Community-based strategies play a significant role in many health systems in low- and middle-income countries, especially in light of critical shortages in the health workforce. The term community health worker has been used to refer to volunteers and salaried, professional or lay health workers wit...h a wide range of training, experience, scope of practice and integration in health systems. In the context of this study, we use the term community-based practitioner (CBPs) to reflect the diverse nature of these cadres of health workers.
CBPs provide preventive, promotive, curative and palliative services across a range of areas, including reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, control of other endemic diseases, and noncommunicable diseases. Significant evidence has emerged over the past two decades on their effectiveness, which has triggered interest in the potential to use their services to expand access to care, in particular in rural and underserved areas where deployment and retention of more qualified health workers is problematic. Calls have been made to integrate CBP programmes in human resources and health strategies, and to scale up rapidly the extent and coverage of CBP initiatives.
more
WHO has published the first-ever guidance on the clinical management of diphtheria. The only previously available guidance was an operational protocol. The new guidance followed the rigorous process for developing guidance at WHO.
It addresses the use of Diphtheria Antitoxin (DAT) in the treatmen...t of diphtheria. There is a worldwide shortage of DAT and evidence based recommendations on the use of DAT were requested by many Member States.
The guidance also includes new recommendations on antibiotics. In patients with suspected or confirmed diphtheria, WHO recommends using macrolide antibiotics (azithromycin, erythromycin) rather than penicillin antibiotics.
This clinical practice guideline has been rapidly developed recognizing the global increase in diphtheria outbreaks. Outbreaks of diphtheria in Nigeria, Guinea and neighbouring countries in 2023 have highlighted the urgent need for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of diphtheria. Given the sporadic nature of outbreaks, many clinicians in the affected regions have never managed acute diphtheria and its related complications. Diphtheria remains a neglected disease and vaccination is the top priority. At the same time, for patients with diphtheria, access to antibiotics, DAT and supportive care can be lifesaving.
more
A Community Guide to Environmental Health-Book. Appendix C.
Accessed 21 July 2021:The Caregiver Booklet is designed to help patients,family members, and community caregivers in the home-based care of serious long term illness. Home care is best for many people with long term illnesses,including those who are close to the end of life. All patients bein...g cared for at home should be first assessed and treated by a health worker, who will help caregivers provide high quality home care and ensure that medicines are taken correctly.
This booklet explains how to:
1. Deal with specific symptoms.
2. Provide care for terminal and bedridden patients at home.
3. Decide when to seek help from a health facility.
more
Bull World Health Organ 2020;98:773–780
Universal health coverage (UHC) depends on a strong primary health-care
system. To be successful, primary health care must be expanded at community and household levels as much of the world’s population still lacks access to health facilities for basic... services. Abundant evidence shows that community-based interventions are effective for improving health-care utilization and outcomes when integrated with facility-based services. Community involvement is the cornerstone of local, equitable and integrated primary health care.
more
The purpose of these guidelines is to streamline the process for managing healthcare equipment donations to improve healthcare services provided to the population of Rwanda. These guidelines are intended to be used by both the donor and recipient of the healthcare equipment donation. Further, these... guidelines apply to both in-country (e.q. one health facility donating equipment to another facility) and out-of-country healthcare equipment donations.
more
The region of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has high levels of income inequality and urbanization. This leaves a large percentage of the population exposed and vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks (1). The COVID-19 outbreak occurred suddenly, within a complex economic, social and polit...ical context and at a time of low economic growth and high levels of informal labour. Structural challenges of poverty, deep inequality across different dimensions, and weak health and social protection systems exacerbated the region’s vulnerability to the pandemic
more
It focuses on nine major priority areas, namely: Leadership and Governance for Health; Health Service Delivery; Human Resources for Health; Health Financing; Health Information Systems; Health Technologies; Community Ownership and Participation; Partnerships for Health Development; and Researc...h for Health.
more
Воздействие COVID-19 на пожилых людей в странах с низким и средним уровнем доходов – выводы за 2020 годРезюме
لإسعافات الأولية النفسية: دليل العاملين في الميدان
This guide covers psychological first aid which involves humane, supportive and practical help to fellow human beings suffering serious crisis events. It is written for people in a position to help other...s who have experienced an extremely distressing event. It gives a framework for supporting people in ways that respect their dignity, culture and abilitiies.
more
تحمل العبء الأكبر على كبار السن في الدول ذات الدخل 19تأثير جائحة الكوفيد-2020المتدني والمتوسط - رؤى من عام
The report shows that older people are not getting the healthcare treatments they desperately need. The COVID-1...9 response has disrupted services for non-communicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes, communicable diseases such as malaria, and much-needed services for mental health. Combined with a loss of income, many older people are unable to get the medicines they need.
A Summary is available in Russian and Arabic
more
This journal is funded by CBM
Advance chapters from the new edition
This guidance provides an overview of interventions to improve early diagnosis of TB and treatment completion in these populations, as well as factors to consider when developing programmes for health communication, awareness and education, and programme monitoring and evaluation
The guide is suitable and can be used for the following audiences:
1. nurses and other trained healthcare workers who can use this manual as a self-study tool and then incorporate its guidance into their practice;
2. governmental and non-governmental employers of lay and professional TB treatment ...adherence workers, who can provide training and guidance to their staff using the guidance in this manual;
3. TB clinicians, programme managers, policy makers and other leaders, to make them aware of the full range of interventions required by a person on TB treatment to complete his or her treatment and thus understand the gap that often exists in the support provided to patients;
4. people who, with enhanced capacity and support, can act as peer counsellors and supporters for people affected by TB. This can include family members who, in most contexts, play an important role in offering support to people with TB.
more