April 2020
This document explains the scope of the logistics services provided by the National Logistics Cluster, in support of the COVID-19 response in Nepal, how humanitarian actors and Nepal Government may access these services, and the conditions under which these services will be provided. T...he objective of the transport and storage services is to support humanitarian organisations and Government to establish a supply chain of medicines, medical goods and medical equipment mandated by the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) for Prevention of COVID-19transmission, control and treatment to the hospitals and primary healthcare facilities.
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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... their own traditional mechanisms for support and contain a range wide of resources that can be helpful in preventing mental health conditions from developing, promoting positive mental health and supporting the recovery of people that are struggling with a mental health condition.
In the wider context, people living with a mental health condition are often excluded from their communities and experience various violations to their basic human rights (discrimination, violence, exclusion from employment opportunities). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the mean prevalence of global mental health disorders is 10.8% while the prevalence in emergency settings is 22.1% in any conflict-affected population.
During emergencies and crisis, the stigma, exclusion and discrimination towards people living with mental health conditions is often higher, which can cause isolation and protection issues. Communities can play a crucial role in promoting mental health as well as enhancing primary care and access. Their role is to help reduce mental health inequalities by providing community resources that connect people to community-based resources and by providing mental health education. This also helps to reduce the massive mental health treatment gap.
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The World Health Organization's fact sheet on opioid overdose highlights the significant global health issue posed by opioids, which include natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic compounds used primarily for pain management. Misuse and unsupervised use can lead to dependence and severe health probl...ems. In 2019, approximately 600,000 deaths were attributed to drug use, with nearly 80% related to opioids; about 25% of these were due to overdose. An opioid overdose is characterized by pinpoint pupils, unconsciousness, and breathing difficulties. The fact sheet emphasizes the importance of increasing access to naloxone, an opioid antagonist that can rapidly reverse overdose effects, and advocates for training individuals likely to witness an overdose in its administration. It also underscores the need for comprehensive strategies, including preventive measures, treatment for opioid dependence, and policies to reduce opioid availability.
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The document provides guidelines for the prevention and control of cholera outbreaks. It focuses on key strategies such as improving access to safe drinking water, ensuring proper sanitation, and promoting hygiene practices to prevent the spread of the disease. The guidelines also emphasize the impo...rtance of early detection, prompt treatment with oral rehydration solutions (ORS) or intravenous fluids, and the strategic use of antibiotics in severe cases. Additionally, it discusses the role of community education and collaboration with health authorities to effectively manage cholera outbreaks.
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Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are among the most common infections worldwide with an estimated 1.5 billion infected people or 24% of the world’s population. These infections affect the poorest and most deprived communities with poor access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene in tro...pical and subtropical areas, with the highest prevalence reported from sub-Saharan Africa, China, South America and Asia. They are transmitted by eggs present in human faeces, which in turn contaminate soil in areas where sanitation is poor. Over 260 million preschool-age children, 654 million school-age children,108 million adolescent girls and 138.8 million pregnant and lactating women live in areas where these parasites are intensively transmitted, and are in need of treatment and preventive interventions.
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The document presents Cameroon's National Response Plan for the 2018 cholera outbreak, covering August to October 2018. It highlights the epidemiological situation, with outbreaks reported in the North and Central regions and a total of 109 suspected cases and 9 deaths by July 2018. The plan outline...s strategies for controlling the epidemic, including epidemiological surveillance, improved access to clean water, sanitation, mass vaccination, community awareness campaigns, and hospital and community-based treatment.
The response is coordinated by the Ministry of Public Health, WHO, and various partners, focusing on early detection, rapid response, and multi-sectoral collaboration. Challenges include poor sanitation, limited healthcare infrastructure, and cross-border disease transmission risks. The plan emphasizes resource mobilization, monitoring, and evaluation to contain the outbreak and prevent future cases.
