Practical guide for doctors, nurses,laboratory technicians, medical auxiliaries,water and sanitation specialists and logisticians.
The document is a comprehensive guide for managing cholera epidemics, providing detailed protocols for prevention, outbreak investigation, treatment, and control mea...sures. It covers essential aspects like rehydration therapy, water sanitation, hygiene promotion, and setting up treatment centers. Designed for medical and non-medical staff, it aims to support effective epidemic response and reduce cholera-related morbidity and mortality.
more
This document is to guide policy makers, managers, districts, health workers, communities, NGOs and all other stakeholders on how to implement newborn health services.
Over the reporting period, THP-Burkina Faso (THP-Burkina) maintained a continuous focus on ensuring the selfreliance of the health program in each of its epicenters. Building upon its exclusive use of government-run health clinics at its epicenters, THP-Burkina developed a firstever partnership agre...ement with the national Ministry of Health. This allowed greater partnership with medical professionals at the epicenter level, as was practiced at Boulkon Epicenter in June 2012 (see photo). THPBurkina continued advancing four of its 10 Phase III epicenter rural banks toward government recognition.
more
Integration of mental health (MH) and HIV programs has the potential to significantly improve health outcomes for people living with HIV (PLHIV). This training package, which is comprised of a training-of-trainers manual, an accompanying presentation, and a standard operating procedure, was develope...d to support a pilot project for MH and HIV integration at the community level such that
health facilities, community-based organizations (CBOs), and traditional medical practitioners (TMPs) can collaborate to support MH screening and service provision for PLHIV in Zimbabwe
more
According to WHO, infection prevention and control (IPC) is a scientific approach and practical solution designed to prevent harm caused by infection to patients and health workers. It is grounded in infectious diseases, epidemiology, social science and health system strengthening. IPC occupies a un...ique position in the field of patient safety and quality universal health coverage since it is relevant to health workers and patients at every single health-care encounter. Poor WASH and IPC lead to health acquired infections, transmission of diseases from health facilities to communities and increased use of antibiotics and exacerbate outbreak and spread of infections- in this case- COVID- 19. On the contrary, effective IPC reduces hospital-acquired infections by at least 30% (WHO 2016).
more
Community Care Centres (CCCs) are small facilities (10 beds maximum), located within the community and run by community health workers. CCCs provide isolation facilities for Ebola patients in order to prevent further transmission of the virus within their households and communities. People with Ebol...a virus can also receive basic curative and palliative care in these centres in an environment supported by their family and communities. This document describes key principles and main considerations for implementation of a community approach.
more
This guidance will assist the transportation sector, including transport authorities, companies, independent or informal drivers, and passengers, in addressing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) for different outbreak phases as defined in the Africa CDC Stepwise Response.
This guidance complements... the Africa CDC Guidance for Community Physical Distancing, which includes further details on how to engage communities, implement physical distancing, and support organisations, and the Africa CDC Guidance for Community Use of Face Masks.
more
The guide seeks to address questions about how we can face local communication challenges presented by the pandemic, and how communicators respond effectively to the situation through supporting our communities to cope and to protect themselves. This guide aims to provide insights for a wide range o...f local communicators on the community level. It covers the need for knowing and communicating the facts coronavirus, understanding the pandemics’ timeline and accompanying communication phases, and accessing resources and materials; it also contains information about what needs communicating and key messages, and consideration about communication design options for appropriate communication routes and methods and essential communication planning
more
Health care and social service systems are facing exceptional demands at this time. Evidence is emerging that the COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately impacting low-income neighborhoods, communities of color, immigrant and other economically and medically vulnerable patients. These are the patien...ts and communities Community Health Workers (CHWs) are best prepared
to serve. This workforce is defined by their connection to these populations and by their ability to communicate in linguistically and culturally appropriate ways.
more
An outbreak of a disease called monkeypox is currently taking place in many countries that do not typically have cases. This can beconcerning, especially for people whose loved ones or community have been affected. Some cases have been identified through sexual health clinics in communities of gay, ...bisexual and other men who have sex with men. It is important to note that the risk of monkeypox is not limited to men who have sex with men. Anyone who has close contact with someone who is infectious is at risk. However, given that the virus is being identified in these communities, learning about monkeypox will help ensure that as few people as possible are affected and that the outbreak can be stopped.
more
The virtual conference, co-organised by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) brought together African leaders, public health professionals and researchers, policymakers, business leaders and civil society and commun...ity leaders.
