The report "Assessing National Capacity for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases" provides an overview of the capacities of countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to address noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) based on a 2019 survey. It evaluates the progress of 22 countries in ...areas such as governance, policy implementation, health infrastructure, data collection, and healthcare resources for NCD prevention. The report highlights achievements and gaps, emphasizing the need for strengthened health systems, surveillance, and cross-sectoral collaboration to meet the WHO's global NCD targets. The findings guide further actions to reduce the burden of NCDs in the region.
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The National Integrated Comprehensive Cholera Prevention and Control Plan (2017-2022) outlines Uganda's strategy to reduce cholera cases and mortality by 50% by 2022. The plan focuses on improving access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), strengthening disease surveillance, enhancing ca...se management, and implementing oral cholera vaccination (OCV) in high-risk areas. It emphasizes multi-sectoral collaboration, involving government agencies, NGOs, and local communities to ensure a sustainable response. Key interventions include community engagement, improved health services, and better outbreak preparedness, aiming for long-term cholera elimination in Uganda.
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The WHO Guide on Cholera Control in Complex Emergencies provides key steps for preparedness, prevention, and response to cholera and other diarrheal diseases in crisis situations. It highlights the importance of early warning systems, rapid response, and coordination among health agencies. The guide... outlines measures for case management, water sanitation, hygiene promotion, and outbreak containment, particularly in refugee camps and disaster-affected areas. It emphasizes community involvement, surveillance, and proper health infrastructure to reduce mortality and control disease spread in vulnerable populations.
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This article describes WHO's efforts to combat a cholera outbreak in South Sudan in July 2017. The organization received 500,000 doses of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) and was working with South Sudan's Ministry of Health to launch a vaccination campaign from July 28 to August 3, 2017. At the time, the... country had reported 17,785 cholera cases and 320 deaths since the outbreak began in June 2016. The vaccination campaign targeted four counties with high transmission rates: Tonj East, Kapoeta South, Kapoeta North, and Kapoeta East. South Sudan was implementing an integrated approach to control cholera, combining patient care, surveillance, social mobilization, water and sanitation improvements, and vaccination. The article notes that approximately 6 million people in South Sudan were facing starvation, with food insecurity and drought exacerbating the risk of cholera spread as people resorted to using contaminated water sources.
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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health crisis that resulted in 1.14 million deaths in 2021. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates, 96 416 of these deaths occurred in the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region. All 22 countr...ies/territories in the Eastern Mediterranean Region are enrolled in the global AMR
surveillance system, and 17 countries/territories reported data in 2024 (for the year 2023). The total number of isolates reported to the system increased sixfold between 2017 and 2022, but the proportion of blood isolates is relatively very low. Most of the data come from public sector laboratories or hospitals, although the private sector has increased its participation in some countries/territories recently. Three pathogens account for three quarters of all the reported pathogens – Escherichia coli
(26%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (23%), and Staphylococcus aureus (22%).
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In 2007, the Sixtieth World Health Assembly adopted resolution WHA60.13 on control of leishmaniasis, urging Member States, among other actions: to strengthen prevention, active detection and treatment of cases of both cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in order to decrease the disease burden; and ...to strengthen the capacity of peripheral health centres to deliver primary and secondary care, so that they provide appropriate affordable diagnosis and treatment and act as sentinel surveillance sites.
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RBC/IHDPC/ EID Division | November2011 - The aim of the standard operating procedures is to guide health care providers and public health
experts from various levels of the health system in the implementation of enhanced surveillance of meningococcal meningitis.
The document “Malaria Elimination Programme Review, India 2022”, published by the WHO Country Office for India, provides an in-depth assessment of India’s progress toward malaria elimination. It evaluates the structure, implementation, and effectiveness of national and subnational malaria prog...rams, focusing on surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, vector control, and community engagement. The review identifies strengths, challenges, and areas for improvement, offering evidence-based recommendations to accelerate India's efforts to eliminate malaria by 2030.
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The "Regional Action Plan 2017–2030: Towards a Malaria-Free South-East Asia Region" by the World Health Organization (WHO) outlines a strategic framework to eliminate malaria in the 11 countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region by 2030. It focuses on reducing transmission, particularly of Plasmod...ium falciparum and P. vivax, addressing multidrug resistance, improving surveillance, and ensuring universal access to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The plan sets clear objectives and milestones and emphasizes strong governance, cross-border collaboration, community involvement, and sustainable financing to achieve and maintain a malaria-free status across the region.