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The document provides guidelines for the prevention and control of cholera outbreaks. It focuses on key strategies such as improving access to safe drinking water, ensuring proper sanitation, and promoting hygiene practices to prevent the spread of the disease. The guidelines also emphasize the impo...rtance of early detection, prompt treatment with oral rehydration solutions (ORS) or intravenous fluids, and the strategic use of antibiotics in severe cases. Additionally, it discusses the role of community education and collaboration with health authorities to effectively manage cholera outbreaks.
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The document provides guidelines for the prevention and control of cholera outbreaks. It focuses on key strategies such as improving access to safe drinking water, ensuring proper sanitation, and promoting hygiene practices to prevent the spread of the disease. The guidelines also emphasize the impo...rtance of early detection, prompt treatment with oral rehydration solutions (ORS) or intravenous fluids, and the strategic use of antibiotics in severe cases. Additionally, it discusses the role of community education and collaboration with health authorities to effectively manage cholera outbreaks.
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The document provides essential guidelines for preventing and managing acute diarrhoeal diseases, particularly in complex emergency situations such as conflicts, natural disasters, or health crises. It highlights the importance of access to safe drinking water, sanitation, personal hygiene, and the ...prompt treatment of patients using oral rehydration solutions (ORS). The text also emphasizes the need for coordination between local and international actors to ensure an effective and sustainable response.
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Over-plagued with deadly siege, the Eastern Ghota is still subject to a vicious military regime attack in an attempt to force its people to flee for their life or just die in place. The sufferings in Eastern Ghota have been continuing, unabated for more than five running years, leaving the area bere...aved of almost all basic necessities for survival with grave shortage of resources. The Syrian regime is currently making attempts to displace the civilians by wreaking havoc in the area, preventing the entry of basic foodstuffs, and denying medical access for critical cases or even their exit for treatment.
In a series of reports issued by the Information Management Unit (IMU) of the Assistance Coordination Unit (ACU) and through its network of enumerators and in coordination with the Local Council of Rural Damascus Governorate, the 2nd edition of the report ” Siege and Death in the Eastern Ghouta” is issued to sound off warning bells about the hardship situation in Eastern Ghota, much as it is intended to raise the alarm regarding the displacement enforced and the human rights violations committed by the regime. The report at the same time sheds lights on the looming catastrophe before it may occur.
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УСПЕХИ В РЕАЛИЗАЦИИ ПОЛИТИКИ В ОТНОШЕНИИ КОНТРОЛЯ НАД АЛКОГОЛЬНОЙ ПРОДУКЦИЕЙ, 2010–2019 ГГ
A detailed overview is provided of the implementation of alcohol policies described in the 10 action areas of the European Action Plan ...to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol 2012–2020 (EAPA), including the current status of implementation of the five action areas of the WHO-led SAFER initiative:
Strengthen restrictions on alcohol availability;
Advance and enforce drink–driving countermeasures;
Facilitate access to screening, brief interventions and treatment;
Enforce bans or comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship and promotion; and
Raise prices on alcohol through excise taxes and pricing policies.
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The article discusses the success of the Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD) in Brazil. It details the initiatives launched to address chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) like asthma and COPD, emphasizing the development of national programs and collaborative efforts with the... World Health Organization (WHO). Key achievements include successful advocacy, education campaigns, and pilot projects for asthma control, which have led to improved access to treatment and better management of CRDs. Despite challenges such as limited government priority, GARD Brazil has made significant progress in awareness and care for respiratory conditions. The article highlights the need for continued support to sustain these efforts and develop a formal national action plan.
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The article "Cardiovascular Diseases" on Our World in Data provides an in-depth analysis of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the leading cause of death globally. It examines CVD trends, such as the decline in mortality rates in high-income countries due to improved healthcare and lifestyle changes, wh...ile low- and middle-income countries experience rising CVD burdens. The article highlights major risk factors, including high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, and poor diet. It emphasizes the importance of preventive measures and access to treatment to reduce global disparities in CVD outcomes. The data-driven approach uses visualizations to illustrate the global impact and distribution of CVD.
