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Consolidated report of country success stories in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on TB services

World Health Organization WHO (2022) C_WHO

20 April 2022. The response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to adversely affect essential TB services in many countries. A first report of case studies was published in 2021 comprising 23 examples of innovative interventions implemented by ... to effectively respond to disruptions of TB services caused or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This second, consolidated report incorporates new case studies, as well as updates to previously reported case studies more

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Public Policy Responses to Address the Mental Health Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence From Chile

Irarrazaval M., Norambuena P. et al Frontiers in Public Health (2021) C2

Objectives: This paper reviews the mental health policies that have been implemented in Chile in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the international context of countries' responses. Even before the start of the pandemic, there were significant b... more

Hammer-blow: How the conflict in Ukraine will have a catastrophic impact on displaced communities in crises

Norwegian Refugee Council (2022) CC

Global food insecurity has markedly increased over the last two-years due to conflict, economic and political instability, displacement, environmental degradation and disasters, and major disruptions to global food systems because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, levels of hunger surpassed all pre... more

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OCHA Policy Brief on Gendered Drivers, Risks and Impacts of Food Insecurity in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2023) CC

It is widely understood that the food insecurity crisis in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa is one of the world’s fastest growing and most neglected crises. It lacks sufficient global focus, resources and urgency. As in so many crises, women and girls are disproportionately affected and shoulder t...he consequences of protracted neglect, with unconscionable impacts on their safety, life chances and agency. Gaining a holistic view of the gendered drivers, risks and impacts of food insecurity in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa is difficult. This is due to a lack of data and prioritization, and the large geographical and socioeconomic terrain covered by both regions. However, what we do know about this crisis is more than enough to urgently address the needs of women and girls. An OCHA discussion paper on this topic (which will be published imminently, and from which this policy brief is drawn) found that there is: A strong risk of profound regression in gender equality gains made to date in the countries of concern, including on education, sexual and reproductive health, and the economic independence of women and girls (with knock-on effects on broader humanitarian and development outcomes). An increasing challenge to reverse what must be recognized as a protracted and growing gender-based violence (GBV) emergency in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. The food insecurity crisis in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa is protracted, multidimensional and highly gendered, with spiralling impacts on gender equality and food security outcomes. It is driven by interwoven and overlapping factors, including climate change, political instability, conflict, socioeconomic conditions, migration and displacement and, more recently, COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine. Interlinked with these factors are gendered structural drivers of food insecurity, including deeply entrenched gender inequalities and harmful social norms. Gendered risks and impacts of food insecurity include alarming limitations on access to education, sexual and reproductive health rights, women’s agency and participation, and dramatic increases in different existing forms of GBV and the emergence of new ones. Recognition of such gendered dimensions of food insecurity and of the need for a multisectoral approach in the response is key to addressing the crisis, along-side sustained commitment and adequate allocation of resources. This policy brief draws out key findings from the OCHA discussion paper on this topic, which includes a desk review of studies, assessments and reports, and interviews with local women’s organizations on the front lines of the food insecurity crisis in communities across both regions. Below are the most pressing gendered drivers, risks and impacts of food insecurity (not in order of priority), as well as key gaps in the current humanitarian response to food insecurity, and recommendations to take forward. 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 Health Organization (WHO) e...stimates 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

Perspectives on Underlying Factors for Unhealthy Diet and Sedentary Lifestyle of Adolescents at a Kenyan Coastal Setting

Ssewanyana, D.; Abubakar, A.; Van Baar, A. et al. Frontiers in Public Health (2018) CC

The article explores the underlying factors influencing unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles among adolescents in Kilifi County, Kenya. Using a qualitative approach, the study involved interviews and focus group discussions with adolescents, stakeholders, and young adults. Key findings include a... more

Asbestos-related cancers: the‘Hidden Killer’remains a global threat

van Zandwijk, N.; Reid, G.; Frank, A. EXPERT REVIEW OF ANTICANCER THERAPY2020, VOL. 20, NO. 4, 271–278 (2020) CC2

Asbestos, the most frequent cause of occupational cancer, continues to be consumed ona massive scale, with millions of people exposed on a daily basis. This review explains why we havefailed in curtailing the silent epidemic of asbestos-related disease and why the numbers of asbestosvictims are like... more

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Selection of essential medicines at country level

World Health Organization WHO (2020) C_WHO

Using the WHO model list of essential medicines to update a national essential medicines list Since 1977, WHO has been working with countries to design the package of essential medicines as an integral component of treatment within the continuum of... more

