The World Health Organization (WHO) projects a global shortfall of 18 million health workers by 2030, mostly in low- and lower-middle-income countries. Contributing to the global deficit are chronic under-investment in education and training of health workers; workforce migration; an aging health wo...rkforce; rapid increases in chronic diseases; and inability to track existing human resources using health information systems. Health care worker shortages are compounded by the increased portability and virulence of infections. Rapid population growth, climate change, deforestation, international travel, migration, poverty, and social inequality have dramatically increased the risk of pandemics and highlighted the need for skilled health workforce to effectively respond to emerging health threats. This is evident now more than ever as COVID-19 exacerbates health inequity and barriers to access, and further strains the already fragile health systems in many countries.
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Adapted from: Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicine List PHC. The syndromic approach to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) diagnosis
and management is to treat the signs or symptoms (syndrome) of a group of
diseases rather than treating a specific disease. This allows for the tr...eatment
of one or more conditions that often occur at the same time and has been
accepted as the management of choice.
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This manual is designed to provide comprehensive malaria case management training for health workers at all levels, including clinical, nursing, dispensing, laboratory and records staff. The training covers the use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and the treatment of severe malaria. The fiv...e-day training programme includes interactive modules supported by job aids. The ideal group size is 20–30 participants, supported by a team of three trainers. Trainers should thoroughly review the manual, including the 'Adult Learning Techniques' module, and follow the 'Facilitator's Guide', while participants should use the 'Simplified Participant's Guide'. The training includes pre- and post-tests to assess knowledge improvement. Continuing Medical Education (CME) is encouraged after the training, and resources are provided in the appendix.
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In order to improve access to malaria services in remote mining areas of Guyana, the Ministry of Health and PAHO implemented a community case management programme, training workers in mining camps to test for and treat uncomplicated malaria. However, formative research by Breakthrough ACTION Guyana ...found that awareness of these services among miners was low. In response, the project supported the development of social and behavioural change (SBC) interventions to increase the visibility of volunteer malaria testers (VMTs), strengthen their counselling skills and improve retention by recognising their contributions.
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Activity Brief.Formative research revealed that gold miners in remote regions of Guyana viewed malaria as an unavoidable and minor risk compared to other dangers. Building on these insights, Breakthrough ACTION co-created the 'Lil Mosquito, Big Problem' (LMBP) social and behavioural change campaign,... which targeted miners in malaria-endemic areas (Regions 7 and 8). Adopting a human-centred design approach, the campaign collaborated with the Ministry of Health, mining organisations, and miners throughout its development. LMBP used visual, low-literacy materials featuring animated and live-action characters to raise awareness of the risks of malaria and encourage key behaviours such as timely testing, adhering to treatment and consistently using insecticide-treated nets. Launched in 2019 and scaled up until 2024, this multi-channel campaign aimed to change attitudes and improve malaria prevention in these hard-to-reach communities.
Accessed on 20/06/2025.
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Launch of the WHO Report on antimalarial drug efficacy, resistance and response: 10 years of surveillance (2010–2019). Key findings
Tanzania has an estimated 2.9 million adults with diabetes, 35% of whom are undiagnosed, and over 22,000 people living with type 1 diabetes. While the 2023 Universal Health Insurance law aims to improve access to care, only 15% of people are insured. Over 700 clinics provide diabetes care and offer ...free insulin to children and young adults. However, challenges remain regarding insulin availability, diagnostics, patient education and the healthcare workforce. Community engagement, training and policy advocacy are essential for improving diabetes management and achieving universal health coverage.
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This document highlights the latest WHO recommendations designed to optimize health outcomes, streamline delivery and address persistent barriers to prevention and care. It especially focuses on people often left behind in service delivery, including adolescents and young people, key populations and... people with advanced HIV disease. The guidance emphasizes integration, simplification, choice and equity.
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AIDS Behav. 2022 Feb;26(2):375-384.doi: 10.1007/s10461-021-03391.
A community health worker (CHW) model can promote HIV prevention and treatment behaviors,
especially in highly mobile populations. In a fishing community in Rakai, Uganda, the Rakai
Health Sciences Program implemented a communit...y health worker HIV intervention called Health
Scouts. The situated Information, Motivation, and Behavioral Skills (sIMB) framework informed
the design and a qualitative evaluation of the intervention. We interviewed 51 intervention
clients and coded transcripts informed by sIMB framework dimensions.
