Violence against women and girls is widespread in the Region of the Americas, resulting in enormous consequences for the health and wellbeing of women and girls, their families and communities. These costs are unacceptable and they can be prevented through evidence-based action, including the health... sector through its policies and protocols, as well as in collaboration with other sectors. This report remains the first of its kind and is a major milestone for the Region. It is specifically informed by the commitments of Member States in the regional Strategy and Plan of Action on Strengthening the Health System to Address Violence against Women. The report provides an analysis of efforts to advance the prevention of violence against women through health policies, clinical protocols, multisectoral plans and related approaches across the Americas. Attention to this topic is timely, as the COVID-19 pandemic has created new visibility for this area of work. This report offers critical information on efforts in the Region that can be learned from and used to build upon in the future to prevent and respond to violence against all women and girls everywhere.
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Guía de buenas prácticas.Tercera edición
Las directrices se organizan en torno a ocho principios clave que corresponden al curso del contrato de un funcionario. El diagrama adjunto representa los principios de forma visual. Cada principio cuenta con indicadores y comentarios de apoyo, así como ...con estudios de caso diseñados para ayudar al lector a comprender mejor los conceptos en los que se basan los principios y cómo pueden llevarse a la práctica. Los principios e indicadores están pensados para ser aplicados tanto al personal internacional como al nacional y tanto al de oficina como al de campo, reconociendo que puede ser necesario realizar ajustes para tener en cuenta las necesidades y características únicas de cada grupo y de la organización. Constituyen una herramienta de aprendizaje, reflexión y planificación, más que un conjunto de reglas rígidas o soluciones aplicables en todas las condiciones.
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Nigeria reported its first case of COVID-19 at the end of February 2020 and subsequently experienced
four waves, with peaks in June 2020 and January, August and December 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic
severely impacted the economy of Nigeria and caused disruption of health services nationwide. During... the crisis, many Nigerians failed to access routine health
services due to decreased income and lockdown
restrictions. The most significant service disruptions
were in maternal and newborn health, vaccination,
sick childcare, family planning and noncommunicable
disease treatment services (1). Pregnant women
were anxious about contracting COVID-19 during
2020, and as a result, many avoided attending health
facilities for antenatal (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC).
Disruptions in the medical supply chain and diversion
of resources to COVID-19 management impacted on
essential health services. Health workers were often
unable to go to work because of transport disruptions
or illness
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La violencia contra las mujeres y las niñas es generalizada en la Región de las Américas, y tiene enormes consecuencias para su salud y bienestar, así como el de sus familias y sus comunidades. Se trata de un costo inaceptable que puede ser prevenido mediante acciones basadas en la evidencia, pr...omovidas por las políticas y los protocolos del sector de la salud, y la colaboración con otros sectores. El presente informe es el primero de su tipo y representa un hito importante para la Región. Se basa específicamente en los compromisos asumidos por los Estados Miembros en la Estrategia y plan de acción sobre el fortalecimiento del sistema de salud para abordar la violencia contra la mujer. El informe ofrece un análisis de los esfuerzos para avanzar en la prevención de la violencia contra las mujeres en la Región por medio de políticas de salud, protocolos clínicos, planes multisectoriales y otros enfoques relevantes. La atención a este tema es oportuna, ya que la pandemia de COVID-19 ha dado más visibilidad a esta esfera de trabajo. En este informe se ofrece información crucial sobre los esfuerzos llevados a cabo en la Región, de los cuales se puede aprender y utilizar el conocimiento extraído en el futuro para prevenir y responder a la violencia contra las mujeres y las niñas en todo el mundo.
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4 August 2021. Currently, Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine COMIRNATY® (Tozinameran) is the only COVID-19 vaccine that should be stored and transported at -60ºC to -86ºC ultra-low temperature (ULT) conditions. Prior to use the vaccine can be transferred to -20ºC freezer or +2-8ºC refrigerator at... the lower store levels and immunization service points. However, vaccine shelf life is affected when vaccine is transferred to a different storage temperature. Health workers in charge of managing the storage, transport and administration of the vaccine should be well trained to maintain vaccine quality. Good cold chain planning, strong management of vaccine supply, logistics and distribution, including installation and effective monitoring and evaluation of the performance of the storage equipment and infrastructure, are also necessary.
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"La finalidad del presente MANUAL DE LA OMS PARA LA GESTIÓN DE SALUD PÚBLICA DE LOS INCIDENTES QUÍMICOS es proporcionar una panorámica general de los principios y funciones de la salud pública en materia de gestión de incidentes y emergencias químicos. Aunque se brinda información para cada ...fase del ciclo de una emergencia (prevención, planifi cación y preparación, detección y alerta, y respuesta y recuperación), es bien sabido que la gestión de los incidentes y emergencias químicos requieren un enfoque multidisciplinario y multisectorial y que el sector de la salud pública puede ejercer un papel infl uyente, complementario o directivo en las diversas etapas del proceso de gestión. El público al que nos dirigimos se compone de salubristas y expertos en cuestiones ambientales, así como de cualquiera que tenga interés en la gestión de los incidentes químicos."
also available in english and french
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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a leading cause of death in the African region, surpassing fatalities from malaria, HIV, and TB. In response to this critical threat, the region has adopted the AMR Global Action Plan and the African Union Framework for Antimicrobial Resistance Control 2...020 – 2025, which is tailored to meet the specific needs of African nations through a coordinated approach. While most countries in the region have developed and prioritized National Action Plans (NAPs) to tackle AMR, the overall response remains inadequate given the magnitude of the threat, which endangers human, animal, environmental, aquatic, and plant health.
