Refugee 1 men and boys can be subjected to sexual and gender‑based violence (SGBV). Survivors have specific health, psychosocial, legal, and safety needs, but often find it hard to discuss their experience and access the support they need. It is important that UNHCR and its partners take steps to ...address these difficulties. The objectives of this note are to emphasise that programmes on sexual and gender‑based violence need to include men and boys, and to provide guidance on how to access survivors, facilitate reporting, provide protection and deliver essential medical, legal and social services. 2
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Handbook of COVID-19 Prevention and Treatment, expecting to share their invaluable practical advice and references with medical staff around the world. This handbook compared and analyzed the experience of other experts in China, and provides good reference to key departments such as hospital infect...ion management, nursing, and outpatient clinics. This handbook provides comprehensive guidelines and best practices by China's top experts for coping with COVID-19.
This handbook, provided by the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, describes how organizations can minimize the cost while maximizing the effect of measures to manage and control the coronavirus outbreak. The handbook also discusses why hospitals and other healthcare institutions should have command centers when encountering a large-scale emergency in the context of COVID-19. This handbook also includes the following:
- Technical strategies for addressing issues during emergencies.
- Treatment methods to treat the critically ill.
- Efficient clinical decision-making support.
- Best practices for key departments like inflection management and outpatient clinics.
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In response to a call by the United Nations Secretary-General and the Governments of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, an international team conducted an Ebola Recovery Assessment.The aim was to contribute towards laying the foundation for short-, medium- and long-term recovery while the medical eme...rgency response continues to tackle the epidemic.
This summary report is based on a full report as well as three detailed reports submitted to each of the three governments as contributions to their national recovery planning processes.
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Full Report.
In response to a call by the United Nations Secretary-General and the Governments of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, an international team conducted an Ebola Recovery Assessment. The aim was to contribute towards laying the foundation for short-, medium- and long-term recovery while ...the medical emergency response continues to tackle the epidemic. This report is a contribution to ongoing efforts by the Governments of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to design their national Ebola virus disease recovery strategies
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Overview
Learning objectives
• Promote respect and dignity for people with depression.
• Recognize common symptoms of depression.
• Know the assessment principles of depression.
• Know the management principles of depression.
• Perform an assessment for depression.
• Use effective... communication skills in interactions with people with depression.
• Assess and manage physical health conditions as well as depression.
• Assess and manage emergency presentations of depression (see Module: Self-harm/
suicide).
• Provide psychosocial interventions for people with depression and their carers.
• Deliver pharmacological interventions as needed and appropriate, considering special
populations.
• Plan and perform follow-up for depression.
• Refer to specialists and link with outside services where appropriate and available.
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The synthesis looked across the evaluations and reviews as mentioned above to draw lessons and conclusions across the different contexts. The synthesis aims to identify:
recurrent issues, patterns and trends, and promising initiatives and lessons learned from existing programming including main...streaming in how UNHCR prevents, mitigates and responds to the risks of SGBV;
institutional management and leadership for SGBV in UNHCR;
factors which are contributing to success, including sustainability of services, and those which are inhibiting it;
the extent to which questions on SGBV are part of UNHCR evaluations of emergency responses;
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Some observers have described the coronavirus pandemic as an 'Anthropocene disease,' thereby highlighting its connection with this new ecological era that is characterised by the considerable pressure human activities are exerting on ecosystems and the consequences on public health, society and the ...environment. This article focuses on the recent emergence of the 'Planetary Health' paradigm. Launched by the Rockefeller Foundation and the medical journal The Lancet, Planetary Health is one of the most ambitious attempts in recent years to systematize global health in the Anthropocene. While recognising the interest and necessity of reflecting on human health and the health of the planet, this article aims to show, however, that the Planetary Health paradigm is problematic and aporetic for two reasons. First, because it is based on a scientistic and depoliticised conception of the Anthropocene, which obscures capitalism's responsibility for the contemporary global and, especially, ecological crisis. Second, because this conception leads to a promotion of solutions that are essentially based on the financialization and technoscientific management of the living world - precisely the underlying cause of the degradation of ecosystems and living conditions that created the Anthropocene in the first place. A different kind of 'planetary health' remains possible and desirable.
