the aid library

The bumpy road to better health: how embedded research strengthened health services in Ghana

World Health Organization WHO (2020) C_WHO

This is the story of how an experiment in the north of Ghana changed the health of a nation. How health staff in remote and rural areas are working tirelessly to prevent the deaths of mothers and children. How a radical approach to health research, ... more

WHO manual for HIV drug resistance testing using dried blood spot specimens

World Health Organization WHO (2020) C_WHO

HIV-1 drug resistance (HIVDR) genotyping is an essential component of the WHO global HIVDR surveillance strategy. Plasma “gold standard” specimen type for HIVDR genotyping, but its use may not be feasible in rural, remote areas in low- and middl ... more

Using social media to disseminate COVID-19 Information

USAID (2020) CC

A Technical Brief for Breakthrough ACTION Field Teams Social media can be used to collect and address rumors or popular beliefs among target audiences, share evidence-based and timely health information, receive instant feedback on materials, conduct remo ... more

Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans: More than 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing over 250,000 Tons Afloat at Sea

Eriksen, M.; L. C. M. Lebreton, H. S. Carson et al. PLOS One (2014) CC

PlosOne December 10, 2014 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0111913 Plastic pollution is ubiquitous throughout the marine environment, yet estimates of the global abundance and weight of floating plastics have lacked data, particularly from the Southern Hemisphere and ... more

Onchocerciasis Fact Sheet

World Health Organization WHO (2014) C_WHO

Onchocerciasis – or “river blindness” – is a parasitic disease caused by the filarial worm Onchocerca volvulus. It is transmitted through the bites of infected blackflies (Simulium spp.) that breed in fast-flowing rivers and streams, mostly in re ... more

African Union Health Information Exchange Guidelines and Standards

Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2023) CC

The application of digital health technology is growing at a rapid rate in Africa, with the goals of improving the delivery of healthcare services and more effectively reaching out to remote and underserved communities. The lack of enabling guidelin ... more

How to support survivors of gender-based violence when a GBV actor is not available in your area

Inter-Agency Standing Committee (2023) CC

KEY MESSAGES Always talk to a GBV specialist first to understand what GBV services are available in your area. Some services may take the form of hotlines, a mobile app or other remote support. Be aware of any other available services in your ... area. Identify services provided by humanitarian partners such as health, psychosocial support, shelter and non-food items. Consider services provided by communities such as mosques/ churches, women’s groups and Disability Service Organizations. Remember your role. Provide a listening ear, free of judgment. Provide accurate, up-to-date information on available services. Let the survivor make their own choices. Know what you can and cannot manage. Even without a GBV actor in your area, there may be other partners, such as a child protection or mental health specialist, who can support survivors that require additional attention and support. Ask the survivor for permission before connecting them to anyone else. Do not force the survivor if s/he says no. Do not proactively identify or seek out GBV survivors. Be available in case someone asks for support. Remember your mandate. All humanitarian practitioners are mandated to provide non-judgmental and non-discriminatory support to people in need regardless of: gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability status, age, ethnicity/tribe/race/religion, who perpetrated/committed violence, and the situation in which violence was committed. Use a survivor-centered approach by practicing: Respect: all actions you take are guided by respect for the survivor’s choices, wishes, rights and dignity. Safety: the safety of the survivor is the number one priority. Confidentiality: people have the right to choose to whom they will or will not tell their story. Maintaining confidentiality means not sharing any information to anyone. Non-discrimination: providing equal and fair treatment to anyone in need of support. If health services exist, always provide information on what is available. Share what you know, and most importantly explain what you do not. Let the survivor decide if s/he wants to access them. Receiving quality medical care within 72 hours can prevent transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and within 120 hours can prevent unwanted pregnancy. Provide the opportunity for people with disabilities to communicate to you without the presence of their caregiver, if wished and does not endanger or create tension in that relationship. If a man or boy is raped it does not mean he is gay or bisexual. Gender-based violence is based on power, not someone’s sexuality. Sexual and gender minorities are often at increased risk of harm and violence due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Actively listen and seek to support all survivors. Anyone can commit an act of gender-based violence including a spouse, intimate partner, family member, caregiver, in-law, stranger, parent or someone who is exchanging money or goods for a sexual act. Anyone can be a survivor of gender-based violence – this includes, but isn’t limited to, people who are married, elderly individuals or people who engage in sex work. Protect the identity and safety of a survivor. Do not write down, take pictures or verbally share any personal/identifying information about a survivor or their experience, including with your supervisor. Put phones and computers away to avoid concern that a survivor’s voice is being recorded. Personal/identifying information includes the survivor’s name, perpetrator(s) name, date of birth, registration number, home address, work address, location where their children go to school, the exact time and place the incident took place etc. Share general, non-identifying information To your team or sector partners in an effort to make your program safer. To your support network when seeking self-care and encouragement. more

