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Neurological disorders public health challenges

World Health Organization WHO WHO (2006) CC

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, a collaborative endeavour of the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank and the Harvard School of Public Health, drew the attention of the international health community to the burden of neurological disorders and many other chronic conditions. T... 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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Guidance Note on Malaria Programmes in Refugee Operations

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR (2022) C1

This UNHCR guidance note provides comprehensive recommendations for the prevention and control of malaria in refugee settings worldwide. Aligned with the WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, it outlines strategies to ensure access to effective prevention, diagnosis and treatment, implement sus... more

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Kangaroo mother care: a transformative innovation in health care

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

This document puts forward the joint position and vision of an expert, global, multistakeholder working group on implementing Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) for all preterm or low birth weight (LBW) infants as the foundation for small and/or sick newborn care within maternal, newborn, and child health p... more

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Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey 2010

National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) [Rwanda], Ministry of Health (MOH) [Rwanda], and ICF International (2012) C2

The government of Rwanda conducted the 2010 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) to gather up-to-date information for monitoring progress on healthcare programs and policies in Rwanda, including the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS), the Millennium Development Goals ... more

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Step-by-Step Approach for Development and Implementation of Hospital Antibiotic Policy and Standard Treatment Guidelines
recommended

World Health Organization (2011) C_WHO

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a major public health problem all over the world. Infections caused by resistant microbes fail to respond to treatment, resulting in prolonged illness and greater risk of death. This document focuses on the mechanism to develop a practically applicable h... more

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Expanding the Roles of Nurses in Primary Health Care

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), World Health Organization - Regional Office for the Americas (WHO) (2018) C_WHO

[Preface]. For more than forty years Primary Health Care (PHC) has been recognized as the cornerstone of an effective and responsive health system. The Alma-Ata Declaration of 1978 reaffirmed the right to the highest attainable level of health, with equity, solidarity and the right to health as its ... more

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Comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2020
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2021) C_WHO

This updated Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2030 builds upon its predecessor and sets out clear actions for Member States, the WHO Secretariat and international, regional and national partners to promote mental health and well-being for all, to prevent mental health conditions for thos... more

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Interim recommendations for use of the ChAdOx1-S [recombinant] vaccine against COVID-19 (AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222 Vaxzevria™, SII COVISHIELD™)
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2022) C_WHO

These WHO interim recommendations on the use of the Astra Zeneca – Oxford University AZD1222 vaccine against Covid-19 were developed on the basis of advice issued by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) and the evidence summary included in the background document referenc... more

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Estimating the Size of Populations through a Household Survey (ESPHS) - RWANDA 2011

Rwanda Biomedical CenterInstitute of HIV (2012) C2

This report presents the findings of the Estimating the Size of Populations through a Household Survey (ESPHS) study that took place in 2011. The study utilized a single household survey to estimate the size of several key populations, including sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), injectin... more

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A Decade of Destruction: Attacks on Health Care in Syria

Sider, R. , Buswell, M. , Al Salman, M. et al. International Rescue Committee, et al. (2021) CC

March 2021. “A Decade of Destruction: Attacks on health care in Syria,” highlights with chilling detail how this 10-year war strategy has turned hospitals from safe havens into no-go zones where Syrian civilians now fear for their lives.

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Nutrition Program Design Assistant: A Tool for Program Planners (NPDA)

CORE Group Nutrition Working Group, Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance III Project (FANTA), and Save the Children (2015)

Reference Guide Version 2. Revised. The Nutrition Program Design Assistant is a tool to help organizations design the nutrition component of their community-based maternal and child health, food security, or other development program. The tool focuses on prevention and also provides guidance on recu... more

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Roadmap for the Global Health for Peace Initiative: Draft

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

This draft Roadmap for the Global Health for Peace Initiative has been developed in response to decision WHA75(24) of the 75th World Health Assembly (2022), which requested that WHO develop, in full consultation with Member States and Observers, and in full collaboration with other organizations of ... more

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Timor-Leste: Disaster Management Reference Handbook

Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (2016) C1

Timor-Leste’s vulnerability to natural hazards means if particular care is not taken in the development of the country’s infrastructure, it will remain at risk to disruption.
Timor-Leste developed the 2008 National Disaster Risk Management Policy, which lays out the government’s vison of ... more