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The protracted humanitarian situation in northeastern Nigeria, particularly in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) States, remains a concern due to ongoing insecurity, displacement, food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and climate-related shocks. To address these complex challenges, the health sector has ...developed a comprehensive humanitarian response strategy aligned with the three States Development plans, Durable Solutions for the Population Displacement Plan, and the Humanitarian Need Response Plan for 2025. This strategy aims to reduce morbidity and mortality among crisisaffected populations by ensuring timely, equitable, and effective delivery of lifesaving health services, while strengthen the resilience of health system and enhancing local and national capacities for sustainable health response in protracted emergency.
Supported by an in-depth analysis of the ongoing health humanitarian response using the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) methodology, the strategy is guided by three key objectives:
1. Provide access to lifesaving interventions and sustain an effective response to the prolonged health emergency.
2. Prevent, mitigate, and prepare for health risks from all hazards and respond to all health emergencies.
3. Advance the primary health care approach and essential health system capacities for universal health coverage.
To achieve these objectives, the strategy employs the “Five C” framework which refers to:
• Collaborative Surveillance: Enhancing collaborative efforts for effective monitoring.
• Community Protection: Implementing community-based protection measures.
• Safe and Scalable Care: Ensuring care that is both secure and scalable.
• Access to Countermeasures: Facilitating access to necessary countermeasures.
• Emergency Coordination: Coordinating emergency responses efficiently.
These proactive approaches are designed to be more anticipatory and preemptive rather than reactive, aiming to meet the needs of the crisis-affected population by providing lifesaving interventions, enhancing preventive and anticipatory actions, and ensuring the resilience of the health system. All actions are guided by International Humanitarian Standards and the Humanitarian Principles.
The implementation of the health humanitarian response strategy will involve collaboration with local authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international organizations. The strategy emphasizes localization and resource mobilization, efficient logistics and supply chain management, mainstreaming protection, and the deployment and training of healthcare workers. Continuous monitoring and periodic evaluation will ensure the effectiveness of the response. Cross-sector collaboration with sectors such as WASH, Nutrition, Education, and Protection will be crucial to enhance the quality and reach of health interventions. Additionally, sustainability and transition approaches will ensure long-term health outcomes and benefits, bridging the gap from humanitarian to development efforts.
By adopting this comprehensive approach, the humanitarian response in northeastern Nigeria, particularly in BAY States, can be effectively guided, ultimately reducing the suffering of affected populations.
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According to official figures from Migración Colombia by the end of June 2019, there were more than 1.4 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants living in Colombia. The majority of people have settled in the border departments of La Guajira and Norte de Santander, continuing to cities along the Car...ibbean coast, or larger cities inland such as Medellin and Bogotá. Significant numbers of Venezuelans continue to cross Colombia by foot, heading for larger cities with more opportunities and better services or towards the southern border with Ecuador to continue their onward journey to a third country. Refugees and migrants arrive in Colombia with immediate humanitarian needs including access to safe accommodation, food, basic health care, but the prolonged nature of their displacement also requires longer term solutions including access to formal employment, education and social integration. The Interagency Group for Mixed Migration Flows (GIFMM) works closely with the Government at both the national level, and across 11 of the most affected departments, to deliver direct emergency assistance, protection, socio-economic integration activities and seeks to build the capacity of the host government.
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The Haiti & Dominican Republic Cholera Operation Plan of Action outlines the Red Cross's strategy to combat cholera on the island of Hispaniola following the 2010 outbreak in Haiti. As part of a 10-year national strategy, the plan includes an initial two-year emergency response (2014-2016) with a bu...dget of 9.9 million Swiss francs. The approach focuses on three key areas: improving water and sanitation by repairing and expanding water systems and constructing sanitation facilities, prevention and hygiene promotion through community education and hygiene training, and preparedness and response by strengthening disease monitoring, training Red Cross volunteers, and prepositioning medical supplies. This initiative, led by the Haitian and Dominican Red Cross in collaboration with international partners and local governments, aims to reduce cholera infections and improve public health on the island.
