The war in Gaza has resulted in many hundreds of spinal cord injuries (SCI), which will have a devastating impact on those injured and their families for the rest of their lives.
The optimal management of SCI requires effective pre-hospital care, early specialized imaging (using CT or MRI) and in... many cases early surgical interventions by a highly specialised neurosurgical team. Surgery requires many hours of use of a sterile operating room environment and supportive critical care capacity, as well as intensive post-operative care – none of which is currently possible due to the ongoing war, destruction, and disruption of health services in Gaza.
An alternative to surgery is conservative management – this requires intensive nursing care under full spinal precautions for many weeks in order to allow for bone and soft tissue healing and prevent further injury to the spinal cord. The patient is unable to move independently in bed during this period. Those caring for the patient need to be able to safely reposition them every 2 hours, and manage all their bowel and bladder care needs. The patient needs good nutrition and hydration at all times, as well as access to medication to support bowel care, manage pain (including neuropathic pain). A caregiver must remain with the patient to be trained to provide ongoing care and assist with daily care.
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This publication provides guidance on reducing disability and premature deaths from coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease in people at high risk, who have not yet experienced a cardiovascular event.
The purpose of this booklet is to assist WHO and other
Public Health workers in the field when an emergency
occurs. The booklet provides technical hints on how to
carry out a rapid health assessm...ent, how to facilitate
coordination, how departments in WHO can assist, etc.
Standard formats for reporting and reference indicators
are provided
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Guidelines for national programmes and other stakeholders, for annexes see http://www.who.int/tb/publications/2012/tb_hiv_policy_9789241503006/en/
Four major objectives are set forth: more effective leadership and governance for mental health; the provision of comprehensive, integrated mental health and social care services in community-based ...settings; implementation of strategies for promotion and prevention; and strengthened information systems, evidence and research.
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The Emergency Ministerial meeting on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) with Health Ministers agreeing on a range of priority actions to end the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The scale of the ongoing outbreak is unprecedented with reports of over 750 cases... and 445 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia since March 2014.
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Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Response Plan in West Africa July to December 2014. Annex 1
As knowledge on Ebola-related safety measures accumulates, this guidance is provisional. This guide focuses on psychological first aid, which involves humane, supportive and practical help to follow human beings suffering serious crisis events. The guidance has been written for people who help othe...rs during Ebola virus disease outbreaks.
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The messages should be used to inform, educate and engage different audience groups depending on their level of risk, vulnerability, presence in contact areas, care of patients with Ebola, or engagement or attendance of burials.
Ebola interventions: The intervention to combat Ebola aims to stop human-to-human transmission. The package is composed of five elements necessary to control the spread of the disease: care to patients, contact monitoring, safe burials, laboratory support and social mobilisation.
The document al...so describes key information on Ebola virus disease, patient care, contact tracing and monitoring, safe and dignified burial, laboratory diagnosis.
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Community Care Centres (CCCs) are small facilities (10 beds maximum), located within the community and run by community health workers. CCCs provide isolation facilities for Ebola patients in order to prevent further transmission of the virus within... their households and communities. People with Ebola virus can also receive basic curative and palliative care in these centres in an environment supported by their family and communities. This document describes key principles and main considerations for implementation of a community approach.
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This helpdesk report seeks to establish what lessons have been learnt from the current and previous Ebola outbreaks. It recommends good practice and makes suggestions based on the evidence for good practice and preparedness to reduce transmission and prevent further risk and exposure in affected cou...ntries.
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