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Technical series on adapting to climate-sensitive health impacts: Diarrhoeal diseases

World Health Organization WHO (2023) C_WHO

This guide presents a basis for understanding how diarrhoeal diseases are currently influenced by climate and weather, and may be further exacerbated by climate change. It is a technical guide on how to conduct a Vulnerability & Adaptation assessment for diarrhoeal diseases and climate change, and p... more

Responding to communicable and noncommunicable diseases: progress report 2020-2022

World Health Organization WHO (2023) C_WHO

Significant progress has been made in the eradication of three priority diseases in the African Region, as a result of extensive collaboration between the Regional Office, WHO country offices and countries. For example, in August 2020, the region was certified free of wild poliovirus. In the area of... more

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Tracking Official Development Assistance for Reproductive Health in Conflict-Affected Countries

Patel P.; Roberts B.; Gury S. et al. PLOS Medecine (2009) CC

Reproductive health needs are particularly acute in countries affected by armed conflict. Reliable information on aid investment for reproductive health in these countries is essential for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of aid. The purpose of this study was to analyse official developm... more

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The Case for the Digital Transformation of Circulatory Health

World Heart Federation (2020) CC

This paper explores the angles and opportunities of digital health, with a look at digital innovation and its potential to support patients with circulatory diseases. In reviewing developments in the field, current applications as well as gaps, the paper aims to support policymakers in leveraging ... more

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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-communicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide. There is currently an epide...miological 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

Experience of living with type 1 diabetes in a low-income country: a qualitative study from Liberia

Adler, A.J.; Trujillo, C.; Schwartz, L.; et al. BMJ Journals (2021) CC

While epidemiological data for type 1 diabetes (T1D) in low/middle-income countries, and particularly low-income countries (LICs) including Liberia is lacking, prevalence in LICs is thought to be increasing. T1D care in LICs is often impacted by challenges in diagnosis and management. These challeng... more

A New Agenda for Mental Health in the Americas: Report of the Pan American Health Organization High-Level Commission on Mental Health and COVID-19

Pan American Health Organisation PAHO (2024) C_WHO

Unmet mental health needs in the Region of the Americas are a leading source of morbidity and mortality, which result in tremendous health, social, and economic consequences. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the mental health crisis in the Region, necessitating urgent action at the highest leve... more

Global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013-2020 WHO

World Health Organization (WHO) World Health Organization (WHO) (2013) C_WHO

The Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2013-2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO) outlines a comprehensive strategy to address the global rise in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases,... more

Access to NCD medicines: emergent issues during the COVID-19 pandemic and key structural factors 2023

World Health Organization WHO (2023) C_WHO

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic exacerbated pre-existing inequalities in the treatment and care of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This report examines the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to NCD medicines, and the policies and strategies implemented by countries and health sys... more

Under- and over-diagnosis of COPD: a global perspective

Ho T., Cusack R.P., Chaudhary N. et al. Breathe, part of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) (2019) CC2

The article "Under- and over-diagnosis of COPD: a global perspective" reviews the worldwide variation in the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and issues related to its misdiagnosis. It highlights that COPD is under-diagnosed due to factors such as limited access to spiromet... more

WHO clinical consortium on healthy ageing 2023

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2024) C_WHO

The 2023 meeting of the WHO Clinical Consortium on Healthy Ageing (CCHA) was the group’s ninth gathering and took place in Geneva 5–7 December 2023. The meeting was structured around seven panels, with a series of technical presentations, plenary discussions and group work, and a final session o... more

Global surveillance, prevention and control of chronic respiratory diseases - a comprehensive approach

Bousquet, J.; Khaltaev, N. (2007) C_WHO

Chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kill more than four million people every year and affect hundreds of millions more. These diseases erode the health and well-being of the patients and have a negative impact on families and societies. Women ... more

Refugee and Migrant Health System Review: Challenges and Opportunities for Long-term Health system Strengthening in Uganda

Government of Uganda; World Health Organization WHO (2024) C_WHO

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... more

The burden of severe asthma in sub-Saharan Africa: Findings from the African Severe Asthma Project

Kirenga, B.J.; Chakaya, J.; Yimer, G. et al. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global (2024) CC

Severe asthma is associated with high morbidity, mortality, and health care utilization, but its burden in Africa is unknown. This article wants to determine the burden (prevalence, mortality, and activity and work impairment) of severe asthma in 3 countries in East Africa: Uganda, Kenya, and Ethio... more

Considerations for border health and points of entry for mpox: interim guidance

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2024) C_WHO

On 14 August 2024, the Director-General of the World Health Organization determined that the upsurge of mpox in a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a new public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005)

Integrated operational framework for mental health, brain health and substance use

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2024) C_WHO

This integrated operational framework provides an overview of the connections between mental health, neurological and substance use (MNS) conditions, and their links to health, well-being and the broader public health and sustainable development agenda. The need for integrated approaches is increasi... more

Global tuberculosis report 2024

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2024) C_WHO

The WHO Global tuberculosis report 2024 provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the TB epidemic, and of progress in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease, at global, regional and country levels. This is done in the context of global TB commitments, strategies and targets.

Multi-country outbreak of mpox, External situation report #42- 9 November 2024

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2024) C_WHO

This is the 42nd situation report for the multi-country outbreak of mpox, which provides an update on the epidemiological situation of mpox in Africa (including countries in the WHO African Region and some countries in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region), with data as of 3 November 2024.

Mpox Testing Strategy - November 2024

Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2024) CC

Mpox is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by the mpox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus closely related to the variola virus that causes smallpox. Mpox was first discovered in 1958 when outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research. The first human case was recorde...d in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during a period of intensified effort to eliminate smallpox and since then the infection has been reported in a number of African countries. Mpox can spread in humans through close contact, usually skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact, with an infected person or animal, as well as with materials contaminated with the virus such as clothing, beddings and towels, and respiratory droplets in prolonged face to face contact. People remain infectious from the onset of symptoms until all the lesions have scabbed and healed. The virus may spread from infected animals through handling infected meat or through bites or scratches. Diagnosis is confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of material from a lesion for the virus’s DNA. Two separate clades of the mpox virus are currently circulating in Africa: Clade I, which includes subclades Ia and Ib, and Clade II, comprising subclades IIa and IIb. Clade Ia and Clade Ib have been associated with ongoing human-to-human transmission and are presently responsible for outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), while Clade Ib is also contributing to outbreaks in Burundi and other countries. In 2022‒2023 mpox caused a global outbreak in over 110 countries, most of which had no previous history of the disease, primarily driven by human-to-human transmission of clade II through sexual contact. In just over a year, over 90,000 cases and 150 deaths were reported to the WHO. For the second time since 2022, mpox has been declared a global health emergency as the virus spreads rapidly across the African continent. On 13 Aug 2024, Africa CDC declared the ongoing mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), marking the first such declaration by the agency since its inception in 2017.7 This declaration empowered the Africa CDC to lead and coordinate responses to the mpox outbreak across affected African countries. On August 14, 2024, the WHO declared the resurgence of mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) emphasizing the need for coordinated international response. As of August 2024, Mpox has expanded beyond its traditional endemic regions, with new cases reported in countries including Sweden, Thailand, the Philippines, and Pakistan. Sweden has confirmed its first case of Clade 1 variant, which has been rapidly spreading in Africa, particularly in DRC. The emergence of this new variant raises concerns about its potential for higher lethality and transmission rates outside Africa. more