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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The National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination 2021–2025 outlines Bangladesh’s roadmap to achieve zero indigenous malaria cases by 2030, with an interim goal to reduce transmission to near-zero levels by 2025. The strategy builds upon earlier successes in malaria control and shifts focus to...ward elimination in both high- and low-endemic areas.
The plan emphasizes five core objectives: ensuring universal access to quality malaria prevention and treatment services, strengthening surveillance and case detection systems, improving vector control through long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS), building community engagement, and enhancing program governance and accountability.
High-priority districts, especially in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, are targeted for intensified interventions, including active case detection and tailored outreach to mobile and vulnerable populations. The strategy also calls for robust health systems support, cross-border collaboration, and integration of malaria services into broader primary health care.
This document serves as Bangladesh’s strategic foundation to transition from malaria control to phased elimination, in line with national and global targets.
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The Ghanaian Cabinet approved the antimicrobial resistance (AMR)Policy and Implementation plan(hereafter referred to as the national action plan or NAP)in December 2017, whilst the country case study was in progress. This has set in motion the implementation phase for Ghana, which is a long awaited... event since the drafting of the Policy started in 2011. This case study, whilst limited in its ability to interact with all stakeholders, has identified entrypoints within the operational divisions of Ghana Health Services,as potential areas where the AMR policy platform may seek to embed AMR activities. Much work has already been done within Ghana to identify the key entrypoints within the various ministries and government agencieswhere AMR can be incorporated. These stakeholders already form part of the AMR Policy Platform which is the governance structure for AMR and have been participating actively in the development of the AMR Policy and NAP activities formulation.
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Snakebites are well-known medical emergencies in many parts of the world, especially in rural areas. Agricultural workers and children are the most affected. The incidence of snakebite mortality is particularly high in South-East Asia. Rational use of snake anti-venom can substantially reduce mortal...ity and morbidity due to snakebites. These guidelines are a revised and updated version of Regional Guidelines for the Management of snakebites published by the WHO Regional Office in South-East Asia in 2011. These guidelines aim to promote the rational management of snakebite cases in various health facilities where trained health functionaries and quality snake antivenom are available.
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Weekly epidemiological recordRelevé épidémiologique hebdomadaire 3 MAY 2024, 99th YEAR / 3 MAI 2024, 99e ANNÉE
No 18, 2024, 99, 203–224
The WHO position papers are concerned primarily with the use of vaccines in large-scale vaccination programmes.
The position papers are intended for use by... national public health officials and managers of immunization programmes.
This paper focuses on the second licensed dengue vaccine, TAK-003 (Qdenga, Takeda), along with WHO’s position for its use, and provides an update on the first licensed dengue vaccine, CYD-TDV.
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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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Policy Brief.
Our understanding of how to diagnose and manage Long COVID is still evolving but the condition can be very debilitating. It is associated with a range of overlapping symptoms including generalized chest and muscle pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive dysfunction, and the ...mechanisms involved affect multiple system and include persisting inflammation, thrombosis, and autoimmunity. It can affect anyone, but women and health care workers seem to be at greater risk.
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Three full years have passed since the launch of the road
map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030. Data on
progress begin to provide insights into the prospects of
attaining the 2030 targets.
7 April 2020. This document and risk assessment tool provides practical guidance and recommendations to support the special role of religious leaders, faith-based organizations, and faith communities in COVID-19 education, preparedness, and response.
You can download the risk assessment tool here:...
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331772/WHO-2019-nCoV-Religious_Leaders_RAtool-2020.1-eng.xlsx
and the decision tree here:
https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-2019-ncov-mg-decision-tree-religious.pdf?sfvrsn=f3433c0a_2
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The main objectives of these guidelines are to:
1. contribute to the quality assurance of medicinal plant materials used as the source for herbal medicines to improve the quality, safety and efficacy of finished herbal products;
2. guide the formulation of national and/or regional GACP guideli...nes and GACP monographs for medicinal plants and related standard operating procedures; and
3. encourage and support the sustainable cultivation and collection of medicinal plants of good quality in ways that respect and support the conservation of medicinal plants and the environment in general.
These guidelines concern the cultivation and collection of medicinal plants and include certain post-harvest operations.
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The Alere Filariasis Test Strip (FTS) is a rapid diagnostic test recommended for mapping, monitoring and transmission assessment surveys (TAS) for the qualitative detection of Wuchereria bancrofti antigen in human blood samples. The FTS has replaced the Binax Now filariasis immunochromatographic tes...t (ICT), which also detects the same antigen in blood samples. The Brugia Rapid point-of-care cassette test (BRT) manufactured by Reszon Diagnostics is recommended for use during TAS to detect IgG4 antibody against Brugia spp. in human blood samples.
Read the Filariasis Test Strip (FTS) Bench Aid. This bench aid provides detailed instruction on the proper use of the new Filariasis Test Strip used for the detection of Wuchereria bancrofti antigen.
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July 2021. This publication brings together important clinical and programmatic updates produced by WHO since 2016 and provides comprehensive, evidence-informed recommendations and good practice statements within a public health, rights-based and person-centred approach.
