Infectious diseases are constantly in transition. New diseases develop, known dis-eases become widespread or reemerge, and occasionally a disease is eradicated.Infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and cholera are significant causes ofillness and death in many parts of the world. Health car...e personnel are on thefront lines, helping to protect their clients from infectious diseases and treatingthem when infections occur. During the course of their work, health care person-nel perform clinical procedures or other activities that can expose both them andtheir clients to potentially infectious microorganisms. Many of their clients aresick and thus may be more susceptible to infections or may have infections thatcan be transmitted to others. Fortunately, all staff working at health care facilities can perform simple proce-dures to minimize risk—to themselves and clients—and reduce the spread ofinfections. These practices can be integrated at minimal cost into the routineworkday at clinics and hospitals around the world. This reference booklet isspecifically designed for use at all levels of the health care system, from thelargest hospitals to the smallest dispensaries or health posts, in settings whereresources are scarce. This booklet, which was first published in 1999, has now been updated. Whilemost practices remain the same, there have been a few important changes—forexample, in recommendations related to hand hygiene and standard precautions.Nonetheless, this booklet continues to present practical recommendations forsimple and relatively low-cost procedures that can be implemented anywhere,with basic supplies and little to no high-technology equipment.
more
Cancer centres are a major resource in ensuring a comprehensive approach to cancer treatment and its planning. As part of a new roadmap developed by WHO and IAEA to help countries design national cancer control programmes, this publication proposes a framework to develop a cancer centre and/or to st...rengthen the provision of services in an existing cancer centre. The publication provides the features of multidisciplinary cancer care and details the infrastructure, human resources and equipment for different services. This framework is expected to be used as a guide to implementation, taking into consideration the local context and resources.
more
Nosocomial or health-facility-acquired infections are a serious issue, representing one of the most significant causes of morbidity and mortality in healthcare systems and consuming many scarce resources, especially in developing countries. Although much has been done, particularly in the hospital s...etting, to reduce the risk of these infections, the problem persists and demands innovative and cost-efficient solutions.
Although the care provided in most primary health care facilities is predominantly ambulatory with few or no inpatient beds, infection prevention is still important to minimize or eliminate the risks of facility-acquired infections and assure quality patient care.
Health facilities and hospitals should have written infection control procedures and guidelines in place and should also be monitoring that these procedures are adhered to in both inpatient and ambulatory care settings.
more
(August 28 – October 10, 2017)
A nutrition and mortality assessment using SMART methodology was applied and the survey covered 15 statistical (14 districts plus 1) domains countrywide. The main objective of the survey was to assess the current nutrition status of the population, especially ch...ildren 6-59 months old and women of reproductive age (15-49 years of age). The survey also looked at the major contextual factors contributing to undernutrition such as infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices; food security indicators; water, sanitation and hygiene indicators; and health situation in Sierra Leone
more
This guide presents a basis for understanding how diarrhoeal diseases are currently influenced by climate and weather, and may be further exacerbated by climate change. It is a technical guide on how to conduct a Vulnerability & Adaptation assessment for diarrhoeal diseases and climate change, and p...rovides guidance on how to:
identify populations and regions vulnerable to diarrhoeal diseases and the reasons for their vulnerability;
establish relevant baselines that can be analysed and monitored;
conduct analyses to project how diarrhoeal diseases may be impacted in the future due to climate change; and
identify appropriate responses to mitigate and monitor these risks over time.
more
Licensed pharmaceutical products (marketing authorization) should be manufactured only by licensed manufacturers (holders of a manufacturing authorization) whose activities are regularly inspected by competent national authorities. This guide to GMP shall be used as a standard to justify GMP status,... which constitutes one of the elements of the WHO Certification Scheme on the quality of pharmaceutical products moving in international commerce, through the assessment of applications for manufacturing authorizations and as a basis for the inspection of manufacturing facilities. It may also be used as training material for government medicines inspectors, as well as for production, QC and QA personnel in the industry
more
Ethiopia saw a six-fold increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases between June and August, with 5,689 cases by end June compared to 34,058 cases as of 19 August. Ethiopia also registered more than 13,000 recoveries and more than 600 deaths. As of the last week of August, Ethiopia was leading eastern Afri...can countries with the highest number of cases.
more
This document describes the key areas that national governments should consider for the introduction and scale-up of point-of-care (POC) diagnostics within national programmes, as new innovative POC technologies are being introduced into the market. The next steps taken to include these new innovati...ons within the broader context of national diagnostic networks of conventional laboratories could influence the achievement of the 2030 Fast Track targets for ending the AIDS epidemic.
POC diagnostics, when strategically introduced and integrated into national diagnostic networks, may help catalyse changes that improve the way diagnostics and clinical services are delivered. This document distils this understanding based on programmatic and market experiences of introducing POC diagnostics through catalytic investments in POC HIV technologies across numerous countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
more
A qualitative assessment of knowledge gaps about female genital schistosomiasis among communities living in Schistosoma haematobium endemic districts of Zanzibar and Northwestern Tanzania.
