This document serves to provide interim guidance/ recommendations to carry out mpox surveillance activities mainly case investigation, contact tracing and isolation. For the development of this document WHO, UKHSA and CDC guidelines were referred to and adopted within the country context.
HIV-1 drug resistance (HIVDR) genotyping is an essential component of the WHO global HIVDR surveillance strategy. Plasma “gold standard” specimen type for HIVDR genotyping, but its use may not be feasible in rural, remote areas in low- and middle-income countries, since preparing and storing it ...require personnel and laboratory infrastructure that are often lacking. An alternative specimen type is dried blood spots (DBS), which can be made without special laboratory processing. DBS are more easily transported than plasma because they can be shipped at ambient temperature as non-hazardous materials using regular mail or courier services.
3rd edition
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Integrated HIV Behavioral and Serologic Surveillance
Launch of the WHO Report on antimalarial drug efficacy, resistance and response: 10 years of surveillance (2010–2019). Key findings
The strategy focuses on mobilizing and coordinating partners, experts and resources to help countries enhance surveillance of the Zika virus and disorders that could be linked to it, improve vector control, effectively communicate risks, guidance and protection measures, provide medical care to thos...e affected and fast-track research and development of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics
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Representative, quality, timely and continuous genetic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 is critical to the COVID-19 outbreak response. This document provides practical guidance to Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) laboratories and other relevant national laboratories to move beyond... virus detection to genomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive materials obtained from sentinel surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI), acute respiratory infection (ARI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI). It contains considerations on sample selection for sequencing, numbers of viruses to be sequenced, metadata and timeliness for sharing genetic sequence data (GSD) and opportunities for technical support.
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The WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region's Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD) Data and Statistics page offers comprehensive information on NCD surveillance, including mortality rates, morbidity, and risk factor exposures. It emphasizes the importance of monitoring NCD trends to inform prevention and control... strategies, aligning with global targets such as reducing premature NCD deaths by one-third by 2030. The page also highlights the WHO STEPwise approach to NCD risk factor surveillance, providing standardized methods for data collection and analysis.
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The WHO Cholera Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) Target Product Profile outlines the key requirements for developing improved cholera RDTs. It highlights the need for fast, accurate, and easy-to-use tests for early outbreak detection in resource-limited settings. The document sets desired and acceptable ...performance criteria, including high sensitivity and specificity, rapid results (under 15 minutes), and usability by non-laboratory personnel. The tests should be affordable, stable in extreme conditions, and require minimal training. The goal is to enhance cholera surveillance and outbreak response, ensuring quick containment and improved public health outcomes.
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This WHO laboratory manual provides the most up to date methods and procedures for the laboratory identification of yellow fever virus infection in humans. It provides guidance on the establishment and maintenance of an effective laboratory providing routine surveillance testing for yellow fever, wh...ich operates within the WHO coordinated Global Yellow Fever Laboratory Network (GYFLaN) capable of providing confirmation of yellow fever infection reliably and timely. This second edition supersedes the first edition of the 2004 WHO manual for the monitoring of yellow fever virus infection.
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Many critical questions remain about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in real-world settings. These questions can only be answered in post-introduction vaccine effectiveness studies.This guidance document outlines an approach to leverage existing surveillance systems for Severe Acute Respirato...ry Infection (SARI) to estimate COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) in preventing SARI associated with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 using existing SARI surveillance systems. The approach uses the test-negative design to evaluate VE; cases are SARI patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and controls are SARI patients who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2.
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The Strategic plan aims to ensure alignment of preparedness and readiness actions in the nine countries focusing on eight technical areas: strengthening multisectoral coordination; surveillance for early detection; laboratory diagnostic capacity; points of entry; rapid response teams; risk communica...tion, social mobilization and community engagement; case management and infection prevention and control (IPC) capacities; and, operations support and logistics. The purpose of the WHO Regional Strategic Plan is to ensure that the countries bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo are prepared and ready to implement timely and effective risk mitigation, detection and response measures should there be any importation of EVD cases.
