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Public Knowledge and Beliefs about Mental Disorders in Developing Countries: A Review

Alemayehu Tibebe and Kenfe Tesfay (2015) CC

J Depress Anxiety S3:004. doi:10.4172/2167-1044.S3-004 This paper is therefore designed to review public knowledge and belief about mental disorders (mental health literacy) in developing countries with particular emphasis on the public knowledge ... more

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Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes of Retreatment Tuberculosis Patients in Benin

Serge Ade, Omer Adjibodé, Prudence Wachinou, Narcisse Toundoh, Bérénice Awanou, Gildas Agodokpessi, Dissou Affolabi, Gabriel Adè, Anthony D. Harries, Séverin Anagonou Hindawi (2016) C2

Patients with retreatment tuberculosis (TB) represent those who have been treated previously for onemonth ormorewith anti-TB drugs and who have been diagnosed once again with the disease.These patientsmainly include relapses, treatment after failure, or loss to follow-up on a first-line treatmen... more

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We need to talk

Translators without Borders (2019) CC

Effective Ebola risk communication requires respect and transparency and remains as vital as ever. An assessment of changing communication needs and preferences in Beni, North Kivu. In the second year of the current Ebola outbreak response in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), people at ris... more

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Considerations relating to social distancing measures in response to the COVID-19 epidemic- second update

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC (2020) C1

Social distancing is an action taken to minimise contact with other individuals; social distancing measures comprise one category of non-pharmaceutical countermeasures (NPCs)1 aimed at reducing disease transmission and thereby also reducing pressure on hea... services. This document builds upon existing ECDC documents, including guidelines for the use of non-pharmaceutical measures to delay and mitigate the impact of 2019-nCoV, a rapid risk assessment: outbreak of novel coronavirus disease – 5th update, a technical report on the use of evidence in decision-making during public health emergencies, and a guidance document on community engagement for public health events caused by communicable disease threats in the EU/EEA. more

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Situation Analysis and Recommendation: Antibiotic Use and Resistance in Tanzania

Aboud S., R. Mdegela Global Antibiotic Resistance Partnership—Tanzania Working Group (2015) C2

Antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents are invaluable life savers, particularly in resource-limited countries where infectious diseases are abundant. Both uncomplicated and severe infections are potentially curable as long as the aetiological agents are susceptible to the ... more

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Situation Analysis: Antibiotic use and resistance in South Africa

The Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy CDDEP (2011) C2

South Africa has faced many challenges over the past two decades, accomplishing profound positive changes in the social structure and government of the nation. This has not yet fully translated into better health for the population, howeve... more

COVID-19 Multi-Sector Response Plan - Papua New Guinea Disaster Management Team

UNCT; PNG; reliefweb (2020) C2

his revision to the Disaster Management Team’s (DMT) multi-sector response plan for COVID-19 is meant to align the multi-sector plan with the Department of Health’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan issued on 24 April 2020. Additionally, at the t... more

COVID-19 Multi-Sector Response Plan - Papua New Guinea Disaster Management Team (as of 21 May 2020)

UN Country Team in Papua New Guinea (2020) CC

This revision to the Disaster Management Team’s (DMT) multi-sector response plan for COVID-19 is meant to align the multi-sector plan with the Department of Health’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan issued on 24 April 2020.

Deadly Consequences. Obstruction of Aid in Yemen During Covid-19

Human Rights Watch HRW (2020) C1

With about 24 million of Yemen’s 30 million people in need of some form of assistance, the United Nations calls Yemen the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Cholera and other disease outbreaks are common, malnutrition is widespread, water is scarce, and the healthcare system is crumbling, with o... more

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The distinctive role of the Catholic Church in development and humanitarian response: 7 ways the Church makes a difference

Catholic Agency for Overseas Development CAFOD (2021) CC

7 Febr. 2021 As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc in countries – decimating people’s livelihoods, and leaving health systems struggling to provide healthcare and vaccines for the entire population - governments and donors should look to the Chu... more