MYANMAR: Conflict between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar Military

OCHA OCHA (2019) CC

Since the end of 2018, there has been a significant upsurge in violence in Rakhine State after armed conflict broke out between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar Military. The violence escalated following attacks by the AA against military sites in January 2019 and subsequent counter-attacks by t ... more

National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance/Afghanistan

Ministry of Public Health, Afghanistan Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO (2017) C2

AMR is one of the Key priority of the global health security agenda action package, as well as it is one of the commitments of Ministry of Public Health Afghanistan to combat AMR. In Afghanistan because of war and some other political issues the borders of the country are not well secured and well c ... more

Key Messages and Actions for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Schools
recommended

World Health Organization WHO; UNICEF; IFRC (2020) C_UNICEF

The guidance provides critical considerations and practical checklists to keep schools safe. It also advises national and local authorities on how to adapt and implement emergency plans for educational facilities. In the event of school closures, the guidance includes recommendations to mitigate ... more

Providing palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic Experiences from Spain

World Health Organization WHO (2020) C_WHO

During theC OVID-19 crisis, the hospital observed a reduction of about 50% in inpatient visits for palliative care. Some patients postponed appointments given the risk of potential infection. Instead of in-person visits, weekly phone calls and remote ... more

Research Terms of Reference: Cholera Surveillance at Health Facilities in Northeast Syria, SYR2214 (Nov 2022, Version 1)
recommended

REACH: Informing more effective humanitarian action (2022) CC

Since late August 2022, cases of severe acute watery diarrhoea have been increasingly reported across Syria, concentrated particularly along the Euphrates river. These were later confirmed to be cholera cases.3 Cholera is a disease caused by bacteria that can be found in faeces, and spreads throug ... 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 control should play a vital role in designing policies and strategies for schistosomiasis prevention and control. To this must be a ... 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

The definitive guide to disability inclusion in the workplace

ThanksBen (2021) CC2

In an increasingly digital and remote working environment, it’s important to focus on inclusivity. This guide explores the key aspects of disability in the workplace in depth, providing insight into how inclusive company policies and working style ... more

Progress towards Yaws eradication: successes and challenges

Handley, B. The Royal Societey of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (2020) CC

Yaws is a chronic tropical skin disease that mainly affects children in remote, tropical and often impoverished areas. The disease presents with highly infectious lesions of the skin which can spread to the cartilage and bone. It is one of three end ... more

Assessment of the Needs and Humanitarian Situation within Syria - Thematic Situation Analysis Report, June 2015

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCHA (2015)

Large File 24.5 MB!! Please download from the external download link Data presented in this report was gathered in the Area of Origin’s twenty-first round of data collection and reflects the situation in Syria in May 2015. Data collection adheres to a r ... more

Help Age Training Portal. Knowledge & Resource Hub Jordan

Help Age International (2019) C1

HelpAge has been raising awareness among humanitarian actors and government institutions about the vulnerabilities of older men and women during humanitarian crises in the region since 2009. This digital learning platform was established for the purpose of ... more

Auto-Visual AFP Detection and Reporting (AVADAR)

eHealth Africa Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (2019) CC

AVADAR is a mobile sms-based software application designed to improve the quality and sensitivity of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance by health workers and key informants within hospital facilities and local communities. The idea is simple: Health workers visit ... more