WHO commissioned a survey, carried out in September/October 2015, among some 10 000 members of the public in 12 countries (2 per WHO Region: Barbados, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, the Russian Federation, Serbia, South Africa, Sudan and Viet Nam) on their use of antibiotics, knowl...edge of antibiotics and of antibiotic resistance. While not claiming to be exhaustive, this and other surveys will help WHO and partners to ensure efforts are focused on tackling some of the biggest gaps in understanding and the most prevalent misconceptions
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This brief summarises key considerations about the social, political and economic context of Goma in relation to the outbreak of Ebola in the DRC as of March 2019. Goma is the administrative capital of North Kivu province and a major urban centre in the Great Lakes Region. The city is home to an est...imated 1.5 million people and serves as an important economic and transportation hub that links eastern Congo to the broader East African sub-region. The arrival of Ebola in Goma would substantially increase the at-risk population and heighten the potential for cross-border transmission to neighbouring countries, particularly Rwanda. This brief therefore focuses on local social and political structures that can be leveraged to promote preparedness and readiness actions.
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The IFRC Psychosocial Centre has published a guidance note providing an overview of the psychosocial consequences of virus outbreaks, with a focus on mpox, and outlines key considerations for MHPSS programming.
The current mpox outbreaks present numerous challenges for responding National Societi...es. A key issue is addressing stigma as individuals infected, or suspected of having mpox may experience social ostracization, discrimination, and even violence. In many African communities, where cultural and social norms are vital to community health, considering the cultural and psychosocial implications of virus outbreaks is integral for effective disease management. In addition, Red Cross Red Crescent staff and volunteers may be personally exposed and working in complex environments with rumours and misinformation generating fear and anxiety. This guidance addresses the key mental health and psychosocial support implications of the ongoing mpox crisis.
Guleed Dualeh, MHPSS Advisor
This guidance note is intended for Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies and IFRC departments who may be responding to mpox in their country, or region. It includes guidance on:
Common reactions and behaviours in epidemics
Caring for staff and volunteers in health emergencies
Integration of MHPSS considerations for into health responses
Links to existing relevant materials
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Histoplasmosis is a disease caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. This disease is highly endemic in some regions of North America, Central America, and South America and is also reported in certain countries of Asia and Africa. It often affects people with impaired immunity, including people ...living with HIV, among whom the most frequent clinical presentation is disseminated histoplasmosis. The symptoms of disseminated histoplasmosis are non-specific and may be indistinguishable from those of other infectious diseases, especially disseminated tuberculosis (TB), thus complicating diagnosis and treatment. Histoplasmosis is one of the most frequent opportunistic infections caused by fungal pathogens among people living with HIV in the Americas and may be responsible for 5–15% of AIDS-related deaths every year in this Region. These guidelines aim to provide recommendations for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of disseminated histoplasmosis in persons living with HIV
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This regional action plan provides a broad framework for the regional level to assist governments in accelerating the implementation of existing international, regional and national commitments on ending FGM. Formulating the plan has provided an opportunity for the region to identify broad prioritie...s, initiate strategic actions and determine responsibilities among different actors. It also ensures that anti-FGM campaign activities are seen not as standalone efforts but rather as an integral part of the African Union’s discussions, in line with the African Union initiative on eliminating FGM (Saleema Initiative)
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The American Jornal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, vol. 105, no.6, pp.1772-1781.
Schistosomiasis, which is the second most important parasitic infection after malaria in terms of its socioeconomic impact, is responsible for the loss of an estimated 4.5 million disability-adjusted life years (DA...LYs) worldwide. Schistosomiasis, including both intestinal and urinary forms of the disease, occurs in 78 countries across the globe. An estimated 240 million people are infected, with more than 779 million living at risk globally. The majority of those infected and those at risk for infection live in low-income countries, and approximately 80% of the morbidity occurs in impoverished communities and households in sub-Saharan Africa. Within Uganda, 91 of the 134 districts are endemic for intestinal schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma mansoni, and the eastern region, especially along Lake Victoria, has one of the highest S. mansoni burdens worldwide. Schistosoma haematobium is only endemic in the five districts of the Lango region in northern Uganda.
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Le présent guide de formation sur la prise en charge globale des personnes vivant avec le VIH est désormais à la disposition des personnels paramédicaux, des écoles et structures de formation de ces personnels dans la région africaine francophone. Il a été conçu par des experts africains et... français rompus à la formation et engagés depuis de nombreuses années dans la lutte contre le VIH. Il a été testé, amendé et corrigé par un collège de paramédicaux. Il allie clarté, simplicité et intègre l’ensemble des standards internationaux en matière de prise en charge globale, tout en restant proche des réalités concrètes de l’exercice professionnel sur le terrain africain. Il constitue, j’en suis convaincu, un outil de grande qualité au service des professionnels de santé paramédicaux et devrait s’imposer rapidement comme un référentiel francophone incontournable pour la prise en charge globale des personnes vivant avec le VIH.