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The development of the Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) was based on a consultative and participatory process with strong commitment and support from the Ministry of Health of Ghana. The CCS draws on lessons from the implementation of the first, and second generation CCSs, the country focus strate...gy, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023–2025).
The strategic agenda of the CCS outlines three strategic priorities, which are:
1. improving universal access to essential health services through the primary health care approach.
2. health emergency preparedness and response: addressing gaps in IHR core capacities and strengthening national capacities to prevent, detect and respond appropriately to public health emergencies through a resilient health system.
3. addressing social, economic, and environmental determinants of health; promoting high-impact interventions to address public health risks using multisectoral approaches.
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Each humanitarian setting provides distinct opportunities and challenges for actors to coordinate and collaborate at strategic and operational levels. The Health and Protection Joint Operational Framework has been developed to ensure that the health and protection response during humanitarian emerge...ncies can adapt to each environment and is adequately coordinated to ensure high-quality services to meet the needs of affected individuals and at-risk groups based on their situation or vulnerabilities.
The Health and Protection JOF was conceived in 2019 as a collaboration between the Global Health Cluster (GHC), the Global Protection Cluster (GPC) and its Areas of Responsibility (AoRs), the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings (IASC MHPSS RG), and the Inter-Agency Working Group for Reproductive Health in Crisis (IAWG), in addition to key technical experts.
A Steering Group (SG) comprised of representatives from each of these entities guided the framework through a joint global analysis of good practices, gaps, and barriers to integrated and inter-sectoral response coordination. This included a mixed methods review of policy and practice, a survey of humanitarian experts, multiple case studies, structured stakeholder interviews, and field visits. This exercise produced a zero-draft which was then reviewed by field practitioners in three operational contexts to clarify and fully coordinate its operationally focused lens. Finally, the JOF was reviewed by the SG including via a series of consultations in early 2023 to consolidate the current framework.
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Les conflits et les guerres ont des effets catastrophiques sur la santé et le bien-être des nations, et ils ont considérablement évolué au cours des dernières décennies. Avec la forte augmentation des crises humanitaires, y compris de la violence urbaine, de plus en plus de gens sont touchés... pendant des périodes plus longues par des interruptions des services élémentaires, devenues une triste réalité.
Les interventions sanitaires et les approches novatrices face aux défis que posent les
crises humanitaires peuvent sauver des vies et atténuer les conséquences des conflits
pour les civils.
Les équipes médicales qui interviennent lors de conflits armés et dans d’autres
environnements dangereux sont fréquemment confrontées à de graves menaces pour
leur sécurité et leur sûreté. Elles doivent surmonter ces difficultés pour avoir accès
aux patients, d’autant plus qu’elles se heurtent parfois à la réticence des populations
auprès desquelles elles interviennent et qui sont parties au conflit.
Une riposte médicale fondée sur des principes se compose d’interventions cliniques
et opérationnelles inspirées et respectueuses de normes fondamentales, qui mettent
l’accent sur la qualité, la sécurité et la protection dans l’intérêt des patients.
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In April 2018, Refugees International (RI) conducted a mission to Bangladesh, to research the GBV (gender-based violence) response for Rohingya women and girls. RI found that the entire humanitarian system is struggling under tremendous constraints in Bangladesh, and protection and health actors do ...deliver lifesaving services to survivors in an incredibly challenging environment. This report, however, focuses on key gaps and challenges in GBV programming, as communicated by practitioners deployed to Bangladesh at various stages of the emergency, by local organizations, and by the affected women and girls themselves.
In the analyses and recommendations provided in this report, RI draws in part from the framework of the international initiative to safeguard women and girls in emergencies — the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies — and urges the donors and humanitarian organizations that are Call to Action partners to implement it more effectively and with urgency during this emergency.
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Interim rapid response guidance, 10 June 2022.
It includes considerations for certain populations such as patients with mild disease with considerations for community care, patients with moderate to severe disease, sexually active persons, pregnant or breastfeeding women, children and young persons.... The guidance also addresses considerations for clinical management such as the use of therapeutics, nutritional support, mental health services, and post-infection follow-up.
