This handbook was designed primarily as a tool for district clinical specialist teams (DCSTs), and for the provincial specialists who will guide and support their work. This handbook will also be useful to managers of health facilities, heads of clinical units and nurses, doctors and allied health w...orkers at the coalface of clinical care. This handbook will be of interest to district managers and other members of the district management team who are dedicated to developing the capacity of the district health system to respond
effectively to the health needs of the population they serve. It will help them understand the role of the DCSTs and the type of
activities they need to engage in to improve the quality of care
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16 June 2020
PAHO’s Smart Hospitals Project started in 2009 and has been implemented across nine countries in the Caribbean Region. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new lessons to be incorporated as part of Smart Retrofits. This document is intended to describe simple natural and... mechanical ventilation measures which can be implemented as an extension of the PAHO Smart Retrofits with the aim of reducing the risk of transmission of viruses like COVID-19.
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More than 20 million people in North-East Nigeria, South Sudan, Yemen and Somalia are facing famine or a credible risk of famine over the coming six
months. Some 1.4 million children are currently at imminent risk of death from malnutrition. To avert a major humanitarian catastrophe the United Nat...ions and its partners must massively scale up efforts now. To do this, humanitarian operations in the four countries require more than US$5.6 billion in 2017, of which at least US$4.4 billion are required urgently.
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The main objective of this mission was to assess the level of preparedness of Guinea-Bissau in respect of the WHO consolidated checklist. The checklist helps countries to assess and test their level of readiness it is being used to identify concrete action to be taken and where countries will requir...e support from partners. It lists 10 key components and tasks for both countries and the international community that should be completed within 30, 60 and 90 days from the date of issue of the list, with minimal requirements for equipment, material and human resources.
The components include: overall coordination; rapid response teams; public awareness and community engagement; infection prevention and control; epidemiological and laboratory surveillance; contact tracing; points of entry; laboratory; social mobilization and risk communication; budget.
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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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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of global deaths, with the majority occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). The primary and secondary prevention of CVD is suboptimal throughout the world, but the evidence-practice gaps are much more pronounced in LMIC. Barriers at the... patient, health-care provider, and health system level prevent the implementation of optimal primary and secondary prevention. Identification of the particular barriers that exist in resource-constrained settings is necessary to inform effective strategies to reduce the identified evidence-practice gaps. Furthermore, targeting modifiable factors that contribute most significantly to the global burden of CVD, including tobacco use, hypertension, and secondary prevention for CVD will lead to the biggest gains in mortality reduction. We review a select number of novel, resource-efficient strategies to reduce premature mortality from CVD, including: (1) effective measures for tobacco control; (2) implementation of simplified screening and management algorithms for those with or at risk of CVD, (3) increasing the availability and affordability of simplified and cost-effective treatment regimens including combination CVD preventive drug therapy, and (4) simplified delivery of health care through task-sharing (non-physician health workers) and optimizing self-management (treatment supporters). Developing and deploying systems of care that address barriers related to the above, will lead to substantial reductions in CVD and related mortality.
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The Ministry of Health and Social Services has the mandate to fulfil one of the aspirations in Namibia’s Vision 2030 to “transform Namibia into a healthy and food-secure nation”. Namibia strives to provide quality health and social welfare services efficiently and effectively to the population... across the country in its quest to achieve universal health coverage. Namibia has identified eHealth as one of its key enablers to achieve universal health coverage.
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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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This question bank is a menu of qualitative questions related to healthcare workers’ knowledge, perceptions and practices during infectious disease outbreaks. The question bank will generate qualitative data on healthcare workers’ subjective understandings of risks, case management, protection a...nd wider outbreak operations. These data can be used to inform risk communication and community engagement activities as well as other response pillars. Some of the issues covered in these questions are complex, for example stigma or views on vaccine safety
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Offering additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) choices has the potential to increase uptake and effective use of PrEP, and of HIV prevention overall, as it allows people to choose a method that they prefer.
In this guideline, WHO recommends an offering long-acting injectable lenacapavir (LEN...) as an additional HIV prevention choice, as part of combination HIV prevention approaches. LEN, administered twice a year as PrEP, has been shown to be highly effective at reducing the risk of HIV acquisition. In this guideline, WHO also recommends using HIV rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for individuals initiating or continuing long-acting injectable PrEP, such as LEN and long acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA). Flexible HIV testing approaches are essential for ensuring that testing does not become a barrier to accessing or continuing PrEP, including long-acting injectable options.
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The Manual for Parasitological Surveillance in Prevention of Reintroduction or Re-establishment of Malaria in Sri Lanka (2019) provides guidelines to health professionals on how to conduct effective malaria surveillance to prevent the reintroduction of the disease in Sri Lanka, which was certified m...alaria-free in 2016.
The manual outlines strategies for active and passive case detection, laboratory diagnosis, case investigation, foci investigation, and follow-up measures. It emphasizes targeted screening of high-risk populations, including travelers and migrant workers, and explains the importance of prompt reporting, accurate parasitological confirmation, and coordination between healthcare levels. The overall goal is to maintain Sri Lanka’s malaria-free status by ensuring early detection and rapid response to any imported or locally suspected malaria cases.