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Guidelines for the Prevention and Contaiment of of Antimicrobial Resistance in South African Hospitals
recommended

NdOH South Africa National Department of Health South Africa (2018) C1

These guidelines form part of efforts to institutionalize the prevention and containment of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in healthcare facilities in South Africa, as outlined in the Antimicrobial Resistance Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan. The focus of these guidelines is on two interr... more

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Considerations relating to social distancing measures in response to the COVID-19 epidemic- second update

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC (2020) C1

Social distancing is an action taken to minimise contact with other individuals; social distancing measures comprise one category of non-pharmaceutical countermeasures (NPCs)1 aimed at reducing disease transmission and thereby also reducing pressure on health services. This document builds upon exi... more

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COVID-19 Multi-Sector Response Plan - Papua New Guinea Disaster Management Team

UNCT; PNG; reliefweb (2020) C2

his revision to the Disaster Management Team’s (DMT) multi-sector response plan for COVID-19 is meant to align the multi-sector plan with the Department of Health’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan issued on 24 April 2020. Additionally, at the time of this version, the Department of Education an... more

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Agenda for the Americas on Health, Environment, and Climate Change 2021–2030

Pan American Health Organization (2021) C_WHO

This publication presents the Agenda for the Americas on Health, Environment, and Climate Change 2021–2030 (the Agenda). The Agenda is a call to action to the health sector to lead the charge to address environmental determinants of health in the Americas. The Pan American Health Organization (PAH...O) will work with Member States to achieve its goal and objective to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages using a sustainable and equitable approach that places a priority on reducing health inequity. The Agenda has been developed under the umbrella of the WHO Global Strategy on Health, Environment, and Climate Change, and builds upon the commitments set forth in the Sustainable Health Agenda for the Americas 2018–2030 and the PAHO Strategic Plan 2020–2025. The Agenda was developed in consultation with the Technical Advisory Group and through a consensus-driven decision-making process with Member States during the 2019–2020 period. Looking toward the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3, the Agenda focuses on: improving the performance of environmental public health programs and institutions; fostering environmentally resilient and sustainable health systems; and promoting environmentally healthy and resilient cities and communities. Its implementation will be context-specific, based on the needs and realities of the countries. It will benefit countries and territories by promoting good governance practices, strengthening the leadership and coordination roles of the health sector, fostering cross-sectoral action, focusing on primary prevention, and enhancing evidence and communication. It will facilitate access to human, technical, and financial resources necessary to address environmental determinants of health and ensure that the Region is fully engaged in global health, environment, and climate change processes and agreements. The objective of the Agenda is to strengthen the capacity of health actors in the health and non-health sectors to address and adapt to environmental determinants of health (EDHs), prioritizing populations living in conditions of vulnerability, in order to meet Outcome 18 of the PAHO Strategic Plan 2020–2025 directly and several other outcomes of the Plan indirectly. To address and adapt to the challenges of EDHs in the Region, an integrated and evidence-informed approach within the health sector and across sectors will be needed, one enabled, and supported by good governance practices, adequate management mechanisms, high-level political will, and adequate human, technical, technological, and financial resources. more

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Clinical management and infection prevention and control for monkeypox
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2022) C_WHO

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... more

Step-by-Step Approach for Development and Implementation of Hospital Antibiotic Policy and Standard Treatment Guidelines recommended

Comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2020 recommended

Interim recommendations for use of the ChAdOx1-S [recombinant] vaccine against COVID-19 (AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222 Vaxzevria™, SII COVISHIELD™) recommended

Guidelines for the Prevention and Contaiment of of Antimicrobial Resistance in South African Hospitals recommended

Clinical management and infection prevention and control for monkeypox recommended

Step-by-Step Approach for Development and Implementation of Hospital Antibiotic Policy and Standard Treatment Guidelines
recommended

Comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2020
recommended

Interim recommendations for use of the ChAdOx1-S [recombinant] vaccine against COVID-19 (AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222 Vaxzevria™, SII COVISHIELD™)
recommended

Guidelines for the Prevention and Contaiment of of Antimicrobial Resistance in South African Hospitals
recommended

Clinical management and infection prevention and control for monkeypox
recommended