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Journal of the International AIDS Society 2017, 20(Suppl 4):21644
National AIDS Programme in Myanmar has made significant progress in scaling up antiretroviral treatment (ART) services and recognizes the importance of differentiated care for people living with HIV. Indeed, long centred around t...he hospital and reliant on physicians, the country's HIV response is undergoing a process of successful decentralization with HIV care increasingly being integrated into other health services as part of a systematic effort to expand access to HIV treatment. This study describes implementation of differentiated care in Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)‐supported programmes and reports its outcomes.
https://doi.org/10.7448/IAS.20.5.21644
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Malaria is a prevalent cause of febrile illnesses in areas with high transmission, and its clinical presentation overlaps with initial signs of Ebola disease. For this reason, the effectiveness of the Ebola response in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone can be optimized through the deployment of targe...ted measures to reduce the number of fever cases due to malaria
WHO recommends specific adaptations in the diagnosis of malaria and in LLIN distribution in countries heavily affected by the Ebola outbreak and mass drug administration using artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in areas where transmission of both Ebola and malaria is high and access to malaria treatment is very low.
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The "Regional Action Plan 2017–2030: Towards a Malaria-Free South-East Asia Region" by the World Health Organization (WHO) outlines a strategic framework to eliminate malaria in the 11 countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region by 2030. It focuses on reducing transmission, particularly of Plasmod...ium falciparum and P. vivax, addressing multidrug resistance, improving surveillance, and ensuring universal access to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The plan sets clear objectives and milestones and emphasizes strong governance, cross-border collaboration, community involvement, and sustainable financing to achieve and maintain a malaria-free status across the region.
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Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) is advancing the global fight against acute malnutrition in children under 5 with the launch of its new guideline on the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional oedema (acute malnutrition). This milestone is a crucial response to the persistent... global issue of acute malnutrition, which affects millions of children worldwide.
In 2015, the world committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the ambitious target of eliminating malnutrition in all of its forms by 2030. However, despite these commitments, the proportion of children with acute malnutrition has persisted at a worrying level, affecting an estimated 45 million children under five worldwide in 2022.
In 2022, approximately 7.3 million children received treatment for severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Although treatment coverage has increased, children with SAM in many of the worst affected countries are still unable to access the full necessary care for them to recover.
The Global Action Plan (GAP) on child wasting recognized the need for updated normative guidance to support governments in the prevention and management of acute malnutrition. WHO answered this call to action and developed a comprehensive guideline that provides evidence-based recommendations and good practice statements and will be followed by guidance and tools for implementation.
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Available in Russian
A detailed overview is provided of the implementation of alcohol policies described in the 10 action areas of the European Action Plan to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol 2012–2020 (EAPA), including the current status of implementation of the five action areas of the WHO-led... SAFER initiative:
Strengthen restrictions on alcohol availability;
Advance and enforce drink–driving countermeasures;
Facilitate access to screening, brief interventions and treatment;
Enforce bans or comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship and promotion; and
Raise prices on alcohol through excise taxes and pricing policies.
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Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. The most common is type 2 diabetes, usually in adults, which occurs when the body becomes resist...ant to insulin or doesn't make enough insulin. In the past three decades the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has risen dramatically in countries of all income levels. Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin by itself. For people living with diabetes, access to affordable treatment, including insulin, is critical to their survival. There is a globally agreed target to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity by 2025
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The document outlines comprehensive guidelines for managing cholera outbreaks in South Africa, focusing on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and public health measures. It emphasizes the importance of rehydration therapy, sanitation, clean water access, and community involvement to control the sprea...d of the disease. It also provides protocols for handling outbreaks, including case identification, laboratory confirmation, and multi-sectoral coordination to reduce morbidity and mortality rates.
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