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Reflection on inclusive health services in northwest Syria (NWS)

Islamic Relief (2022) CC

After a decade of crisis, Syria remains one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises. Continued hostilities, new and protracted displacement, increased returns and the sustained destruction of communities have impacted Syrians’ lives and futures in a devastating way. The 2021 Humanitarian... more

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What is Planetary Health about?

Wellcome Trust (2019) CC

The climate crisis and accelerating environmental changes caused by human activity are posing bigger and bigger threats to health worldwide, so it’s more vital than ever before that we turn our ingenuity to making our planet a healthier place to live

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Northeast Nigeria Health Sector Localization Plan (December 2024)

Government of Nigeria; Health Cluster; World Health Organization WHO (2024) CC

The humanitarian crisis in Northeast Nigeria, driven by conflict, climate-related shocks, and food insecurity, has created immense challenges for the health sector in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) States. About 1.8 million people remain displaced(1), with inadequate access to healthcare services an... more

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The cost of austerity: The toll of IMF conditionalities on access to health in Zambia

Make Way, Wemos (2024) CC

Zambia is facing a severe economic crisis marked by high inflation, increasing poverty and a heavy debt burden that is straining both its fiscal stability and progress in health outcomes. By 2020, the country's external debt reached United States dollars (USD) 12.7 billion, representing 108% of the ... more

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Health and the Economy: A Convergence Needed to Address COVID-19 and Retake the Path of Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean

Pan American Health Organisation PAHO (2020) C_WHO

he pandemic has produced an unprecedented economic and social crisis, and it could generate a food, humanitarian, and political crisis if urgent measures are not taken. The policy options for addressing the pandemic entail consolidating national plans and achieving intersectoral consensus. The respo... more

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Making development assistance work for Africa: from aid-dependent disease control to the new public health order

Nonvignon J.; Soucat A.; Ofori-Adu P. Health Policy and Planning (2024) CC

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has revealed the fragility of pre-crisis African health systems, in which too little was invested over the past decades. Yet, development assistance for health (DAH) more than doubled between 2000 and 2020, raising questions about the role and effectivenes... more

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Healthy Planet, Healthy People

Greener Practice Network (2021) CC

Greener Practice is a primary care climate and sustainability network. We recognise that the climate and ecological crisis is the leading public health issue of our generation. We aim to raise awareness of the health benefits of climate action and support our primary care community to take practical... more

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Development assistance for health: trends and prospects

Murray, C. JL; B. Anderson; R. Burstein et al. Lancet (2011) C1

The global economic crisis that began to unfold in 2008 has raised serious concerns about the ability of developing countries to meet targets for improvements in population health outcomes, and about the ability of developed countries to meet their commitments to fund health programmes in developing... more

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Venezuela in crisis

Parker, J. (2019) CC

Economic and social unrest in Venezuela have led the health system to the brink of collapse. Infectious diseases are surging as a result. The Lancet Infectious Diseases Volume 19, ISSUE 1, P28, January 01, 2019

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Africa’s Health Financing in a New Era