PloS Neglected Tropical Diseases September 30, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009789
Schistosoma... haematobium causes urogenital schistosomiasis and is widely distributed in Tanzania. In girls and women, the parasite can cause Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS), a gynecological manifestation of schistosomiasis that is highly neglected and overlooked by public health professionals and policy makers. This study explored community members’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions (KAP) on and health seeking behavior for FGS.
more
Global UNIDO Project: Strengthening the local production of essential generic drugs in the least developed and developing countries
The World Health Organization's Model Disability Survey (MDS) Manual is a tool to help implement the MDS in countries and to improve the quality of the interview process. This manual is intended to provide practical information about the survey instruments and their use during interviews. This manua...l is to be used as a training tool for interviewers when administering the questionnaire.
more
The purpose of this ‘Facilitator Guidebook’ is to help the Course Coordinator deliver and document consistently high-quality CBDRR training courses.
- Module 1: Understanding the Basics: introduces the participants to the basics of CBDRR implementation of MRCS, general aspects of CBDRR in ...the context of Myanmar.
- Module 2: Implementing the Program: introduces the participants to the 9 CBDRR steps that are followed by MRCS when implementing community- and school-based programs and key points.
- Module 3: Ensuring Sustainability: introduces the participants to two aspects that are often forgotten when it comes to program implementation.
- Module 4: Being a Facilitator:introduces the participants to facilitation skills and some exercises are carried out that willhelp the participants to be a facilitator of the course themselves in the end.
more
First Global Patient Safety Challenge Clean Care is Safer Care
The WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care provide health-care workers (HCWs), hospital administrators and health authorities with a thorough review of evidence on hand hygiene in health care and specific recommendations to impro...ve practices and reduce transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to patients and HCWs. The present Guidelines are intended to be implemented in any situation in which health care is delivered either to a patient or to a specific group in a population. Therefore, this concept applies to all settings where health care is permanently or occasionally performed, such as home care by birth attendants.
more
22 December 2020
The COVID-19 vaccine safety guidance manual has been developed upon recommendation and guidance of GACVS members, as well as by experts incorporating current and available information critical to all stakeholders when COVID-19 vaccines will be introduced.
For ease of use, the man...ual is available in a compiled form and in several separate modules that can be consulted individually. For each module, specific training material is also available to facilitate implementation.
more
The Facilitator Training Manual on Workplace Pandemic Preparedness is a guide developed by GIZ and the Ministry of Health to help organizations prepare for and respond to pandemics while ensuring business continuity. It provides structured guidance on training, risk assessment, prevention, and respo...nse strategies for both medical and non-medical personnel.
Key topics include pandemic preparedness and response, covering diseases like Influenza, Cholera, Yellow Fever, and Meningitis, as well as personal hygiene, risk communication, and business continuity planning. The manual emphasizes participatory learning, practical training, and leadership in crisis management, aiming to enhance institutional resilience and ensure workplaces remain safe and operational during health crises.
more
This manual is designed to provide comprehensive malaria case management training for health workers at all levels, including clinical, nursing, dispensing, laboratory and records staff. The training covers the use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and the treatment of severe malaria. The fiv...e-day training programme includes interactive modules supported by job aids. The ideal group size is 20–30 participants, supported by a team of three trainers. Trainers should thoroughly review the manual, including the 'Adult Learning Techniques' module, and follow the 'Facilitator's Guide', while participants should use the 'Simplified Participant's Guide'. The training includes pre- and post-tests to assess knowledge improvement. Continuing Medical Education (CME) is encouraged after the training, and resources are provided in the appendix.
more
The "Integrated Management of Malaria Training – Health Worker’s Manual" is a practical guide developed by Uganda’s Ministry of Health to train healthcare workers at all levels in the effective diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and management of malaria. It aligns with national malaria treatme...nt guidelines and aims to improve the quality of care and reduce malaria-related illness and death. The manual covers key topics such as clinical assessment of fever, use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), case management of uncomplicated and severe malaria, malaria in pregnancy, co-infections like HIV, as well as community engagement and proper documentation. It includes structured training sessions, case studies, and job aids designed to strengthen the skills of health workers in both public and private sectors, and to ensure standardized, evidence-based malaria care across the country.
more
Anaemia is a serious global public health problem that particularly affects young children, menstruating adolescent girls and women, and pregnant and postpartum women. It is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or the haemoglobin concentration within them is lower than normal, affectin...g the blood’s ability to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues.
To reliably monitor the prevalence of anaemia at a population level, it is vital to measure the haemoglobin concentration in an accurate and precise way. In large-scale surveys, however, haemoglobin is most commonly measured using single-drop capillary blood specimens in point-of-care devices. Emerging evidence suggests that the use of single-drop capillary blood can introduce random and/or systematic errors, which may lead to inaccurate estimates, complicating effective anaemia programming.
This technical brief describes the current best practices for haemoglobin measurement, providing guidance to help plan or implement field surveys to assess anaemia at a population level. Continuing work to review emerging evidence is led by members of the WHO-UNICEF Technical Expert Advisory group on nutrition Monitoring (TEAM).
more