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The document WHA70.16, adopted during the 70th World Health Assembly, outlines a global strategy for an integrated response to vector-borne diseases. It emphasizes the urgent need to strengthen national and global capacities for vector control amid rising threats such as insecticide resistance, clim...ate change, and the spread of vectors like mosquitoes. Member States are urged to align their national strategies with WHO’s integrated approach, improve surveillance, promote research, and ensure cross-sector and cross-border collaboration. The WHO Director-General is requested to provide technical support, promote innovation, and monitor progress, with regular updates to future World Health Assemblies.
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The Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Strategy for the Prevention of the Re-establishment of Malaria Transmission in Timor-Leste forms part of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) for 2021–2025. The strategy aims to support Timor-Leste's efforts to sustain malaria elimination by promot...ing responsive and preventive behaviours through targeted communication and community engagement. Created in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the WHO, the Global Fund and other stakeholders, the SBCC strategy implements recommendations from the 2020 external review of the National Malaria Programme. Building on previous BCC initiatives (2015–2020), it emphasises surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and vector control, particularly focusing on vulnerable populations. The SBCC strategy provides partners and implementers with a dynamic guide to designing context-specific communication interventions that support malaria elimination and prevent the re-establishment of transmission.
Accessed on 18/06/2025.
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The WHO Malaria Threats Map is an interactive online platform that showcases the latest global data on four critical biological threats to effective malaria control and elimination: mosquito insecticide resistance, Plasmodium falciparum hrp2/3 gene deletions, antimalarial drug resistance, and the ...spread of invasive vector species. Designed for public health professionals and researchers, the map allows users to explore and filter data regionally, track emerging resistance patterns, and view visual trends. Its purpose is to inform strategies for surveillance, guide policy-making, and support efforts to eliminate malaria, particularly by anticipating and responding to biological challenges that could undermine control programs.
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The framework recommends expanded coverage of malaria diagnostic and treatment services, intensified vector control to drive down transmission, strengthened malaria surveillance, and increased transborder collaboration, especially in terms of efforts to control the sale and use of artemisinin monoth...erapies. Since it is unlikely that national malaria control programs will be able to implement all the activities described in this framework simultaneously, a list of suggested priority activities has been included in the Annex.
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The Ghana National Malaria Strategic Plan 2021–2025 aims to reduce malaria mortality by 90% and malaria cases by 50% (using 2019 as baseline) and to achieve pre-elimination in at least six districts by 2025. The plan focuses on scaling up prevention measures like distributing insecticide-treated n...ets, indoor residual spraying, seasonal chemoprevention, and prevention in pregnancy. It also emphasizes universal access to prompt diagnosis and effective treatment, strengthening health system governance, improving supply chains, mobilizing resources, and enhancing surveillance. Special attention is given to vulnerable groups and high-burden areas to ensure equity and sustainability in the fight against malaria.
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The National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan (NMESP) 2024–2028 of Ghana outlines the country’s roadmap to shift from malaria control to elimination. Despite major progress—like reducing malaria deaths from nearly 2,800 in 2012 to 151 in 2022—malaria remains a major public health challenge... in Ghana.
The plan aims to reduce malaria deaths by 90% and cases by 50% by 2028 (compared to 2022), and to eliminate malaria entirely in 21 low-burden districts. It includes a mix of interventions such as insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, seasonal chemoprevention, malaria vaccination, and strong surveillance systems.
The strategy is tailored to the local malaria burden, promotes community engagement, relies on multisectoral partnerships, and ensures adequate resource mobilization. Its ultimate goal is to protect Ghana’s population, improve public health, and support the country’s socioeconomic development.
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The report provides an update on the cholera outbreak in Haiti as of January and February 2024. A total of 79,411 suspected cases have been reported, with 4,608 confirmed cases and 1,172 deaths across all 10 departments. The most affected regions include Ouest, Centre, Artibonite, and Nord, with chi...ldren aged 1-9 being the most impacted. Despite a recent decline in reported cases, underreporting due to security issues remains a concern. Response efforts include coordination meetings, epidemiological surveillance, case management, WASH interventions, vaccination campaigns, and community engagement. However, logistical challenges, insecurity, and funding shortages are hindering effective response efforts.
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The Practical manual on laboratory strengthening, 2022 update provides practical guidance on implementation of WHO recommendations and best practices for TB laboratory strengthening. It is an updated version of the GLI Practical Guide to Laboratory Strengthening published in 2017 and provides the la...test practical guidance on use of newly recommended diagnostics as well as guidance in key technical areas, including quality assurance and quality management systems, specimen collection and registration, procurement and supply-chain management, diagnostic connectivity, biosafety, data management, human resources, strategic planning, and model algorithms. The key changes are:
inclusion of recent or updated WHO recommendations for tests to diagnose TB and detect drug resistance;
alignment with the latest WHO critical concentrations for phenotypic drug-susceptibility testing (DST) and the new definitions of pre-XDR-TB and XDR-TB;
updated information on building quality-assured TB testing and management capacity using the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) approach (Score-TB package1);
updated information on assessing, analysing and optimising TB diagnostic networks; and
updated information on the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) to detect mutations associated with drug resistance for surveillance purposes.
