Pregnant travelers face numerous risks, notably increased susceptibility to or severity of multiple infections, including malaria. Because pregnant women residing in areas non-endemic for malaria are unlikely to have protective immunity, travel to endemic areas poses risk of severe illness and pregn...ancy complications, such as low birthweight and fetal loss. If travel to malaria-endemic areas cannot be avoided, preventive measures are critical. However, malaria chemoprophylaxis in pregnancy can be challenging, since commonly used regimens have varying levels of safety data and national guidelines differ. Furthermore, although chloroquine and mefloquine have wide acceptance for use in pregnancy, regional malaria resistance and non-pregnancy contraindications limit their use. Mosquito repellents, including N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) and permethrin treatment of clothing, are considered safe in pregnancy and important to prevent malaria as well as other arthropod-borne infections such as Zika virus infection. Pregnant travelers at risk for malaria exposure should be advised to seek medical attention immediately if any symptoms of illness, particularly fever, develop.
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This ECDC overview summarises the number of travel-associated malaria cases reported in the EU/EEA in 2023. The cases are based on confirmed reports through the EpiPulse platform and only include infections acquired outside mainland Europe. The data show the number of cases and the infection rate pe...r 100,000 travellers by country of infection. The aim is to inform public health authorities and travellers about malaria risk. Analyses are limited to locations with repeated cases or sufficient case numbers. Infection rates were calculated using IATA air travel data. The findings reflect reported cases only and do not imply ongoing transmission.
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The eEML is a comprehensive, freely accessible online database containing information on essential medicine
Antimalarial chemotherapy is crucial for reducing morbidity, mortality, and drug resistance, and is the cornerstone of malaria control. Existing antimalarial drugs act at different stages of the parasite’s life cycle. These drugs range from classic agents such as chloroquine and quinine to newer a...rtemisinin derivatives. They include tissue schizonticides, blood schizonticides, gametocytocides, and sporontocides. Artemisinin and its derivatives are the most effective and fastest-acting treatment against drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum, achieving rapid parasite clearance and reducing transmission potential. Other key drugs include mefloquine, halofantrine, proguanil, sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine, atovaquone–proguanil, tetracyclines, clindamycin and azithromycin. Each of these drugs has a specific mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety profile and contraindications. Rational drug combinations and adherence to national treatment guidelines are essential for managing resistance, ensuring safety in vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women, and optimising therapeutic outcomes in cases of both uncomplicated and severe malaria.
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Combination therapy is a cornerstone of modern malaria treatment, particularly in the context of widespread multidrug resistance. Using two or more antimalarial drugs with different mechanisms simultaneously enhances efficacy, shortens treatment duration, improves compliance and delays the developme...nt of resistance. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), such as artemether–lumefantrine, artesunate–amodiaquine and artesunate–sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine, are highly effective in rapidly clearing parasites and reducing gametocyte carriage. They are also generally well tolerated. Non-artemisinin combinations, quinine-based regimens and novel combinations (e.g. piperaquine–dihydroartemisinin) offer alternative therapeutic options, although clinical experience with these remains limited. Although ACTs are the preferred first-line treatment, factors such as cost, local drug resistance patterns, safety during pregnancy and paediatric use must inform implementation and policy decisions.
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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and malaria remain significant public health challenges in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). In 2021, the region reported 1.7 million sepsis-related deaths, with 373,000 associated with bacterial AMR. High antibiotic consumption, particularly in high-income c...ountries, combined with rising usage in middle-income countries, has accelerated the emergence of drug-resistant infections. Malaria management is further complicated by biological threats, including vector insecticide resistance, PFHRP2/3 gene deletions, and antimalarial drug resistance, alongside insufficient trained personnel and limited molecular surveillance capacity. Effective strategies to address these challenges include strengthening regional and cross-border surveillance networks, designating WHO collaborating centers for molecular monitoring, enforcing national treatment policies, and raising public and healthcare provider awareness about rational antimalarial and antibiotic use. These measures, coupled with sustainable funding and enhanced therapeutic efficacy studies, are essential to reduce the development and spread of drug-resistant malaria and improve overall health outcomes in the EMR.