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Guide de formation à l’usage des paramédicaux
Le présent guide de formation sur la prise en charge globale des personnes vivant avec le VIH est désormais à la disposition des personnels paramédicaux, des écoles et structures de formation de ces personnels dans la région africaine franco...phone. Il a été conçu par des experts africains et français rompus à la formation et engagés depuis de nombreuses années dans la lutte contre le VIH. Il a été testé, amendé et corrigé par un collège de paramédicaux. Il allie clarté, simplicité et intègre l’ensemble des standards internationaux en matière de prise en charge globale, tout en restant proche des réalités concrètes de l’exercice professionnel sur le terrain africain. Il constitue, j’en suis convaincu, un outil de grande qualité au service des professionnels de santé paramédicaux et devrait s’imposer rapidement comme un référentiel francophone incontournable pour la prise en charge globale des personnes vivant avec le VIH.
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There has been a global outbreak of mpox since 2022; this outbreak has been caused by the strain of mpox virus called Clade 2 and has affected around 116 countries worldwide. The current surge in cases is being driven by the rapid spread of a different strain – Clade 1b – which is predominantly ...affecting countries across the African region, particularly DRC, Burundi, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda [1]. The guidance in this document applies to both Clades of mpox. WHO publishes a dashboard of updated cases globally here. Different Clades and Sub-Clades of mpox behave slightly differently to each other; WHO is monitoring for any significant differences between the Clades, including transmission routes. This guidance will be updated as more information becomes available on this issue.
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Anaemia is a global public health concern, especially afflicting adolescent girls, women 15–49 years of age, pregnant women, and children in low- and middle-income countries. WHO estimates that in 2019 30% (571 million) of women aged 15–49 years, 37% (32 million) of pregnant women, and 40% (269 ...million) of children 6–59 months of age were affected by anaemia, with the WHO African Region and South-East Asia
Region being most affected(
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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...es, including misdiagnosis and access to insulin, can affect T1D outcomes and frequency of severe complications. Despite the severe nature of T1D and growing burden in subSaharan Africa, little is currently known about the impact of T1D on patients and caregivers in the region. Methods We conducted a qualitative study consisting of interviews with patients with T1D, caregivers, providers, civil society members and a policy-maker in Liberia to better understand the psychosocial and economic impact of living with T1D, knowledge of T1D and selfmanagement, and barriers and facilitators for accessing T1D care.
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WHO needs US$2.54 billion to provide life-saving assistance to millions of people around the world facing health emergencies. WHO’s Health Emergency Appeal is a consolidation of WHO’s priorities and financial requirements for 2023 to carry out health interventions in emergency and humanitarian r...esponses. The number of people in need of humanitarian relief has increased by almost a quarter compared to 2022, to a record 339 million. WHO is responding to an unprecedented number of intersecting health emergencies: climate change-related disasters such as flooding in Pakistan and food insecurity across the Sahel in the greater Horn of Africa; the war in Ukraine; and the health impact of conflict in Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria and north eastern Ethiopia – all of these emergencies overlapping with the health system disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreaks of measles, cholera, and other killers. Contributions to the appeal can be fully flexible, flexible across a region, or flexible within a country appeal.
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Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. In April 2023, it was a public health problem
in approximately 40 countries, with an estimated 116 million people at risk and 1.5 million people affected
by the late blinding stage of the disease (1). About 84% of those at risk of tr...achoma are in the World Health
Organization (WHO)’s African Region; about 52% of those at risk of trachoma live in Ethiopia
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The WHO website titled "Malaria" provides a comprehensive overview of malaria, a potentially fatal disease caused by Plasmodium parasites and primarily transmitted through mosquito bites in tropical countries. It offers information on symptoms, at-risk groups, preventive measures, and treatment opti...ons. The site also presents recent statistics: in 2023, an estimated 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths occurred in 83 countries, with the African region being the most affected—accounting for 94% of cases and 95% of deaths. Children under the age of five made up approximately 76% of the deaths in this region.
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The WHO website titled "Malaria" provides a comprehensive overview of malaria, a potentially fatal disease caused by Plasmodium parasites and primarily transmitted through mosquito bites in tropical countries. It offers information on symptoms, at-risk groups, preventive measures, and treatment opti...ons. The site also presents recent statistics: in 2023, an estimated 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths occurred in 83 countries, with the African region being the most affected—accounting for 94% of cases and 95% of deaths. Children under the age of five made up approximately 76% of the deaths in this region.
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The WHO website titled "Malaria" provides a comprehensive overview of malaria, a potentially fatal disease caused by Plasmodium parasites and primarily transmitted through mosquito bites in tropical countries. It offers information on symptoms, at-risk groups, preventive measures, and treatment opti...ons. The site also presents recent statistics: in 2023, an estimated 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths occurred in 83 countries, with the African region being the most affected—accounting for 94% of cases and 95% of deaths. Children under the age of five made up approximately 76% of the deaths in this region.
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PLoSONE 14(9):e0223104.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223104.
The survey centering on reasons behind community resistance was conducted in Butembo in November during a time of Ebola transmission. A researcher from Catholic University of Graben in Butembo and collaborators at the University o...f Alberta in Edmonton published their findings on Sep 26 in PLOS One.
To spark focus group discussions, the researchers used an 18-item questionnaire based on similar ones used during West Africa's outbreak in Guinea, where community resistance and episodes of violence also complicated the outbreak response.
Participants were a convenience sample of 670 adults from the region who were recruited by medical students at Catholic University of Graben. Those surveyed included clinicians, community members, and displaced persons.
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