The objective was to discuss strategies and approaches to remove barriers to widespread delivery and uptake of effective COVID-19 vaccines across Africa, guided by African voices and indigenous values. The goal of the conference was to provide input for a framework for fair, equitable and timely allocation of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa.
more
Uganda is Africa's largest refugee-hosting country and ranks fifth globally. Over the decades, Uganda has hosted refugees from nations including South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Burundi, and Rwanda. As of early 2024, it hosts 1 600 000 refugees, primarily in re...fugee settlements in northern and southwestern Uganda, and in Kampala City. Thirteen districts accommodate 94% of these refugees.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Uganda’s Ministry of Health conducted a joint review mission to provide a comprehensive overview of the health system's response. The aim was to understand service delivery challenges and identify opportunities to further support Uganda in strengthening health system capacity and ensuring continued access to health services for refugees, migrants and host communities.
more
Uganda hosts approximately 1.1 million refugees making it Africa’s largest refugee hosting country and one of the five largest refugee hosting countries in the world. Most recently, throughout 2016- 2018, Uganda was impacted by three parallel emergencies from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic o...f the Congo (DRC), and Burundi. In view of the on-going conflicts and famine
vulnerabilities in the Great Lakes Region, more refugee influxes and protracted refugee situations are anticipated in the foreseeable future. The unprecedented mass influx of refugees into Uganda in 2016-2018 has put enormous pressure on
the country’s basic service provision, in particular health and education services. Refugees share all social services with the local host communities. The refugee hosting districts are among the least developed districts in the country, and thus the additional refugee population is putting a high strain on already limited resources.
more
Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response.
The 2018 Sphere Handbook builds on the latest developments and learning in the humanitarian sector. Among the improvements of the new edition, readers will find a stronger focus on the role of local authorities and communities as ...actors of their own recovery. Guidance on context analysis to apply the standards has also been strengthened. New standards have also been developed, informed by recent practice and learning, such as WASH and healthcare settings in disease outbreaks, security of tenure in shelter and settlement, and palliative care in health. Different ways to deliver or enable assistance, including cash-based assistance, are also integrated into the Handbook.
more
This Guide helps all the health care providers in the non- public sector to explore alternative means of access to contraceptives and skills to determine quantities required and management of stock. Health care providers include community health workers, nurses and midwives, clinical officers and me...dical doctors.
more
It is too early to know the full impact of COVID-19 on Africa. To date the experience has been varied. There are causes for concern, but also reasons for hope. Early estimates were pessimistic regarding the pandemic’s impact on the continent. But the relatively low numbers of COVID-19 cases report...ed thus far have raised hopes that African countries may be spared the worst of the pandemic. While the virus is present in all African countries, most countries have recorded fewer than 1,000 cases. The African Union acted swiftly, endorsing a joint continental strategy in February, and complementing efforts by Member States and Regional Economic Communities by providing a public health platform.
more
Distributing immediate, lifesaving assistance is one of the most urgent actions in an emergency response and can significantly improve the safety and wellbeing of individuals. Non-Food Items (NFI), Food Security, WASH and Shelter in-kind assistance actors can help reduce and mitigate pr...otection risks to individuals and communities when conducting distributions.
more
The objectives of this guidance document are to:
1. Strengthen the capacity of country teams to effectively scale up and manage programmes to address severe acute malnutrition
2. Extend the geographic reach of quality treatment for SAM to all vulnerable communities in need
3. Maximize... access to appropriate and quality treatment for SAM among all eligible children in the community at all times
4. Aid the formulation and implementation of national policies and strategies that support objectives 1 to 3
5. Aid the creation of an enabling environment that supports objectives 1 to 3 through advocacy, documentation of successful practices, support for operational research, mobilization of resources and collaboration with partners
more
The aim of this brief is to ensure that the COVID-19 pandemic does not disrupt the supply of and demand generation for condoms. Sexual relations may be transformed in the new context of the pandemic, but they have not stopped. While access to male and female condoms has been critical in the global r...esponse to reduce HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies over the past three decades, these gains can be lost if condoms are not included in the essential commodities that are freely available to populations during the lockdown of countries. This brief for country condom programme managers and experts provides a summary of relevant actions to sustain supplies of male condoms, female condoms and lubricants, and to adjust approaches for condom promotion during the time of COVID-19
more
During the year 2022, COVID-19 continued to be a significant challenge in Eritrea as in many other countries across the world. As COVID-19 devastated communities around the world, WHO worked with the MoH to strengthen the National and Sub-National health systems in order to meet community needs and ...mitigate the devastation during the pandemic and beyond.
One of the major achievements in the year 2022 was the beginning of the journey towards validation of
the elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. This is the culmination of years
of commitment and determination by the political leadership, national and international partnerships to
reduce the associated indices to levels that qualify for elimination.
more