators, as a means to assess the extent to which Care Groups were implemented in accordance with theevidence-based model and their potential contribution to program outcomes.
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Inequality of access to palliative care and symptom relief is one of the greatest disparities in global health care (1). Currently, there is avoidable suffering on a massive scale due to lack of access to palliative care and symptom relief in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (1). Yet basic p...alliative care that can prevent or relieve most suffering due to serious or life-threatening health conditions can be taught easily to generalist clinicians, can be provided in the community and requires only simple, inexpensive medicines and equipment. For these reasons, the World Health Assembly (WHA) resolved that palliative care is "an ethical responsibility of health systems"(2). Further, most patients who need palliative care are at home and prefer to remain there. Thus, it is imperative that palliative care be provided in the community as part of primary care. This document was written to assist ministries of health and health care planners, implementers and managers to integrate palliative care and symptom control into primary health care (PHC).
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