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Este documento brinda orientaciones y directrices técnicas para mantener las acciones para la prevención y control de la tuberculosis (TB), ante la coyuntura que representa la pandemia del COVID-19 en Colombia, de conformidad con las directrices y recomendaciones emitidas por la Organización Mund...ial de la Salud (OMS), Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS) y demás organismos internacionales, que generan recomendaciones en la respuesta integrada a estos eventos de alto impacto para la salud pública. Estas recomendaciones están dirigidas a los diferentes agentes del sistema de salud tales como: entidades territoriales del orden departamental, municipal y distrital, empresas administradoras de planes de beneficios, prestadores de servicios de salud, trabajadores de la salud, agentes comunitarios y demás implicados en las acciones para la prevención y control de la tuberculosis y el COVID-19.
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n este documento de orientación se abordan las las consecuencias sociales, económicas y en materia de salud de las medidas adoptadas para controlar la pandemia en relación con el cierre de las escuelas, así como los elementos que deben tenerse en cuenta al reabrir y cerrar las escuelas, haciendo... hincapié en los niños, niñas y adolescentes en situación de vulnerabilidad. Además, se plantean otras consideraciones para que los planes de reapertura de las escuelas incluyan medidas concebidas específicamente para beneficiar a los niños, niñas y adolescentes que tienen más riesgo de tener resultados desfavorables en materia de educación y salud por el impacto negativo, directo e indirecto, de la pandemia de COVID-19.
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USAID/KENYA Evaluation Services and Program Support (ESPS)
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has a solid track record of supporting health and development initiatives in Kenya. AIDS, Population, and Health Integrated Assistance (APHIA) is the agency’s flagship hea...lth initiative in the country. APHIA is currently in its third iteration, APHIAPlus, which began in January 2011 and is slated to end in December 2015. APHIAPlus was designed to contribute to Result 3 (“Increased use of quality health services, products, and information”) and Result 4 (“Social determinants of health”) of USAID/Kenya’s implementation framework. The main technical areas of focus are HIV/AIDS; malaria; family planning (FP); tuberculosis (TB); maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH); and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).
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Le Nigéria a signalé son premier cas de COVID-19 vers fin février 2020. Le pays a ensuite connu quatre vagues de
contaminations avec des pics en juin 2020, janvier 2021, août 2021 et décembre 2021. La pandémie de COVID-19
a eu de graves conséquences sur l’économie du Nigéria et a entra...né une perturbation des services de santé
dans l’ensemble du pays. Pendant la crise, de nombreux Nigérians n’ont pu accéder aux services de santé courants
en raison d’une baisse de revenus et des restrictions liées aux confinements. Les services de santé de la mère
et du nouveau-né, les services de vaccination, de soins aux enfants malades, de planification familiale et de
traitement des maladies non transmissibles ont été les plus perturbés
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En esta nueva edición de la guía Evaluación de daños y análisis de necesidades de salud en situaciones de desastre (EDAN) se hace énfasis en la organización del sector salud, desde la conformación del comité operativo de emergencia hasta la sala de situación de salud, estructura que debe r...eproducirse en el nivel nacional, regional y local. Se analizan las características de la EDAN y se presentan modelos de formatos para la recolección y análisis de la información de salud. El propósito es que la toma de decisiones se fundamente en información técnica de calidad, que permita diagnosticar, priorizar, planificarla intervención y solicitar recursos para la respuesta a emergencias de forma eficaz.
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Este manual operativo determina los aspectos y las etapas primordiales de la ampliación programática del tratamiento preventivo de la tuberculosis, y proporciona herramientas de ejecución e instrumentos de trabajo para la adaptación al contexto local, así como indicadores de seguimiento y evalu...ación de la gestión. En él se destacan los elementos clave que deben tenerse en cuenta en la atención al paciente, la planificación nacional estratégica y la movilización de recursos
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Physical distancing measures are important to reduce COVID-19 transmission. However, when stringently applied, they can result in negative health and socio-economic impacts. This report draws on a rapid review of available literature, case studies from across Africa and expert knowledge to make reco...mmendations on adapting classic physical distancing measures to the contextual realities in Africa and on mitigating potential negative impacts.