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A survey was conducted in countries in all six WHO regions and focused on the building blocks that are considered prerequisites to combat antimicrobial resistance: a comprehensive national plan, laboratory capacity to undertake surveillance for resistant microorganisms, access to safe, effective ant...imicrobial medicines, control of the misuse of these medicines, awareness and understanding among the general public and effective infection prevention and control programmes.
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The Zimbabwe Multi-Sectoral Cholera Elimination Plan (2018–2028) aims to eradicate cholera by improving water, sanitation, and healthcare infrastructure, strengthening disease surveillance, and expanding oral cholera vaccination (OCV). The strategy focuses on five pillars, including public health ...response, WASH, infrastructure, community empowerment, and financing. A multi-sectoral approach involving government, international organizations, and local communities targets cholera hotspots to prevent outbreaks and ensure long-term disease control.
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This Framework offers a coherent approach for eliminating tuberculosis (TB) in low-incidence countries. It is designed to guide national policy-makers and those responsible for technical aspects of the national TB response in accelerating efforts towards elimination. The document will also be inform...ative for public health surveillance officers, practitioners and nongovernmental and civil society partners working on natioal TB care and prevention and serving the populations most vulnerable to TB.
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Rabies has an enormous impact on both agriculture and conservation biology, but its greatest burden is undeniably on public health. As such, routine methods for rapid risk assessment after human exposures to rabies as well as applications for laboratory-based surveillance, production of biologicals ...and management of this infectious disease are critical. Given its mandate to improve human health and control disease among its Member States, WHO has led the production of this fifth edition of Laboratory techniques in rabies.
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The Epidemic Preparedness and Response Plan for Cholera in Syria (November 2015) outlines strategies to prevent, detect, and manage cholera outbreaks in the country, where poor water and sanitation conditions, displacement, and damaged healthcare infrastructure increase the risk of disease spread. T...he plan aims to reduce morbidity and mortality through early detection, rapid response, and coordinated interventions. It is divided into four key phases: the Pre-Epidemic Phase, which includes risk assessment, resource mapping, stockpiling medical supplies, training health workers, and raising community awareness; the Alert Phase, which focuses on surveillance, laboratory confirmation, and mobilization of rapid response teams; the Epidemic Phase, which involves case management, infection control, environmental measures such as water chlorination and improved sanitation, and public awareness campaigns; and the Post-Epidemic Phase, which evaluates the response effectiveness and identifies lessons to improve future preparedness. The plan emphasizes multi-sectoral coordination, strengthening health surveillance, and ensuring timely intervention to control and prevent cholera outbreaks in vulnerable communities.
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The WHO country office for Ghana, began the year 2019 with a 4-day staff retreat at the Busua Beach Resort in the Western Region from 04 to 08 March 2019. The theme for the retreat was ‘Impacting the Health and Lives of the people of Ghana through the Triple Billion Goal”. The staff outlined pri...orities and strategies to strengthen WHO’s contribution to the national health agenda during the year. Working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service and other allied health institutions and stakeholders, the WHO country office, provided support aimed at achieving its
mission which is attaining the highest level of health by the people in the country though its six operational areas which are (i) Communicable Diseases (ii) Non-Communicable Diseases, (iii) Promoting Health through the Life Course (iv), Health Systems, (v) Preparedness, Surveillance and Response (vi) Corporate services and enabling functions.
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The aim of the operational framework is to ensure 1) accurate collection, handling, shipment and storage of specimens collected in countries implementing HIV drug resistance surveillance; and 2) the availability of quality-assured HIV genotyping laboratory services producing comparable and reliable ...results at the national, regional and global levels.
This publication updates the WHO HIVResNet HIV drug resistance laboratory operational framework published in 2017 and reflects technical and strategic developments over the past three years.
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UNAIDS/WHO Working Group on Global HIV/AIDS and STI Surveillance
The purpose of this field guide is to provide comprehensive information on planning and implementing high-quality3 SIAs for injectable vaccines and highlight the opportunities to strengthen RI and surveillance. The guide uses measles–rubella SIAs as the main example throughout, but the informatio...n provided aims to be applicable to SIAs delivering any injectable vaccine. It can serve as a reference for the preparation of regional/national SIA field guides and materials.
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