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Beat the heat: Child health amid heatwaves in Europe and Central Asia

UN Children's Fund UNICEF (2024) CC

Beat the heat: child health amid heatwaves in Europe and Central Asia finds that half of these children died from heat-related illnesses in their first year of life. Most children died during the summer months. "Around half of children across Europe and Central Asia – or 92 million children –... are already exposed to frequent heatwaves in a region where temperatures are rising at the fastest rate globally. The increasingly high temperatures can have serious health complications for children, especially the youngest children, even in a short space of time. Without care, these complications can be life-threatening,” said Regina De Dominicis UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia. Heat exposure has acute effects on children, even before they are born, and can result in pre-term births, low birth weight, stillbirth, and congenital anomalies. Heat stress is a direct cause of infant mortality, can affect infant growth and cause a range of paediatric diseases. The report also notes that extreme heat caused the loss of more than 32,000 years of healthy life among children and teenagers in the region. As the temperatures continue to rise, UNICEF urges governments across Europe and Central Asia to: - Integrate strategies to reduce the impact of heatwaves including through National Determined Contributions (NDC), National Adaptation Plans (NAP), and disaster risk reduction and disaster management policies with children at the centre of these plans Invest in heat health action plans and primary health care to more adequately support heat-related illness among children - Invest in early warning systems, including heat alert systems - Adapt education facilities to reduce the temperatures in the areas children play in and equip teachers with skills to respond to heat stress - Adapt urban design and infrastructure including ensuring buildings, particularly those housing the most vulnerable communities are equipped to minimize heat exposure - Secure the provision of safe water, particularly in countries with deteriorating water quality and availability. UNICEF works with governments, partners and communities across the region to build resilience against heatwaves. This includes equipping teachers, community health workers and families with the skills and knowledge to respond to heat stress. more

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Disabled village children. 2nd edition
recommended

Werner, D. Hesperian (2018) C2

A guide for community health workers, rehabilitation workers, and families. This manual covers identifying primary and secondary disabilities, developing skills for daily living, and working through behavior problems. The new 2018 edition features new topics, including mental and developmental di... more

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Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans: More than 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing over 250,000 Tons Afloat at Sea

Eriksen, M.; L. C. M. Lebreton, H. S. Carson et al. PLOS One (2014) CC

PlosOne December 10, 2014 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0111913 Plastic pollution is ubiquitous throughout the marine environment, yet estimates of the global abundance and weight of floating plastics have lacked data, particularly from the Southern Hemisphere and remote regions. Here we re... more

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Guidance on mainstreaming biodiversity for nutrition and health

World Health Organization WHO (2020) C_WHO

This report aims to support countries in the necessary transition toward healthier, more sustainable diets by integrating biodiversity in food-based interventions to support nutrition and health. It is intended to help guide decision-makers in the health, nutrition and other sectors, to: Consider... more

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Evaluating official development assistance-funded granting mechanisms for global health and development research that is initiated in high-income countries

Cassola, A.; Baral, P.; Røttingen, J.A.; Hoffman, S. BMC (2022) CC

Background: Several countries allocate official development assistance (ODA) for research on global health and development issues that is initiated in the donor country. The integration of such research within domestic research systems aligns with efforts to coordinate ODA investments with science, ... more

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Community-Based Mental Health: A Training Guide for Community Providers

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies IFRC (2023) CC

Mental health problems are common and cause great suffering to individuals and communities around the world. They have a significant impact not only on the physical and mental health of those affected but also on their families and the communities they live in. At the same time, all communities have... more

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Africa’s Health Financing in a New Era