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Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease among school-going adolescents worldwide. However, the burden of severe asthma is highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to explore teachers’ perceptions of asthma care across six African countries. We conducted focus group discussions... (FGDs) using a semi-structured interview guide. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. FGDs were conducted in Kumasi(Ghana), Blantyre (Malawi), Lagos (Nigeria), Durban (South Africa), Kampala (Uganda), and Harare (Zimbabwe) between 01 November 2020 and 30 June 2021. We identified two key themes related to asthma care; barriers to asthma care and suggestions to improve the care of adolescents with asthma. Barriers reported by teachers included a lack of knowledge and skills among themselves, adolescents, and caregivers. In addition, some traditional beliefs of teachers on asthma exacerbated challenges with asthma care in schools. Regarding suggestions, most teachers identified a need for all-inclusive asthma training programmes for teachers, adolescents and caregivers, focusing on acute episodes and mitigating triggers. Utilising teachers with personal experiences with asthma to advocate and support these initiatives was suggested. Further suggestions included the need for annual screening to enable early identification of adolescents with asthma and clarify restrictions on teachers administering asthma medications. Teachers across African schools identify multiple barriers to asthma care. Structured school education programs and annual asthma screening are key to addressing some barriers to care.
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This recommendation is an update of one of the 49 recommendations that were published in the WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience. The recommendation was developed initially using the standardized operating procedures described in the WHO handbook for guideline d...evelopment.
In summary, the process included: (i) identification of priority question and outcomes; (ii) retrieval of evidence; (iii) assessment and synthesis of the evidence; (iv) formulation of recommendation; and (v) planning for the implementation, dissemination, impact evaluation and updating of the recommendation. This recommendation was identified by the Executive Guideline Steering Group (GSG) as a high priority for updating in response to new evidence on this question.
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The World Drug Report 2022 is aimed not only at fostering greater international cooperation to counter the impact of the world drug problem on health, governance and security, but also, with its special insights, at assisting Member States in anticipating and address-ing threats from drug markets an...d mitigating their consequences.
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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... preference for unhealthy, carbohydrate-rich, and sugary foods over traditional and nutritious options, exacerbated by factors like low socioeconomic status, urbanization, and poor farming practices.
Sedentary behavior, such as gambling and extensive technology use, was prevalent, often replacing physical activity. Protective factors like school attendance, community-based services, and parental engagement were identified as mitigating risks. The study highlights the importance of ecological intervention strategies targeting intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community factors to address unhealthy behaviors and promote better health outcomes in adolescents.
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he UNFPA “Programmatic guidelines: Cash and Voucher Assistance in Sexual and Reproductive Health programming in Emergencies” explains how CVA can be effectively integrated into humanitarian responses to help women, girls, and other vulnerable groups access lifesaving and comprehensive SRH servic...es. Rooted in UNFPA’s mandate, this document provides practical direction for designing, implementing, and monitoring CVA within SRH programming.
The guidance highlights the barriers that hinder access to SRH care, such as affordability, availability, acceptability, and appropriateness, and illustrates how CVA can address financial obstacles by covering transport, user fees, or other indirect costs, while reinforcing health system strengthening efforts. CVA is presented as a complementary tool that supports both emergency and long-term SRH goals. Within humanitarian emergencies, it can contribute directly to achieving MISP objectives, including:
Enabling survivors of sexual violence to access clinical and psychosocial care;
Supporting the continuation of HIV and STI treatment, including coverage of transport;
Facilitating safe deliveries and emergency obstetric and newborn care; and
Removing financial barriers to voluntary family planning and contraceptive access, while ensuring informed choice and avoiding coercion.
Beyond the MISP, CVA also supports the transition to comprehensive SRH services in protracted emergencies and recovery phases. Examples include using cash or vouchers to encourage antenatal and postnatal care, ensure menstrual hygiene, sustain cancer prevention and treatment, fund obstetric fistula repair, and promote SRH education among adolescents.
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These consolidated guidelines on HIV testing services (HTS) bring together existing and new guidance on HTS across different settings and populations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) first released consolidated guidelines on HTS in 2015, in response to requests from Member States, national pr...ogramme managers and health workers for support to achieve the United Nations (UN) 90–90–90 global HIV targets – and specifically the first target of diagnosing 90% of all people with HIV. In 2016, based on new evidence, WHO released a supplement to address important new HIV testing approaches – HIV self-testing (HIVST) and provider-assisted referral.
Since the release of 2015 and 2016 HTS guidelines, new issues and more evidence have emerged. To address this, WHO has updated guidance on HIV testing services. In this guideline, WHO updates recommendation on HIVST and provides new recommendations on social network-based HIV testing approaches and western blotting (see box, next page). This guideline seeks to provide support to Member States, programme managers, health workers and other stakeholders seeking to achieve national and international goals to end the HIV epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.
These guidelines also provide operational guidance on HTS demand creation and messaging; implementation considerations for priority populations; HIV testing strategies for diagnosis HIV; optimizing the use of dual HIV/syphilis rapid diagnostic tests; and considerations for strategic planning and rationalizing resources such as optimal time points for maternal retesting
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