Uso de mascarillas y respiradores para la prevención y control de infecciones por virus respiratorios

Ministerio de Salud, Peru (2021) CC

La presente publicación describe la evidencia científica disponible sobre la efectividad del uso de mascarillas o respiradores en la prevención y control de infecciones respiratorias virales incluido COVID-19 a nivel comunitario y hospitalario. Se identificaron 778 estudios publicados hasta abril... more

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COVID-19 in the Americas: Listening to the most vulnerable - Community perceptions from migrants, refugees, host communities and indigenous populations

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies IFRC (2022) CC

This research report offers community perceptions of COVID-19 from migrants, refugees, host communities and indigenous populations in nine countries in the Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago. It reveals the myriad impacts ... more

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The sociodemographic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean

United Nations ECLAC (2022) C1

Latin America and the Caribbean is characterized by a matrix of social inequality whose axes —such as socioeconomic stratum, gender, stage in the life cycle, ethnicity and race, territory, disability, and immigration status— create multiple, often concurrent, situations of exclusion and discri... more

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Buruli ulcer: wound care and rehabilitation

Frimpong, M.; F. S.Sarfo, M. Sarpong Duah, et al. Dove Medical Press Limited (2016) C1

Buruli ulcer caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans is a neglected tropical disease characterized by extensive ulceration involving predominantly the upper and lower limbs of patients. The disease is common in rural tropical communities in West and Central Africa, where access to proper ... care is limited. Pathogenesis of the characteristic painless ulcers is linked to the elaboration by M. ulcerans of a lipid toxin called mycolactone that has potent cytopathic, immunosuppressive, and analgesic effects on a host of cells in cutaneous tissues. Mycolactone is known to profoundly inhibit secretion of a plethora of proteins that are essential for wound healing. Even though a combination antibacterial therapy of streptomycin and rifampicin for 8 weeks is effective for treatment, it relies on good and appropriate wound management to prevent secondary bacterial infections and improve healing. Evidence-based interventions for wound care in Buruli ulcer disease are often lacking and have relied on expert advice and recommendations. Surgical interventions are limited to debridement of necrotic tissue and grafting of extensive ulcers, usually after antibiotic therapy. Patients’ rehabilitation is an important component of care to reduce disabilities associated with the disease and proper integration into the community after treatment. more

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Preferred Practices for Zithromax® Mass Drug Administration

International Coalition for Trachoma Control ICTC (2013) CC

Countries, partners, and donors are committed to the global elimination of blinding trachoma by 2020. Achieving this public health milestone requires more than funding; it requires health personn... more

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Leptospirosis in sugarcane plantation and fishing communities in Kagera northwestern Tanzania

Mgode, G.; Japhary, M.; Mhamphi, G. et al. PLoS Neglected Tropical diseases (2019) CC

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease of worldwide importance, though relatively neglected in many African countries including sub Saharan Africa that is among areas with high burden of this disease. The disease is often mistaken for other febrile illnesses such as dengue, malaria, rickettsi... more

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Management of a cholera epidemic - Practical guide for doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, medical auxiliaries, water and sanitation specialists and logisticians
recommended