The document provides guidance for clinicians, health facility managers, health workers and infection prevention and control practitioners including but not limited to those working in primary care clinics, sexual health clinics, emergency departments, infectious diseases clinics, genitourinary clinics, dermatology clinics, maternity services, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology and acute care facilities that provide care for patients with suspected or confirmed monkeypox
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Interim rapid response guidance, 10 June 2022.
It includes considerations for certain populations such as patients with mild disease with considerations for community care, patients with moderate to severe disease, sexually active persons, pregnant or breastfeeding women, children and young persons.... The guidance also addresses considerations for clinical management such as the use of therapeutics, nutritional support, mental health services, and post-infection follow-up.
The document provides guidance for clinicians, health facility managers, health workers and infection prevention and control practitioners including but not limited to those working in primary care clinics, sexual health clinics, emergency departments, infectious diseases clinics, genitourinary clinics, dermatology clinics, maternity services, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology and acute care facilities that provide care for patients with suspected or confirmed monkeypox
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nt. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2014, 11(12), 13097-13116; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph111213097
Climate change will increase the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events and create risks that will impact health care facilities. Health care facilities will need to assess climate chang...e risks and adopt adaptive management strategies to be resilient, but guidance tools are lacking. In this study, a toolkit was developed for health care facility officials to assess the resiliency of their facility to climate change impacts. A mixed methods approach was used to develop climate change resiliency indicators to inform the development of the toolkit. The toolkit consists of a checklist for officials who work in areas of emergency management, facilities management and health care services and supply chain management, a facilitator’s guide for administering the checklist, and a resource guidebook to inform adaptation. Six health care facilities representing three provinces in Canada piloted the checklist. Senior level officials with expertise in the aforementioned areas were invited to review the checklist, provide feedback during qualitative interviews and review the final toolkit at a stakeholder workshop. The toolkit helps health care facility officials identify gaps in climate change preparedness, direct allocation of adaptation resources and inform strategic planning to increase resiliency to climate change.
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Natural disasters often increase morbidity and mortality rates. Taking appropriate measures to maintain environmental health helps to reduce or eliminate the risks of preventable disease and death. Such measures contribute not only to the health of individuals in and near disaster-stricken areas, bu...t they also contribute to decreasing the high costs of providing emergency health services in the aftermath of disaster.
This document is divided into several parts. The first section primarily addresses the effects of natural disasters on environmental health conditions and services. In the second section, environmental health measures are described that should be undertaken in each of three time frames: the predisaster, disaster, and postdisaster periods.
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The WHO report on health preparedness for El Niño 2015-2016 describes the impact of this weather phenomenon on global public health. Strong El Niño events lead to extreme weather conditions, including droughts, floods, and storms, which increase the risk of diseases such as cholera, malaria, and d...engue fever. Particularly affected regions include Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America, where water and food shortages and disease outbreaks are becoming more frequent.
The WHO supports countries through risk assessments, emergency plans, and disease surveillance to prevent outbreaks. Recommended measures include early warning systems, health preparedness in vulnerable areas, and better coordination between health and meteorological services to minimize the negative effects of El Niño on public health.
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Comprehensive Primary Health Care has an important role in the primary and secondary prevention of several disease conditions, including non-communicable diseases which today contribute to over 60% of the mortality in India. The provision of Comprehensive primary health care reduces morbidity, disab...ility and mortality at much lower costs and significantly reduces the need for secondary and tertiary care. Estimates suggest that almost 52% of all conditions can be managed at the
primary care level.
In order to ensure comprehensive primary health care, close to where people live, Sub- Centres should be strengthened as Health and Wellness Centres (H&WC), staffed by appropriately trained primary health care team. The Medical officer of the Primary Health Centre would oversee the functioning of the SC/HWC that falls in that area.
Services include those that (i) can be delivered at the level of the household and outreach sites in the community by suitably trained frontline workers, (ii) those that are delivered by a team headed by a mid-level health provider, at the level of the Sub-Centre/Health and Wellness Centre and (iii) the referral support and continuity of care within the district health system in rural and urban areas. The package of services is in Box. States would need to either phase in these services or add on additional services based on state specific and local context.
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