Minimum Economic Recovery Standards

SEEP Network (2010)

In an effort to improve the capabilities and accountability of humanitarian and economic practitioners, the SEEP (Small Enterprise Education and Promotion) Network's Minimum Economic Recovery Standards focus on minimum industry standards for facilitating economic recovery in crisis situations. Th... more

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Coping with disasters : a guidebook to psychosocial intervention

Ehrenreich, John H; McQuaide, Sharon Mental Health Workers Without Borders (2001) C2

This manual is a guide to psychosocial interventions to help people cope with the emotional effects of disasters. Some are direct responses to the trauma of disasters, while others are longer-term responses. Even more than the physical effects of disasters, the emotional effects cause long-lasting s... more

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A guide for conducting table-top exercises for national influenza pandemic preparedness

World Health Organization WHO; Western Pacific Region (2006) C_WHO

The purpose of this Guide is to set out a simple, user-friendly, step-by-step approach for conducting table-top exercises for use in countries. These are generic guidelines which may be adapted for use at all levels in a country.

Laboratory quality management system: Handbook

World Health Organization et al. WHO (2011) C_WHO

"Achieving, maintaining and improving accuracy, timeliness and reliability are major challenges for health laboratories. Countries worldwide committed themselves to build national capacities for the detection of, and response to, public health event... more

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2018 South Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview
recommended

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2017) C1

This document provides the Humanitarian Country Team’s shared understanding of the crisis, including the most pressing humanitarian needs and the estimated number of people who need assistance. It represents a consolidated evidence base and helps inform joint strategic response planning. As ... more

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A guide for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in leprosy: 2017 update
recommended

E. A. Cooreman WHO SEARODepartment of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases (2017) C_WHO

In case of resistance to rifampicin, fluoroquinolones become the preferred category of second-line drugs. Unfortunately, quinolone-resistant strains of Mycobacterium leprae have also been reported in several countries, probably due to the extensive ... more

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Acting on the call

USAID (2018) C1

A Focus on the Journey to Self-Reliance for Preventing Child and Maternal Deaths . June 2018
The 2018 Acting on the Call report focuses on 25 countries’ journeys to self-reliance for preventing child and maternal deaths. Self-reliance is a co... more

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Population mobility and malaria

World Health Organization ( WHO), Regional Oﬃce for South-East-Asia (2017) C_WHO

Review of International, Regional and National Policies and Legal Frameworks that Promote Migrants and Mobile Populations' Access to Health and Malaria Services in the Greater Mekong Subregion (Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam)
Migrants and mobile popul... more

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Narrowing the Gaps: The power of investing in the poorest children

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) (2017)

UNICEF analysis indicates that:
- Investments that increase access to high-impact health and nutrition interventions by poor groups have saved almost twice as many lives as equivalent investments in non-poor groups.
- Access to high-impact health and nutrition interventions has improved ra... more

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The National Tuberculosis Health Sector Strategic Plan 2015-2020
recommended

Bonsu FA, Hanson-Nortey NN, Afutu FK et al. Ghana, Ministry of Health (2014) C1

The mandate of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme is to provide leadership and stewardship to accelerate intense and coordinated efforts to reduce the adult TB burden of 290 per 100,000 population recently established in the 2013 National TB Prevalence Survey. Other key challenges are ... TB case notification, unacceptably high TB death rates, low antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage among TB/HIV patients and low drug-resistant notification and treatment. more

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The 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census: Thematic Report on Population Dynamics

The Republic of the Union of Myanmar (2016) C1

Census Report Volume 4-E
As no census has been undertaken in over 30 years, many aspects of the demographic situation in the country were unknown. For instance, before the Census it was thought that the country had a population of about 60 million, but the 2014 Census showed that the population... more

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The 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census: Thematic Report on Mortality

The Republic of the Union of Myanmar (2016) C1

Census Report Volume 4-B
In the 2014 Census, early-age mortality was measured from the responses to two simple retrospective questions on childbearing addressed to ever-married women aged 15 and over. These questions referred to how many live children they had ever given birth to, and how many ... more

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

2018 South Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview recommended

A guide for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in leprosy: 2017 update recommended

The National Tuberculosis Health Sector Strategic Plan 2015-2020 recommended

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

2018 South Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview
recommended

A guide for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in leprosy: 2017 update
recommended

The National Tuberculosis Health Sector Strategic Plan 2015-2020
recommended