This new plan has been developed to build on successes made and lessons learnt from implementation of the two initial plans
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and to provide a short to medium term strategic anchor against which preparedness and response plans to the corona virus disease COVID-19 epidemic in the country should focus on for the period June 2021 to June 2022.
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The 2019 SLDHS is a national sample survey that provides up-to-date information on demographic and health indicators. The sample was selected using
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a stratified, two-stage cluster design, with enumeration areas (EAs) as the sampling units for the first stage. The second stage was a complete listing of households carried out in each of the 578 selected EAs. The target groups were women age 15-49 and men age 15-59 in
randomly selected households across the country. A representative sample of approximately 13,872 households was selected for the survey. Half of the households (6,936) were selected for biomarker and men’s interview. The men’s survey was conducted in half (50%) of the sample households, and all men age 15-59 in these households were included. In this subsample, one eligible woman in each household was randomly selected to be asked additional questions about domestic violence.
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Multiple pandemics, numerous outbreaks, thousands of lives lost and billions of dollars of natio
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nal income wiped out—all since the turn of this century, in barely 17 years—and yet the world’s investments in pandemic preparedness and response remain woefully inadequate. We know by now that the world will see another pandemic in the not-too-distant future; that random mutations occur often enough in microbes that help them survive and adapt; that new pathogens will inevitably find a way to break through our defenses; and that there is the increased potential for intentional or accidental release of a synthesized agent. Every expert commentary and every analysis in recent years tells us that the costs of inaction are immense. And yet, as
the havoc caused by the last outbreak turns into a fading memory, we become complacent and relegate the case for investing in preparedness on a back burner, only to bring it to the forefront when the next outbreak occurs. The result is that the world remains scarily vulnerable.
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Stories of how people in Georgia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Vietnam made inclusive development happen in their societies. It contains significant experiences andlessons learnt about
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the practice of inclusive development for a wide range of excluded or marginalised groups, useful for policy-makers, programme designers, local authorities, development practitioners and community leaders alike.
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South Africa has faced many challenges over the past two decades, accomplishing profound positive changes in the social structure and gov
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ernment of the nation. This has not yet fully translated into better health for the population, however, particularly the poorest segment. In fact, the population has lost ground since the 1990s in virtually all important health indicators, leaving South Africa with a high burden of infectious disease.
August 2011, Vol. 101, No. 8 SAMJ
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An ALNAP Guide. Pilot Version.
This pilot guide is intended to help evaluation managers to commission and oversee, and team leaders to conduct, RTEs of
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humanitarian operational responses. Drawing on a synthesis of existing good practices, it sets out a flexible approach that can be adapted to a variety of contexts. While it concentrates on the particular problems posed by RTEs undertaken within a few months of the start of an emergency response, it addresses how such RTEs can also feed into on-going operations. While the guide focuses on RTEs, some of the advice applies to all evaluations.
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This paper is motivated by the global spread of the coronavirus referred to as COVID-19 and its
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efect on Sub-Saharan African (SSA) economies. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has alluded to the COVID-19 not only afecting the global health but also trade and tourism, commodity prices, and fnancial conditions that calls for an additional policy response to support demand and ensure an adequate supply of credit
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Nearly half the population of Sierra Leone is under the age of 18 years
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and the impact of the Ebola crisis on their lives now and on their future opportunities has been far-reaching: no school; loss of family members and friends to the virus; and changing roles and responsibilities in the home and the community.
While the priority now remains meeting the goal of zero cases, the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) is also developing a comprehensive strategy aimed at supporting communities to recover from this crisis, to put the country back on track to meet development targets. The Ebola Recovery Strategy – currently being finalised by the GoSL – represents a potentially transformative framework to support the immediate recovery of children from the crisis and to ensure their place in the future development of Sierra Leone.
To date, there has not been a formal process for children to outline their own priorities for recovery to decision-makers. In mid-March 2015, child-centred agencies conducted a Children’s Ebola Recovery Assessment (CERA) in nine districts across Sierra Leone to create a mechanism for more than 1,100 boys and girls, to discuss issues of concern; assess the impact of the crisis on their roles, responsibilities and future opportunities; and to formulate their recommendations for recovery.
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The Basic Needs and Response Analysis Framework and Toolkit (known as the Framework & Toolkit) i
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s part of the ECHO ERC funded project to increase the uptake of multi-purpose cash grants (MPGs) in emergency responses for more efficient and effective humanitarian action. MPGs are a powerful aid modality because of their efficiency and effectiveness. They can be combined with other assistance modalities to maximize the benefit for affected communities.
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Exposure to air pollution causes 7 million deaths worldwide every year and costs an estimated US$ 5.11 trillion in welfare losses globally. In the 15 countries that emit
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the most greenhouse gas emissions, the health impacts of air pollution are estimated to cost more than 4% of their GDP. Actions to meet the Paris goals would cost around 1% of global GDP. The report provides recommendations for governments on how to maximize the health benefits of tackling climate change and avoid the worst health impacts of this global challenge.
