A comprehensive briefing by Half of Syria
April 2020
A comprehensive briefing on the critical challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic to Syrians, as reported by Syrian civil society organisations. These challenges have been collated following extensive interviews with the teams of member and partner... organisations working in the field in various sectors: health, child care, education, women’s empowerment, media and culture, research, human rights and accountability, relief and social services, and local governance.
This comprehensive briefing also include concrete recommendations formulated by the Syrian civil society.
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This technical guidance aims to provide guidelines to laboratories and relevant stakeholders in the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and other countries in the WHO European region in making decisions on establishing sequencing capacities and capabilities, in making decisions on whic...h technologies to use and/or in deciding on the role of sequencing for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics, research, outbreak investigations and surveillance. It addresses the most used sequencing technologies and their applications and proposes a central standardisation process to analyse and report the findings of SARS-CoV-2 genetic characterisations.
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The WHO Cholera Kits 2020 provide essential medical and logistical supplies for responding to cholera outbreaks. Designed to support the first month of an outbreak, the kits include treatment supplies for 100 patients, laboratory testing materials, investigation tools, and infrastructure components ...for patient care. The six kit types cover central, peripheral, and community-level treatment, along with resources for surveillance and outbreak response. The document also outlines recent modifications, ordering procedures, and recommendations for deployment in high-risk areas.
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ECDC launched the HEPSA (Health Emergency Preparedness Self-Assessment) tool, in order to support countries in improving their level of public health emergency preparedness. The tool is worksheet-based and is targeted at professionals in public health organisations responsible for emergency planning... and event management. It consists of seven domains that define the process of public health emergency preparedness and response: 1) Pre-event preparations and governance; 2) Resources: Trained workforce; 3) Support capacity: Surveillance; 4) Support capacity: Risk assessment; 5) Event response management; 6) Post-event review; 7) Implementation of lessons learned.
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The Interim Guidance on Cholera Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) by the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) provides recommendations for using RDTs to detect cholera in areas with limited laboratory capacity. It highlights the advantages of RDTs, such as rapid detection (within 30 minutes), ea...se of use by non-laboratory personnel, and their role in early outbreak identification and surveillance. However, it emphasizes that RDTs should not replace culture or PCR testing, as they vary in sensitivity (58-100%) and specificity (60-100%). The document advises on proper test selection, storage, training, and integration into national surveillance systems to enhance cholera response efforts.
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PLoS Negl Trop Dis 16(11): e0010885. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010885
HAT diagnosis in non-endemic countries is rare and can be challenging, but alertness and
surveillance must be maintained to contribute to WHO’s elimination goals. Early detection is
particularly important as it co...nsiderably improves the prognosis.
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Infectious disease outbreaks are periods of
great uncertainty. Events unfold, resources
and capacities that are often limited
are stretched yet further, and decisions
for a public health response must be
made quickly, even though the evidence
for decision-making may be scant. In
such a... situation, public health officials,
policy-makers, funders, researchers, field
epidemiologists, first responders, national
ethics boards, health-care workers, and public
health practitioners need a moral compass
to guide them in their decision-making.
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In 2015, the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda published the Rwanda Poverty Profile Report 2013/2014,which provided a detailed portrait of the extent and nature of poverty in the country, based on information collected by an integrated household living conditions survey (EICV4) undertaken b...etween October 2013 and September 2014.
This report complements the study by looking at the trends in poverty between 2010/11 and 2013/14.It is essential to examine changes in poverty over time, because one of the most important goals of economic Sustainable Development Goals is to eliminate severe poverty by 2030.
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RBC/IHDPC/ EID Division | November2011 - The aim of the standard operating procedures is to guide health care providers and public health
experts from various levels of the health system in the implementation of enhanced surveillance of meningococcal meningitis.
The document “Malaria Elimination Programme Review, India 2022”, published by the WHO Country Office for India, provides an in-depth assessment of India’s progress toward malaria elimination. It evaluates the structure, implementation, and effectiveness of national and subnational malaria prog...rams, focusing on surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, vector control, and community engagement. The review identifies strengths, challenges, and areas for improvement, offering evidence-based recommendations to accelerate India's efforts to eliminate malaria by 2030.
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The framework recommends expanded coverage of malaria diagnostic and treatment services, intensified vector control to drive down transmission, strengthened malaria surveillance, and increased transborder collaboration, especially in terms of efforts to control the sale and use of artemisinin monoth...erapies. Since it is unlikely that national malaria control programs will be able to implement all the activities described in this framework simultaneously, a list of suggested priority activities has been included in the Annex.
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The WHO Guide on Cholera Control in Complex Emergencies provides key steps for preparedness, prevention, and response to cholera and other diarrheal diseases in crisis situations. It highlights the importance of early warning systems, rapid response, and coordination among health agencies. The guide... outlines measures for case management, water sanitation, hygiene promotion, and outbreak containment, particularly in refugee camps and disaster-affected areas. It emphasizes community involvement, surveillance, and proper health infrastructure to reduce mortality and control disease spread in vulnerable populations.