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Current HIV/AIDS Reports (2022) 19:358–374. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11904-022-00615-z.
MINDSPACE is an acronym developed by the UK's behavioural insights team to summarise nine key influences on human behaviour: Messenger, Incentives, Norms, Default, Salience, Priming, Affect, Commitment, and E...go. These effects have been used in various settings to design interventions that encourage positive behaviours. Currently, over 200 institutionalised behavioural insight teams exist internationally, which may draw upon the MINDSPACE framework to inform policy and improve public services.
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AIDS 2024, 38:1579–1588. Treatment interruptions are a barrier to successful antiretroviral therapy (ART). 'Fresh start messages', which leverage significant days on the calendar (e.g., new year, public holiday) in order to prompt action, have the potential to encourage people with HIV (PWH) to re...turn to care. We evaluated a 'fresh start' intervention (text messages) to increase return to care in PWH who had missed their last appointment.
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The Lancet Published Online September 13, 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31404-0
BACKGROUND. Asthma is a heterogeneous condition characterised by chronic inflammation and variable expiratory airflow limitation, as well as airway reversibility. The burden of asthma in children is increasing in low- and middle-income countries and remains under-recognised and poorly managed.
OBJE...CTIVES. To quantify the burden of asthma in the South African (SA) population and identify the risk factors associated with disease severity in the local context.
METHODS. The SA Childhood Asthma Working Group (SACAWG) convened in January 2017 with task groups, each headed by a section leader, constituting the editorial committee on assessment of asthma epidemiology, diagnosis, control, treatments, novel treatments and self-management plans. The epidemiology task group reviewed the available scientific literature and assigned evidence according to the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system.
CONCLUSIONS. Asthma in children remains a common condition, which has shown an increasing prevalence in urban and rural populations of SA. Of concern is that almost half of children in urban communities experience severe asthma symptoms, and many asthmatics lack a formal diagnosis and thus access to treatment. Exposure to tobacco smoke and living in highly polluted areas increase the severity of wheezing in young children.
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The global prevalence, morbidity and mortality related to childhood asthma among children has increased significantly over the last 40 years. Although asthma is recognized as the most common chronic disease in children, issues of underdiagnosis and undertreatment persist. There are substantial globa...l variations in the prevalence of asthma symptoms in children, with up to 13-fold differences between countries. The rising number of hospital admissions for asthma may reflect an increase in asthma severity, poor disease management and/or the effect of poverty. The financial burden of asthma is relatively high within developed countries (those for which data is available) spending 1 to 2% of their healthcare budget on this condition. Established in 1989, the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) attempts to raise awareness about the increasing prevalence of asthma, improve management and reduce the burden of asthma worldwide. Despite global efforts, GINA has not achieved its goal, even among developed nations. There are multiple barriers to reducing the global burden of asthma, including limited access to care and/or medications, and lack of prioritization as a public healthcare priority. In addition, the diversity of healthcare systems worldwide and large differences in access to care require that asthma management guidelines be tailored to local needs.
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Severe bacterial infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among people with advanced HIV disease, after tuberculosis and cryptococcal disease. For countries to reach the end-AIDS targets for 2030, there is a need to establish a roadmap for managing severe bacterial infections and re...duce mortality. The purpose of the meeting was to
Review the current research and implementation data on the use of prophylactic antibiotics (specifically azithromycin/macrolides) as part of the AHD package of care; To review options for preventing SBIs that are in line with goals of reducing AMR; Present the current evidence on diagnostics for SBI; Discuss research gaps and implementation challenges.
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The following is a breakdown of key considerations to guide planning and resource allocation for COVID-19 preparedness and response to support UNHCR regional and country operations in Public Health, WASH, Shelter and Settlements programmes. While some of the activities are more relevant in camps or ...settlements it is important to assess the availability of all services outlined. These are based on the Strategic preparedness and Response Plan for COVID 19 and UNHCR guidance for operations and, where relevant, operation or site level outbreak preparedness and response plans.
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In an effort to limit transmission and achieve pandemic control on the continent, Africa CDC is proposing the following measures to be taken by all Member States:
Remain vigilant
Countries should adapt or adopt best practices, strategies, guidelines and recommendations proposed by the Africa CDC... and World Health Organization (WHO), aimed at limiting transmission. Measures taken should strike a balance between saving lives and minimizing the impact of the pandemic on the economy and social wellbeing of citizens.
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