It describes how countries around the world are now taking action to protect lives from the impacts of climate change – but that the scale of support remains woefully inadequate, particularly for the small island developing states, and least developed countries. Only approximately 0.5% of multilateral climate funds dispersed for climate change adaptation have been allocated to health projects
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For the estimated 20 million refugees and 25 million internally displaced people worldwide, well-planned settlements can help to maximise their protection
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and security, and support them to minimise the spread of disease, manage natural resources sustainably, and maintain good relations with their hosts until durable solutions to their displacement are achieved.
The result of extensive consultations with a wide range of specialist organisations, this book takes a holistic view of shelter for displaced populations, extending beyond refugee camps to consider support for all of the settlement and shelter options open to displaced people. It offers co-ordinators and specialists a common planning tool which links strategy, programmes, projects, and technical information for use in the field
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Zambia has recognised the Public Health threat of antimicrobial resistance and its impact on morbidity
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and mortality, as well as the subsequent economic consequences. The country has recorded microorganisms which have developed resistance to antimicrobial drugs. Notable among these are; Multidrug Resistant Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (MDR), Human Immunodeficiency virus resistant to antiretroviral drugs, Plasmodium resistance to antimalarial drugs, and fungal species showing indications of resistance to antifungal drugs. Emergence of “Superbugs” such as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Extended Spectrum beta-lactam (ESBL) producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) have also been reported.
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The humanitarian crisis in Yemen remains the worst in the world. Nearly four years of conflict
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and severe economic decline are driving the country to the brink of famine and exacerbating needs in all sectors. An estimated 80 per cent of the population – 24 million people – require some form of humanitarian or protection assistance, including 14.3 million who are in acute need. Severity of needs is deepening, with the number of people in acute need a staggering 27 per cent higher than last year. Two-thirds of all districts in the country are already pre-famine, and one-third face a convergence of multiple acute vulnerabilities
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Sudan recorded the first COVID-19 case on 13 March 2020 and, at the beginning of July,
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the Federal Ministry of Health had confirmed that nearly 10,000 people had contracted the virus, including over 600 who died from the disease across the country. Although more than 70 per cent of the confirmed cases are in the Khartoum area, COVID-19 has spread throughout the country, with the highest numbers recorded in the central and eastern states. With extremely low testing capacity — around 800 samples per day, the lowest in the region — the official figures of confirmed cases likely underestimate the extent of the pandemic and the actual situation is unknown.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has provided a dramatic illustration of the extent to which the health
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of people, animals and the environment is interdependent, which is why “One Health” is now high on the political agenda. This document provides an overview of KfW Development Bank’s approach to promoting human, animal and environmental health. Involvement in areas like agriculture, biodiversity, health and water is already contributing to the One Health objectives. Moving forward, it will also be important to give greater consideration to interdependencies between sectors and ensure that structural connections are taken into account in cross-sectoral programmes.
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We need to be concerned about mental health in the context of climate change
The revised package of BFHI materials includes five sections: 1. Background and Implementation, 2. Strengthening
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and Sustaining the BFHI: A course for decision-makers, 3. Breastfeeding Promotion and Support in a Baby-friendly Hospital: a 20-hour course for maternity staff, 4. Hospital Self-Appraisal and Monitoring, and 5. External Assessment and Reassessment. Sections 1 to 4 are widely available while section 5 is for limited distribution.
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Europe and Central Asia Economic Update.
The Russian Federation’s war with Ukraine has triggered a catastrophic humanitarian crisis and threaten
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ed the stability of geopolitical relations. Economic output in the Europe and Central Asia region is forecast to contract by more than 4.1% in 2022—the second major shock and regional recession in two years. Moreover, the war has added to mounting concerns of a sharp global growth slowdown.
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The Trends and Developments report presents a top-level overview of the drug phenomenon in Europ
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e, covering drug supply, use and public health problems as well as drug policy and responses. Together with the online Statistical Bulletin and 30 Country Drug Reports, it makes up the 2019 European Drug Report package.
Available in different languages: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/edr/trends-developments/2019_en
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The substantial burden of death and disability that results from interpersonal violence, road traffic injuries, unintentional injuries, occupationa
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l health risks, air pollution, climate change, and inadequate water and sanitation falls disproportionally on low- and middle-income countries. Injury Prevention and Environmental Health addresses the risk factors and presents updated data on the burden, as well as economic analyses of platforms and packages for delivering cost-effective and feasible interventions in these settings. The volume's contributors demonstrate that implementation of a range of prevention strategies-presented in an essential package of interventions and policies-could achieve a convergence in death and disability rates that would avert more than 7.5 million deaths a year
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