the aid library

Cardiovascular Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Cancer and COPD in adults

Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Tanzania Tanzania Diabetes Association; World Diabetes Foundation (2013) CC

Chronic Non Communicable Diseases. Case Management Desk Guide

Cardiovascular Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa Compared to High-Income Countries: An Epidemiological Perspective

Yuyun, M.F.; Sliwa, K.; Kengne, A.P. et al. Global Heart (2020) CC

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the second common cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) accounting for about 35% of all deaths, after a composite of ..., maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases. Despite prior perception of low NCDs mortality rates, current evidence suggests that SSA is now at the dawn of the epidemiological transition with contemporary double burden of disease from NCDs and communicable diseases. In SSA, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most frequent causes of NCDs deaths, responsible for approximately 13% of all deaths and 37% of all NCDs deaths. Although ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been identified as the leading cause of CVDs mortality in SSA followed by stroke and hypertensive heart disease from statistical models, real field data suggest IHD rates are still relatively low. The neglected endemic CVDs of SSA such as endomyocardial fibrosis and rheumatic heart disease as well as congenital heart diseases remain unconquered. While the underlying aetiology of heart failure among adults in high-income countries (HIC) is IHD, in SSA the leading causes are hypertensive heart disease, cardiomyopathy, rheumatic heart disease, and congenital heart diseases. Of concern is the tendency of CVDs to occur at younger ages in SSA populations, approximately two decades earlier compared to HIC. Obstacles hampering primary and secondary prevention of CVDs in SSA include insufficient health care systems and infrastructure, scarcity of cardiac professionals, skewed budget allocation and disproportionate prioritization away from NCDs, high cost of cardiac treatments and interventions coupled with rarity of health insurance systems. This review gives an overview of the descriptive epidemiology of CVDs in SSA, while contrasting with the HIC and highlighting impediments to their management and making recommendations. more

Cardiovascular diseases in Africa in the twenty-first century: Gaps and priorities going forward

Minja, N.W.; Nakagaayi, D.; Aliku, T. et al. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine (2022) CC

In 2015, the United Nations set important targets to reduce premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths by 33% by 2030. Africa disproportionately bears the brunt of CVD burden and has one of the highest risks of dying from non-... diseases (NCDs) worldwide. There is currently an epidemiological transition on the continent, where NCDs is projected to outpace communicable diseases within the current decade. Unchecked increases in CVD risk factors have contributed to the growing burden of three major CVDs—hypertension, cardiomyopathies, and atherosclerotic diseasesleading to devastating rates of stroke and heart failure. The highest age standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to hypertensive heart disease (HHD) were recorded in Africa. The contributory causes of heart failure are changing—whilst HHD and cardiomyopathies still dominate, ischemic heart disease is rapidly becoming a significant contributor, whilst rheumatic heart disease (RHD) has shown a gradual decline. In a continent where health systems are traditionally geared toward addressing communicable diseases, several gaps exist to adequately meet the growing demand imposed by CVDs. Among these, high-quality research to inform interventions, underfunded health systems with high out-of-pocket costs, limited accessibility and affordability of essential medicines, CVD preventive services, and skill shortages. Overall, the African continent progress toward a third reduction in premature mortality come 2030 is lagging behind. More can be done in the arena of effective policy implementation for risk factor reduction and CVD prevention, increasing health financing and focusing on strengthening primary health care services for prevention and treatment of CVDs, whilst ensuring availability and affordability of quality medicines. Further, investing in systematic country data collection and research outputs will improve the accuracy of the burden of disease data and inform policy adoption on interventions. This review summarizes the current CVD burden, important gaps in cardiovascular medicine in Africa, and further highlights priority areas where efforts could be intensified in the next decade with potential to improve the current rate of progress toward achieving a 33% reduction in CVD mortality. more

Framework and toolkit for infection prevention and control in outbreak preparedness, readiness and response at the health care facility level