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) (2025) CC

Africa’s health sector is facing an unprecedented financing crisis, driven by a sharp decline of 70% in Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 2021 to 2025 and deep-rooted structural vulnerabilities. This collapse is placing immense pressure on Africa’s already fragile health systems as ODA ...is seen as the backbone of critical health programs: pandemic preparedness, maternal and child health services, disease control programs are all at risk, threatening Sustainable Development Goal 3 and Universal Health Coverage. Compounding this is Africa’s spiraling debt, with countries expected to service USD 81 billion by 2025—surpassing anticipated external financing inflows—further eroding fiscal space for health investments. Level of domestic resources is low. TThe Abuja Declaration of 2001, a pivotal commitment made by African Union (AU) member states, aimed to reverse this trend by pledging to allocate at least 15% of national budgets to the health sector. However, more than two decades later, only three countries—Rwanda, Botswana, and Cabo Verde—have consistently met or exceeded this target (WHO, 2023). In contrast, over 30 AU member states remain well below the 10% benchmark, with some allocating as little as 5–7% of their national budgets to health. In addition, only 16 (29%) of African countries currently have updated versions of National Health Development Plan (NHDP) supported by a National Health Financing Plan (NHFP). These two documents play a critical role in driving internal resource mobilisation. At the same time, public health emergencies are surging, rising 41%—from 152 in 2022 to 213 in 2024—exposing severe under-resourcing of health infrastructure and workforce. Recurring outbreaks (Mpox, Ebola, cholera, measles, Marburg…) alongside effects of climate change and humanitarian crises in Eastern DRC, the Sahel, and Sudan, are overwhelming systems stretched by chronic underfunding. The situation is worsened by Africa’s heavy dependency with over 90% of vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics being externally sourced—leaving countries vulnerable to global supply chain shocks. Health worker shortages persist, with only 2.3 professionals per 1,000 people (below the WHO’s recommended 4.45), and fewer than 30% of systems are digitized, undermining disease surveillance and early warning. Without decisive action, Africa CDC projects the continent could reverse two decades of health progress, face 2 to 4 million additional preventable deaths annually, and a heightened risk of a pandemic emerging from within. Furthermore, 39 million more Africans could be pushed into poverty by 2030 due to intertwined health and economic shocks. This is not just a sectoral crisis—it is an existential threat to Africa’s political, social, and economic resilience, and global stability. In response, African leaders, under Africa CDC’s stewardship, are advancing a comprehensive three-pillar strategy centered on domestic resource mobilization, innovative financing, and blended finance. more

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In Control. A Practical Handbook for Professionals Working in Health Emergencies Internationally
recommended

Germany’s National Public Health Institute (RKI), et al. (2021) C1

In Control imparts knowledge, provokes reflection and triggers curiosity. The first half of the book provides an overview of the organisations, principles, frameworks and themes that every professional deploying to health emergencies should be aware of. The second half of the book provides practical... more

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Meeting basic health needs in a Venezuela in crisis

Bliss, K. CSIS GLOBAL HEALTH POLICY CENTER (2017) C1

In responding to the health crisis in Venezuela, the United States and the international community can consider several options: they can encourage the Venezuelan government to fulfill commitments to protect the population's health and access to essential medicines; and they can support civil societ... more

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Baby Friendly Community Initiative. A Training Manual for Community Health Volunteers (c-BFCI) Part II

Ministry of Health, Kenya; UNICEF; World Health Organization WHO Ministry of Health, Kenya; UNICEF; World Health Organization WHO (2020) C_WHO

The community-BFCI (c-BFCI) manual has been developed to facilitate training of CHVs and stakeholders providing nutrition sensitive services at community level. The manual covers a wide range of topics: basic nutrition, exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, Breast Milk Substitutes Act, gro... more

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Facts on Marburg

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2022) C_CDC

Fact Sheet

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How school systems can improve health and well-being: topic briefs: nutrition

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

This topic brief highlights how nutrition and healthy diets support the achievement of education and learning objectives, and explains how intervention benefits can be amplified with a whole-school and systems approach. The recommended actions are informed by the Global Standards for health-promotin... more

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Child Protection Case Management Training Manual

The Government of Malawi PEPFAR; UNICEF (2017) C1

This five-day child protection case management training manual was developed to meet the needs of community child protection workers and other social workers working in tandem with the justice, health and law enforcement systems in Malawi.

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Essential Newborn Nursing for Small Hospitals. Learner's Guide

World Health Organization WHO; Dept. of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi, India (2004) C_WHO

In resource restriced countries

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How to monitor and report COVID-19 vaccine side effects

World Health Organization WHO (2021) C_WHO

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World Breastfeeding Week [1-7 Aug 2018]

Breastfeeding Foundation of Life (2018) C1

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Module: Depression

World Health Organization WHO (2017) C_WHO

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... more

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Epilepsy mhGAP Training of Health-care Providers Training manual Supporting material

World Health Organization WHO (2019) C_WHO

mhGAP Training Manual for the mhGAP Intervention Guide for mental, neurological and substance use disorders in non-specialized health settings – version 2.0 (for field testing)

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Essential Newborn Nursing for Small Hospitals. Facilitator's Guide

World Health Organization WHO; Dept. of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi, India (2004) CC

In resource restriced countries

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Ethiopia HIV and TB Strategic Information

World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa CDC (2014) C_WHO

Disabled village children. 2nd edition recommended

In Control. A Practical Handbook for Professionals Working in Health Emergencies Internationally recommended

Disabled village children. 2nd edition
recommended

In Control. A Practical Handbook for Professionals Working in Health Emergencies Internationally
recommended