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En 2024, le Cap-Vert et l’Égypte ont été certifiés exempts de paludisme, ce qui prouve qu'il est possible d'éliminer la maladie avec une volonté politique et des ressources adaptées. Cependant, en Afrique, où se concentrent 95 % des cas mondiaux et 97 % des décès (en 2023), les progrès ...stagnent et l’objectif d’élimination d’ici 2030 est menacé. Les principaux obstacles sont le déficit de financement, la résistance aux insecticides et aux médicaments, l'expansion du moustique Anopheles stephensi, le changement climatique, les crises humanitaires et la croissance démographique. Pour inverser la tendance, l’Afrique doit accélérer le déploiement de nouveaux outils (moustiquaires de nouvelle génération, vaccins), renforcer la mobilisation des ressources nationales et diversifier les financements. Une feuille de route de l’Union africaine vise à transformer ces engagements en actions concrètes pour éliminer le paludisme et ses conséquences sanitaires et économiques.
Accessed 27/08/2025.
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Every two minutes, a child under the age of 5 dies from malaria. Under-five children accounted for 67 per cent of all malaria deaths worldwide in 2018. Most of them occurred in sub-Saharan Africa where an estimated 24 million children were infected with its deadliest form. In addition to being the t...hird-deadliest infectious disease for children, malaria infection and the costs of treatment traps families in a cycle of illness, suffering and poverty.This year’s World Malaria Day is marred by the emergence of the COVID-19 outbreak, which further threatens people’s lives and well-being. Public health officials are taking precautionary and often aggressive measures to limit transmission of this virus, including reductions in social movement, physical distancing, hand-washing and recommending the use of personal protection equipment in high-risk settings. However, while focusing on combating this disease, the world cannot afford to ignore other diseases, such as malaria.
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Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients (adults and children) and their families who are facing problems associated with life-threatening illness. It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, correct assessment and treatment of pain and ot...her problems, whether physical, psychosocial or spiritual.
Addressing suffering involves taking care of issues beyond physical symptoms. Palliative care uses a team approach to support patients and their caregivers. This includes addressing practical needs and providing bereavement counselling. It offers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death.
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The WHO’s Early Warning, Alert and Response System (EWARS) is a tool used in emergencies such as conflicts or natural disasters to quickly detect and respond to disease outbreaks. It helps set up simple and reliable surveillance systems even in places without stable electricity or internet, using ...kits that include phones, laptops, and solar chargers. EWARS supports national health authorities during crises and can later be integrated into the regular health surveillance system.
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The WHO handbook “Epidemiological Data Analysis for the Early Warning Alert and Response Network (EWARN) in Humanitarian Emergencies” explains how to collect, analyse, interpret, and share health data during crises such as conflicts or natural disasters. It is a practical guide for health and su...rveillance officers to detect disease outbreaks early and guide quick public health responses. The document outlines steps for managing data at different levels (local, regional, national), analysing disease trends by time, place, and person, and using indicators to monitor outbreak risks. It also provides methods for interpreting and communicating results clearly to decision-makers to support effective health interventions in emergencies.
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Das volle AMIRA-Programm mit allen Teilen gibt es als interaktives Programm im Internet www.amira-lesen.de. Es ist inzwischen aber auch eine Handyversion der Geschichten verfügbar und eine Download-Version der Geschichten zum offline-Gebrauch.
The Ukrainian refugee crisis has received prompt attention not only from concerned citizens outside Ukraine and the United Nations agencies but also from the European Commission (EC). For the first time, the Temporary Protection Directive 2001/55/EC was activated, enabling immediate access to health...care for Ukrainian citizens fleeing their country.
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Harmonizing of purchasing functions for health insurance schemes of Government of Assam: supplementary report on health infrastructure assessment
- World Health Organisation
Инфографики для населения
How to read news about the Coronavirus?
Non- Communicable Diseases (NCDs) over the years have not been given much attention in Ghana and in most Low and Middle- Income Countries (LMICs). The overwhelming burden of communicable diseases and the scarcity of resources has led to the health of all residents in Ghana, NCDs still remain largely... underfunded and less prioritized. Attempts in the past have achieved little success. The formulation of Ghana´s NCD policy in 2014 and the accompanying strategic plan is one such effort.
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Инфографики для населения
What questions children could ask about the virus and how to answer them?
Does Diabetes make someone vulnerable to getting COVID-19:
People with Diabetes are not more likely to get the virus compared to the general public.
However, if they contact CoVID-19, people with diabetes are more likely to have serious complications and become seriously ill from COVID-19, than t...hose who do not have diabetes.
If a person with diabetes gets COVID 19, he is more vulnerable to severe form of COVID-19 and is more likely to die than those without diabetes.
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Что вы должны знать о COVID-19, чтобы защитить себя и других:
- Ознакомьтесь с информацией о COVID-19
- Узнайте, как распространяется COVID-19
-Защитите себя и других людей от COV...ID-19...
What you need to know about COVID-19 to protect yourself and others
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