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The World Health Organization recently redefined leprosy elimination as a phased process, with the first milestone being the
interruption of transmission, achieved when no new child cases (defined as younger than 15 years) are reported for five consecutive years.
In Pakistan, the well-functioning ...leprosy programme, with effective case management, context-specific active case-finding strategies and
a robust data management system, has contributed to a decrease in new cases. Between 2001 and 2023, new adult cases dropped by 75%
(from 878 cases to 220 cases annually) and child cases by 83% (from 93 to 16). To support the country’s goal of no new child cases by 2030
and ultimately eliminate the disease, the nongovernmental organizations Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre and Aid to Leprosy Patients, with
support from the German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association, have developed a zero leprosy roadmap. As part of this roadmap,
the leprosy elimination strategy emphasizes improving active case-finding and providing post-exposure prophylaxis for contacts of leprosy
cases, who are at the highest risk
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Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) have emerged as conditions of great public health concern in Kenya accounting for 39% of deaths annually. The Ministry of Health through the Department of Non-Communicable Diseases has adopted the vision of achieving a nation free from preventable burden of NCDs. Fur...ther, the mission of this strategy is to halt and reverse the rising burden of NCDs through effective multisectoral collaboration and partnerships by ensuring Kenyans receive the highest attainable standard of NCD continuum of care that is accessible, affordable, quality, equitable and sustainable thus alleviating suffering, disease and death for their well-being and socio-economic development.
The scope of NCDs covered by this strategy include; cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, mental health conditions, violence and injuries, hemoglobinopathies, haemophilia and other bleeding disorders, auto immune diseases, chronic renal diseases, epilepsy and other neurological disorders, chronic skin conditions and oral diseases and conditions. It equally addresses seven risk factors; tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diets and toxins, physical inactivity, indoor air pollution, environmental pollutants and toxins and stress.
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Policy Brief. Good practice statement: When planning and implementing a response for HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted diseases (STIs), policy-makers and providers should be aware that
counselling behavioural interventions aimed to change behaviours to reduce risks associated
with th...ese infections for key populations have not been shown to have an effect on HIV, viral
hepatitis and STIs’ incidence nor on risk behaviour such as condom use and needle/syringe
sharing. Counselling and information sharing, not aimed at changing behaviours, can be a key
component of engagement with key populations and, when provided, it should be in a nonjudgemental manner, alongside other prevention interventions and with involvement of peers
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The WHO Global tuberculosis report 2025 provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the TB epidemic and of progress in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease, at global, regional and country levels. This is done in the context of global TB commitments, strategies and targets.
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The 2025 edition of the report is, as usual, based primarily on data gathered by WHO from national ministries of health in annual rounds of data collection. In 2025, 184 countries and areas with more than 99% of the world’s population and TB cases reported data.
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People with underlying noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and cancer have a high risk for developing severe and even fatal COVID-19. It is important for them to strictly follow basic protective measures and make sure th...eir chronic diseases are well managed. However, pandemics cripple health systems and compromise provision routine medical care. This technical note gives general guidance to people living with NCDs, their caregivers and family members, the public, health programme managers and health-care workers on how to reduce risks of a COVID-19 infection and maintain care for people living with NCDs during the outbreak.
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salud pública de méxico / vol. 50, suplemento 2 de 2008, pp.167-177.
In response to the emerging global concern regarding health and people with intellectual disabilities (ID), several developed countries have established national initiatives to address the unique health needs of this population ...segment. However, most people with ID reside in countries with developing economies, such as many Latin American countries, yet there is virtually no information on the health of people with ID in these regions. Countries with developing economies face distinct challenges in promoting health among this population segment that may preclude adoption or adaptation of policies and practices developed in regions with established economies. This paper will address the issue of health promotion among people with ID in Latin America, an area that is undergoing significant reforms in both health care and disability rights
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Antimicrobials are medicines, including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics, that are used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals, and plants. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) arises when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to these medicines, ren...dering them ineffective and making infections more difficult to treat. This resistance increases the risk of disease spread, severe illness, disability, and death. Although AMR is a natural phenomenon driven by genetic
changes in pathogens, it is significantly accelerated by human activities such as the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in healthcare, agriculture, and animal husbandry.
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In 2014, the World Heart Federation (WHF) launched
an initiative to develop a series of Roadmaps [1e6]. Their
aim is to identify potential roadblocks on the pathway to
effective prevention, detection, and management of cardiovascular disease (CVD), along with evidence-based
solutions to overcome... them. The resulting documents
provide a framework to translate strategic intent into action
on integrating epidemiology, population, and cardiovascular outcome trial data into national plans for optimal
CVD management.
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The goal of this course is to provide participants with the foundational skills needed to begin the development, implementation and ongoing improvement of a congenital anomalies surveillance programme, in particular for countries with limited resources. It focuses on the methodology needed to devel...op either population-based or hospital based surveillance programmes.
A set of congenital anomalies will be used as examples throughout this course. The specific examples used are typically severe enough that they would probably be captured within the first few days after birth, have a significant public health impact and, for some of them, have the potential for primary prevention.
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