These guidelines bring in... the most recent guidance on HIV testing strategies - the entry point for HIV prevention and treatment - and include comprehensive guidance on infant diagnosis. Key recommendations are presented on rapid antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and the use of dolutegravir. Updated recommendations are included on the timing of ART for people with TB, and the use of point-of-care technologies for treatment monitoring.
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This toolkit for integrated vector management (IVM) is designed to help national and regional programme managers coordinate across sectors to design and run large IVM programmes.
The toolkit provides the technical detail required to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate an IVM approach. IVM can... be used when the aim is to control or eliminate vector-borne diseases and can also contribute to insecticide resistance management. This toolkit provides information on where vector-borne diseases are endemic and what interventions should be used, presenting case studies on IVM as well as relevant guidance documents for reference.
The diseases that are the focus of this toolkit are malaria, lymphatic filariasis, dengue, leishmaniasis, onchocerciasis, human African trypanosomiasis and schistosomiasis. It also includes information on other viral diseases (Rift Valley fever, West Nile fever, Chikungunya, yellow fever) and trachoma. If other vector-borne diseases appear in a country or area, vector control with an IVM approach should be adopted, as per national priorities.
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A resource for pesticide registrars and regulators.
The WHO urged governments to restrict access to highly toxic pesticides used for self-poisoning . Other effective interventions include education, youth intervention programs and follow-up of people at risk—and better data. Only 80 out of 183 WH...O member states reported high-quality vital registration data in 2016
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The Rwanda Malaria Strategic Plan 2020–2024 outlines Rwanda’s national strategy to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality by at least 50% compared to 2019 levels. The vision is a malaria-free Rwanda contributing to socioeconomic development.
The plan includes strengthening prevention through lo...ng-lasting insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, and larval source management; ensuring universal access to testing and treatment; improving surveillance and data use; and enhancing program management, coordination, and financing. It also emphasizes community engagement and behavior change to ensure at least 85% of the at-risk population adopts protective practices.
The strategy builds on past lessons, involves multi-sectoral collaboration, and aligns with global malaria goals. It highlights equity, quality services, and evidence-based interventions as guiding principles, aiming to mobilize national and international resources for sustained impact.
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The aim of this toolkit is to guide countries on how to best estimate their current burden of dengue by combining existing data from dengue surveillance systems with on-going research efforts to measure the community burden
of dengue.
Building on the WHO guidelines for disclosure to children up to age 12 in 2011, this implementation guidance provides evidence on existing interventions that support children and adolescents living with HIV in the process of disclosure. It includes interventions that focuses on safe disclosure, as w...ell as supporting children and adolescents with onwards disclosure. Specifically, this brief collates existing interventions via a scoping review; assesses key interventions through a realist evaluation lens, identifying what works, for whom, and in what contexts; and highlights emerging considerations, key gaps, and key actions.
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This country cooperation strategy (CCS) outlines how the World Health Organization (WHO) will work with the Lao People’s Democratic Republic over the next five years (2024–2028), supporting the implementation of the five-year health sector development plans and the Health Sector Reform Strategy ...2021–2030 to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic experienced substantial economic growth in the 30 years prior to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, contributing to reduced poverty and significant progress toward the SDGs. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought this development to a halt. It was anticipated that the COVID-19 recovery and the tremendous population growth in recent years would provide opportunities for a shift toward more sustainable and inclusive development in the years ahead. In 2023, however, the contrary was the case. Rural residents, including many ethnic minorities, continued to face marginalization because of limited access to education, health care and economic opportunities.
Despite the challenges of COVID-19 and other disease outbreaks, the country has made significant improvements in health. Nonetheless, progress has been uneven and not everyone has benefited from these achievements. In the mountainous region, many people lack access to quality health care because of the unequal distribution of well-trained health-care workers. Preventable deaths due to poor-quality health care for children and newborns, infants and mothers remain a concern, as do communicable diseases such as sexually transmitted infections and tuberculosis. The increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases and the health impact of worsening climate change further heighten the need for strengthened and resilient health systems, which are at risk due to an underfunded health sector and weak economy.
This CCS aims to address remaining and future challenges as well as health needs while creating an impact that is sustainable. It identifies three strategic priorities and nine deliverables (Table 1) to support the attainment of the national vision of Health for all by all, as articulated in the 9th Health Sector Development Plan 2021–2025. It contributes to the country’s goals to achieve universal health coverage, graduate from least developed country status by 2026 and attain SDGs by 2030.
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A new respiratory infectious disease, COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, emerged in early December 2019. Since then, the virus has spread to India and 106 other countries in Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, and Oceania. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) decl...ared the outbreak a pandemic, which has since rapidly evolved. As an economic hub with substantial global connectivity and movement of people and goods, India is directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it is too early to gauge the full spectrum of the outbreak’s social and economic impacts, COVID-19 has already caused lockdowns in China, Korea, and in many countries in Europe, and in some states of India, suspension of schools and universities, disruption of food systems and other supply chains, as well as a slowdown in trade between India and rest of the world.
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