World Health Organization WHO (2022) C_WHO

Infectious disease outbreaks and epidemics are increasing in frequency, scale and impact. Health care facilities can amplify the transmission of emerging infectious diseases or multidrug-resistant o... more

The Somali strategy for Cholera prevention and control 2020-2024
recommended

Government of SomaliaWorld Health Organization WHO (2023) C_WHO

Cholera is an acute gastrointestinal infection caused by the bacterium Vibrio Cholerae serogroup O1 or O139, and is often linked to unsafe drinking water, lack of proper sanitation and personal hygiene. It adversely affects mostly the poor and vulnerable populations in countries, which are already d... more

Ambient air pollution and non-communicable respiratory illness in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of the literature

Glenn, B. E.; Espira, L. M.; Larson, M. C.; Larson, P. S. BMC (2022) CC2

Aerosol pollutants are known to raise the risk of development of non-communicable respiratory diseases (NCRDs) such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary ..., and allergic rhinitis. Sub-Saharan Africa’s rapid pace of urbanization, economic expansion, and population growth raise concerns of increasing incidence of NCRDs. This research characterizes the state of research on pollution and NCRDs in the 46 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This research systematically reviewed the literature on studies of asthma; chronic bronchitis; allergic rhinitis; and air pollutants such as particulate matter, ozone, NOx, and sulfuric oxide. more

WASH and Health working together: a ‘how-to’ guide for neglected tropical disease programmes
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2023) C_WHO

2nd edition. This toolkit provides step-by-step guidance to NTD programme managers and partners on how to engage and work collaboratively with the WASH community to improve delivery of water, sanitation and hygiene services to underserved population affected by many neglected tropical .... The toolkit draws on tools and practices used in the delivery of coordinated and integrated programmes for control, elimination and eradication of NTDs. This second edition include revisions and new tools based on experiences of using the toolkit in more than 20 countries. more

Lifestyle Diseases – An Increasing Cause Of Health Loss

Helen K., Gladwell G., Calestus N. and Wangia E. UNFPA, WHO, World Bank, et al. (2019) C1

Kenya in undergoing an epidemiological transition marked by a decline in morbidity and mortality due to communicable conditions, and an increase in the burden of non-communicable ... (NCDs), which include diseases such as diabetes, cancers, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory infections. The second strategic objective of KHSSP 2014-2018 targets to halt and reverse the rising burden of non-communicable conditions, while the fifth strategic objective is focused on putting into place health promotion interventions that will address risk factors to health. more

Kenya National Guidelines for Cardiovascular Diseases Management

Ministry of Health Kenya Republic of Kenya (2018) CC

The Kenya Health Policy 2014-2030 aims at attaining the highest possible standard of health in a manner responsive to the health needs of our population. One of the major policy directions towards realizing the intentions of this policy is to halt and reverse the rising burden of non-... diseases. more

National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Disease Orogram Tuberculosis (TB) Isolation Policy

Ministry of Health, Kenya (2018) C1

Apart from implementation of TB infection Prevention and Control measures, treatment of those with active TB of the lungs is key in preventing the spread of the TB bacilli. The Public Health Act CAP 242, section 17 classify TB as notifiable infectio... more

The social context of schistosomiasis and its control

Brunn, B.; Aagaard-Hansen, J.; Watts, S. World Health Organization WHO (2008) C_WHO

Schistosomiasis is widely recognized as a disease that is socially determined. An understanding of the social and behavioural factors linked to disease transmission and ... should play a vital role in designing policies and strategies for schistosomiasis prevention and control. To this must be added the awareness that schistosomiasis is also a disease of poverty. It still survives in poverty-stricken, remote areas where there is little or no safe water or sanitation, and health care is scarce or non-existent. For a variety of complex reasons, many of which are addressed in this book, the disease is particularly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, and persists in certain areas of rural China. This concern for human behaviour in an environment of poverty echoes the concerns of the new research priority for “diseases of poverty” identified by the Special Programme for Research & Training in Tropical Diseases. more

The social context of schistosomiasis and its control: an introduction and annotated bibliography