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The goal of this Global Action Plan is to articulate synergistic actions that will be required to prevent HIVDR from undermining efforts to achieve global targets on health and HIV, and to provide the most effective treatment to all people living with HIV including adults, key populations, pregnant ...and breastfeeding women, children and adolescents. The Global Action Plan has five strategic objectives: 1) prevention and response; 2) monitoring and surveillance; 3) research and innovation; 4) laboratory capacity; and 5) governance and enabling mechanisms.
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It describes and analyzes the theoretical-practical incidences of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation, including but not limited to the Information Science framework. Besides, it aims to outline an understanding of these three concepts based on 16 arrangements intercon...nected according to their intentionality.
Conclusions: We highlight that the complexity that permeates the various fields in the present situation is due to the difficulty of reaching a consensus on the semantic definition of the concepts of information, misinformation, and its disambiguations since these concepts have various properties.
Also available in: Portuguese
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Abridged version. In this abridged version of the Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Follow-Up of at-risk neonates, we provide recommendations for the care of newborns up to 2 years of age, corresponding to the first phase of their follow-up. The recommendations are intended for all... health sector staff responsible for the primary care of these neonates: general practitioners, family practitioners, pediatricians, neonatologists, pediatric ophthalmologists, pediatric otolaryngologists, nursing professionals, specialists in other fields, and multidisciplinary staff involved in the care process. The purpose of these guidelines is to facilitate policy implementation processes carried out by decision-makers and members of government bodies, and will also be useful for parents, mothers, and caregivers. The main topics covered by this document include the hospital discharge criteria, including screening tests; information and support for parents, mothers, and caregivers; screening at the follow-up visit, and the frequency of follow-ups until the infant is 2 years of age. These guidelines do not address matters related to nursing or comorbidities.
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The COVID-19 HEalth caRe wOrkErs Study (HEROES): Regional Report from the Americas is a multicenter prospective cohort study to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health care workers in 26 countries on four continents and how it is affected by several factors at diffe...rent interrelated levels: individual, family, occupational, and social. This brief report presents the evidence generated from the baseline survey of 11 participating countries in the Region of the Americas. Using validated scales, the findings show high rates of depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and psychological distress in several countries of the Region. The spirit of the project is not only to generate quality scientific evidence on the mental health of health care workers, but also to help develop interventions (both individual and institutional) and policies to address the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health.
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This report seeks to uncover the extent to which global goals crowd in international financing, inform domestic policy priorities, and navigate progress toward development outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LICs and MICs). Our report:
Provides a historical perspective on how ODA financin...g was aligned with the MDGs, and the perceived influence of global goals in shaping domestic priorities
Offers a baseline of ODA financing to the SDGs and a forward-looking perspective in translating past lessons learned from the MDGs era into actionable insights
Using a pilot methodology developed by AidData, we analyze ODA flows during the MDGs era (2000-2013) and approximate baseline financing for each goal prior to the adoption of Agenda 2030 in September 2015. The dataset used in the report, Financing to the SDGs, Version 1.0, provides project-level data on estimated Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from 2000 to 2013. In this report, we also draw upon the responses of nearly 7,000 public, private, and civil society leaders from AidData’s novel 2014 Reform Efforts Survey to assess how national-level policymakers perceive the MDGs in light of their domestic reform priorities, and what this may mean for the SDGs.
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The report offers an overview of the progress the humanitarian sector has made and the obstacles it has faced over the past 10 years. Accountability is no longer just a fashionable term, there is now a shared understanding of what it takes to be accountable. From changes at policy level, to concrete... actions taken in the field, this report documents this sector-wide shift. It also shows that being accountable to the people we aim to serve is not just the right thing to do, it is also the best way to ensure programmes are relevant, effective, efficient and sustainable
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Ebola disease and Marburg disease outbreaks continue to occur in Africa, with increased frequency. In addition to resulting in high mortality and morbidity, the outbreaks generate fear and mistrust about the response activities within the communities affected.
Infection prevention and control (IP...C) is a key pillar in the outbreak response; adherence to IPC practices can prevent and control transmission of infections to health and care workers, patients and their family members.
During the 2014-2016 West African Ebola disease outbreak, there was an urgent need for rapid IPC guidance to help support ministries of health, health-care providers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In response, WHO produced several documents related to the outbreak based on expert opinion, including IPC-specific documents and documents on clinical management that also referenced key IPC principles and practices. Since that time, many practices in the field have become institutionalized.
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The preparedness strengthening team deployed to Ghana focused on specific objectives in order to assist the country in becoming as operationally prepared as possible to detect, investigate and report potential EVD cases effectively and safely and to mount an effective response to prevent a larger o...utbreak. To accomplish this goal, the team conducted “scoping” activities, stakeholder meetings, site visits and a “table-top” simulation exercise to determine what systems were in place and what aspects of preparedness could be strengthened.
It is organized in 10 components of the WHO consolidated checklist for EVD preparedness: 1) planning and coordination; 2) epidemiological and laboratory surveillance; 3) rapid response teams; 4) contact tracing; 5) points of entry; 6) laboratory; 7) case management; 8) infection prevention and control; 9) social mobilization and risk communication; 10) budget.
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