The document also provides references to resources and tools relevant for work on laboratory strengthening.
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Le présent document rassemble une série de recommandations émises par l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS) et l’Organisation panaméricaine de la Santé (OPS) pour aider les professionnels chargés des programmes de lutte antivectorielle en Amérique latine et dans les Caraïbes aux niv...eaux national, infranational et local à mettre à jour et prendre des decisions à base factuelle qui touchent les mesures de lutte antivectorielle les mieux adaptées à chaque situation particulière. La GIV peut être utilisée lorsque la cible est la surveillance et la lutte ou l’élimination (en function de chaque situation) des MTV et peut contribuer à réduire le développement de la résistance aux insecticides au moyen de l’utilisation rationnelle de ces produits. Le présent document contient les instructions nécessaires pour mener à bien le mandat établi par l’OPS en 2008 (résolution CD48.R8, document CD48/13), en particulier, il complémente une série de guides de l’OMS publiés en 2012
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Principaux faits
D’après les estimations, 6 à 7 millions de personnes dans le monde sont infectées par Trypanosoma cruzi (T. Cruzi), le parasite responsable de la maladie de Chagas. La plupart de ces personnes vivent en Amérique latine.
La transmission à l’être humain se fait principalem...ent, en Amérique latine, par l’intermédiaire d’un insecte appelé triatome, qui peut être porteur de T. cruzi.
Parmi les autres modes de transmission de la maladie de Chagas, figurent : la transmission orale (par voie alimentaire), la transfusion de sang ou de produits sanguins, la transmission mère-enfant (congénitale), la transplantation d’organes et les accidents de laboratoire.
La maladie de Chagas ne touchait auparavant que des zones rurales de la Région des Amériques, et surtout de l’Amérique latine. Ces dernières décennies, toutefois, les mouvements de population ont fait que la plupart des personnes infectées sont des habitants de zones urbaines (urbanisation) et que la maladie s’est propagée à d’autres continents (où T. cruzi se transmet par des voies non vectorielles).
L’infection à T. cruzi est curable si un traitement est instauré rapidement après l’infection.
Chez les personnes infectées de façon chronique, un traitement antiparasitaire peut éventuellement prévenir ou enrayer la progression de la maladie, et éviter sa transmission, notamment de la mère à l’enfant.
Jusqu’à 30 % des personnes infectées de façon chronique présentent des troubles cardiaques, et jusqu’à 10 % d’entre elles souffrent de troubles digestifs et/ou neurologiques, ce qui peut imposer un traitement particulier.
Les principales méthodes de prévention de la maladie de Chagas en Amérique latine sont la lutte antivectorielle ainsi que d’autres stratégies visant à réduire la transmission vectorielle.
Dans le monde entier, le dépistage sanguin joue un rôle crucial dans la prévention de l’infection par transfusion ou transplantation d’organes.
Il est essentiel de détecter et de traiter l’infection chez les femmes et les filles en âge de procréer, ainsi que de soumettre tout nouveau-né et ses frères et sœurs à un dépistage dans le cas où la mère est infectée et n’a jamais reçu de traitement antiparasitaire.
Certains facteurs socio-économiques et environnementaux influent fortement sur la maladie de Chagas, dont la propagation et les différentes dimensions interdépendantes justifient la nécessité de mettre en œuvre des stratégies de lutte multisectorielles.
Quelques pays ont mis en place la notification et la surveillance des cas aigus et chroniques et des voies de transmission actives, qui sont essentielles à la lutte contre la maladie de Chagas.
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Viral hepatitis is defined as inflammation of the liver cells due to viral infection. The burden of liver disease in South Africa is mostly underestimated as viral hepatitis, in particular chronic infection, is a silent and neglected cause of morbidity and mortality. However, the burden of disease i...s likely substantial given the prevalence of chronic viral hepatitis. This burden is further compounded by the lack of screening and access to care and treatment as well as inadequate disease surveillance, human and financial resources.
The National Guidelines for the Management of Viral Hepatitis were developed, with the purpose to:
inform healthcare workers in the public and private sectors about the disease, its epidemiology in South Africa and current methods of diagnosis and therapy
strengthen the healthcare response to viral hepatitis
empower communicable diseases workers and stakeholders to make informed decisions regarding appropriate and cost effective interventions
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