Bruun, B.; Aagaard-Hansen, J.; Watts, S. World Health Organization WHO; Institutional Repository for Information Sharing iris (2008) C_WHO

Global Monitoring of Disease Outbreak Preparedness: Preventing the Next Pandemic
recommended

Harvard Global Health Institute (2018) C1

This report is primarily intended for the community of policymakers and researchers concerned about the rising risks of domestic, regional, and global infectious disease epidemics, and the collective failure to take the coordinated actions required ... more

Global vector control response 2017–2030

World Health Organization (WHO) (2017) C_WHO

The Global vector control response 2017–2030 (GVCR) provides a new strategy to strengthen vector control worldwide through increased capacity, improved surveillance, better coordination and integr... more

Transmission modelling of environmentally persistent zoonotic diseases: a systematic review

Rees, E.M.; A. Minter, J. Edmunds et al. The Lancet (2021) CC

The Lancet Planetary Health Volume 5, ISSUE 7, e466-e478, July 01, 2021 Transmission of many infectious diseases depends on interactions between humans, animals, and the environment. Incorporating these complex processes in transmission dynamic mo... more

Clinical utlity of peptide microarrys in the serodiagnosis of neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa: protocol for a diagnostic test accuracy sytematic review

Vengesai A., Naicker T., Kasambala M., et al. (2021) C2

BMJ Open 2021;11:e042279. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042279. Neglected tropical diseases tend to cluster in the same poor populations, and to make progress with their control, they will have to be dea... more

Integrating neglected tropical diseases in global health and development: fourth WHO report on neglected tropical diseases

World Health Organization (WHO) (2017) C_WHO

Advances have been made through expanded interventions delivered through five public health approaches: innovative and intensified disease management; preventive chemotherapy; vector ecology and management; veterinary public health services; and the... more

Clinical management and infection prevention and control for monkeypox
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2022) C_WHO

Interim rapid response guidance, 10 June 2022. It includes considerations for certain populations such as patients with mild disease with considerations for community care, patients with moderate to severe ..., sexually active persons, pregnant or breastfeeding women, children and young persons. The guidance also addresses considerations for clinical management such as the use of therapeutics, nutritional support, mental health services, and post-infection follow-up. The document provides guidance for clinicians, health facility managers, health workers and infection prevention and control practitioners including but not limited to those working in primary care clinics, sexual health clinics, emergency departments, infectious diseases clinics, genitourinary clinics, dermatology clinics, maternity services, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology and acute care facilities that provide care for patients with suspected or confirmed monkeypox more

Strategic Framework for Enhancing Prevention and Control of mpox, 2024-2027

World Health Organization WHO (2024) C_WHO

Mpox continues to affect people around the world. A new framework released today by WHO will guide health authorities, communities and other stakeholders in preventing and controlling mpox outbreaks, eliminating human-to-human transmission of the ..., and reducing spillover of the virus from animals to humans. Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV). It can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. Most people fully recover, but some get very sick. The virus transmits from person to person through close, including sexual, contact. It also has animal reservoirs in east, central and west Africa, where spillovers from animals to humans can occasionally occur, sparking further outbreaks. There are two different clades of the virus: clade I and clade II. Clade I outbreaks are deadlier than clade II outbreaks. A major emergence of mpox linked to clade II began in 2017, and since 2022, has spread to all regions of the world. Between July 2022 and May 2023, the outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. While that outbreak has largely subsided, cases and deaths continue to be reported today, illustrating that low-level transmission continues around the world. Currently, there is also a major outbreak of clade I virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where cases have been on the rise for decades. Since the beginning of the year, over 6500 cases and 345 deaths have been reported in the DRC. Almost half of these are among children under the age of 15 years. The Strategic framework for enhancing prevention and control of mpox (2024–2027) provides a roadmap for health authorities, communities, and stakeholders worldwide to control mpox outbreaks in every context, advance mpox research and access to countermeasures, and to minimize zoonotic transmission. more