Médecins Sans Frontières MFS (2023) CC

Cholera is a transmissible diarrhoeal infection caused by Vibrio cholerae. Endemic and/or epidemic in over 40 countries (mainly in Africa and Asia), cholera continues to be a major global public health issue. The World ... Organization (WHO) estimates that the number of cases reported worldwide represents in reality only 5 to 10% of actual cases. This guide is intended for medical and non-medical staff responding to a cholera outbreak. It attempts to provide concrete answers to the questions and problems faced by staff, based on the recommendations of reference organisations, such as WHO and UNICEF, as well as Médecins Sans Frontières’ experience in the field. It is divided into 8 chapters. Chapter 1, Cholera overview, outlines the epidemiological and clinical features of cholera. Chapter 2, Outbreak investigation, explains the method and stages of a field investigation, from the alert to implementation of initial activities. Chapter 3, Cholera control measures, details measures and tools to prevent and/or control cholera transmission and mortality in populations affected, or at risk of being affected, by an epidemic (curative care, prevention means and health promotion activities). Chapter 4, Strategies for epidemic response, addresses the roll-out strategies of the measures described in Chapter 3 which depend on context (e.g. urban, rural, endemic, non-endemic setting, etc.), resources and particular constraints. Chapter 5, Cholera case management, details the different stages of cholera treatment, from diagnosis through to cure. Chapter 6, Setting up cholera treatment facilities, focuses on the installation of treatment facilities that vary in size and complexity according to operational requirements (treatment centres and units and oral rehydration points). Chapter 7, Organisation of cholera treatment facilities, describes the organisation of these specialized facilities in terms of human resources, supply, water, hygiene and sanitation, etc. Chapter 8, Monitoring and evaluation, presents the key data to be collected and analysed during an epidemic to facilitate a tailored response and evaluate its quality and effectiveness. The guide includes various practical tools in the appendices to facilitate activities (e.g. water quality tests, job descriptions, documents, etc.). Moreover, the toolbox also contains additional tools in editable formats (individual patient file, cholera case register, pictograms). Despite all efforts, it is possible that certain errors may have been overlooked in this guide. Please inform the authors of any errors detected. To ensure that this guide continues to evolve while remaining adapted to field realities, please send any comments or suggestions. more

The availability, prices and affordability of essential medicines in Malawi: A cross-sectional study

Khuluza, F.; Haefele-Abah, C. PLoS ONE (2019) CC

The Malawian government recently introduced cost-covering consultation fees for self-referral patients in tertiary public hospitals. Previously, patients received medicines free of charge in government-owned health facilities, but must pay elsewhere... more

African Union AMR Landmark Report: Voicing African Priorities on the Active Pandemic

Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2024) CC

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a leading cause of death in the African region, surpassing fatalities from malaria, HIV, and TB. In response to this critical threat, the region has adopted the AMR Global Action Plan and the African Union Framework for Antimicrobial Resistance Control 2...020 – 2025, which is tailored to meet the specific needs of African nations through a coordinated approach. While most countries in the region have developed and prioritized National Action Plans (NAPs) to tackle AMR, the overall response remains inadequate given the magnitude of the threat, which endangers human, animal, environmental, aquatic, and plant health. Africa bears a significant burden of infectious diseases, accounting for approximately 95% of malaria deaths, 70% of people living with HIV, and 25% of TB deaths globally. In 2019, AMR was linked to approximately 55,000 deaths from HIV, 30,000 from malaria, and 255,000 overall. Major drivers of AMR in the region include the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in human and food systems, migration, suboptimal vaccination rates, and environmental contamination from hospital and pharmaceutical effluents. Additionally, there is a lack of access to quality-assured antimicrobials and diagnostics, compounded by inadequate knowledge about AMR. Unlike high-income countries, where indiscriminate antimicrobial use is the primary factor driving AMR, African countries face additional challenges, including a lack of access to clean and safe water, poor Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs, inadequate infection prevention measures, and suboptimal vaccinations for preventable diseases. One in three hospitals in the region lacks clean, safe running water, and one in eight people defecate openly due to inadequate sanitation. Investments in WASH, infection prevention, and biosecurity could save approximately 700,000 lives annually. Addressing AMR in Africa requires a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach involving the entire society. Sustainable access to antimicrobials, including antibiotics, vaccines, and therapeutics, is crucial, as lack of access leads to more morbidity and mortality than AMR itself. Support for the region should focus on preventing infections, strengthening health and food systems, developing human resources, ensuring sustainable access to diagnostics and therapeutics, and investing in laboratory infrastructure to support surveillance and data generation. more

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

Management of a cholera epidemic - Practical guide for doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, medical auxiliaries, water and sanitation specialists and logisticians recommended

Management of a cholera epidemic - Practical guide for doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, medical auxiliaries, water and sanitation specialists and logisticians
recommended