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) (2025) CC

Africa’s health sector is facing an unprecedented financing crisis, driven by a sharp decline of 70% in Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 2021 to 2025 and deep-rooted structural vulnerabilities. This collapse is placing immense pressure on Africa’s already fragile health systems as ODA ...is seen as the backbone of critical health programs: pandemic preparedness, maternal and child health services, disease control programs are all at risk, threatening Sustainable Development Goal 3 and Universal Health Coverage. Compounding this is Africa’s spiraling debt, with countries expected to service USD 81 billion by 2025—surpassing anticipated external financing inflows—further eroding fiscal space for health investments. Level of domestic resources is low. TThe Abuja Declaration of 2001, a pivotal commitment made by African Union (AU) member states, aimed to reverse this trend by pledging to allocate at least 15% of national budgets to the health sector. However, more than two decades later, only three countries—Rwanda, Botswana, and Cabo Verde—have consistently met or exceeded this target (WHO, 2023). In contrast, over 30 AU member states remain well below the 10% benchmark, with some allocating as little as 5–7% of their national budgets to health. In addition, only 16 (29%) of African countries currently have updated versions of National Health Development Plan (NHDP) supported by a National Health Financing Plan (NHFP). These two documents play a critical role in driving internal resource mobilisation. At the same time, public health emergencies are surging, rising 41%—from 152 in 2022 to 213 in 2024—exposing severe under-resourcing of health infrastructure and workforce. Recurring outbreaks (Mpox, Ebola, cholera, measles, Marburg…) alongside effects of climate change and humanitarian crises in Eastern DRC, the Sahel, and Sudan, are overwhelming systems stretched by chronic underfunding. The situation is worsened by Africa’s heavy dependency with over 90% of vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics being externally sourced—leaving countries vulnerable to global supply chain shocks. Health worker shortages persist, with only 2.3 professionals per 1,000 people (below the WHO’s recommended 4.45), and fewer than 30% of systems are digitized, undermining disease surveillance and early warning. Without decisive action, Africa CDC projects the continent could reverse two decades of health progress, face 2 to 4 million additional preventable deaths annually, and a heightened risk of a pandemic emerging from within. Furthermore, 39 million more Africans could be pushed into poverty by 2030 due to intertwined health and economic shocks. This is not just a sectoral crisis—it is an existential threat to Africa’s political, social, and economic resilience, and global stability. In response, African leaders, under Africa CDC’s stewardship, are advancing a comprehensive three-pillar strategy centered on domestic resource mobilization, innovative financing, and blended finance. more

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Crisis Standards of Care: A Toolkit for Indicators and Triggers

Dan Hanfling, John Hick, and Clare Stroud Dan Hanfling, John Hick, and Clare Stroud (2013)

(You need free registration to download the book) Disasters and public health emergencies can stress health care systems to the breaking point and disrupt delivery of vital medical services. During such crises, hospitals and long-term care facilities may be without power; trained staff, ambulances,... more

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National Health Plan 2011–2020: Volume 1, Policies and Strategies

Government of Papua New Guinea (2010) C1

The health of the people and health services are in crisis, and together as partners this plan commits us to strategies aimed at achieving our goal of:
Strengthened primary health care for all, and improved service delivery for the rural majority and the urban disadvantaged.
Original fi...le: 67 MB more

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Conditions for health system resilience in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mauritania

Accoe K.; Kriel B.; Ag Ahmed M. et al. BMJ Global Health (2023) CC

A country’s ability to manage a crisis depends on its level of resilience. Efforts are made to clarify the concept of health system resilience, but its operationalisation remains little studied. In the present research, we described the capacity of the local healthcare system in the Islamic Republ... more

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Protect the Progress: Rise, Refocus, Recover - 2020 Progress Report on the Every Woman Every Child Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016–2030)

UNICEF, World Health Organisation (2020) C_WHO

Conflict, climate crisis and COVID-19 pose great threats to the health of women and children.

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Free COVID-19 online courses for health professionals

the World Continuing Education Alliance (2020) C1

In response to the global crisis the WCEA is now distributing Coronavirus courses from some of the world’s leading education providers . The content is being provided free of charge to all registered healthcare professionals. To access the courses please register for an account. This will be em... more

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Policy Brief: COVID-19 and the Need for Action on Mental Health (13 May 2020)

United Nations (2020) CC

Although the COVID-19 crisis is, in the first instance, a physical health crisis, it has the seeds of a major mental health crisis as well, if action is not taken. Good mental health is critical to the functioning of society at the best of times. It must be front and centre of every country’s resp... more

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Health and Environment Project in Benin

R. Edon Field Actions Science Reports (2010) C2

In 1989, the Republic of Benin was facing a great social and economical crisis. Civil servants of all the sectors in public administration were on strike. People did not know where to go for their health care. Salaries were not paid for more than six months and life for the general population wa... more

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How much donor financing for health is channelled to global versus country-specific aid functions?

Schäferhoff M.; Fewer S.; Kraus J. et al. The Lancet (2015) CC

The slow global response to the Ebola crisis in west Africa suggests that important gaps exist in donor financing for key global functions, such as support for health research and development for diseases of poverty and strengthening of outbreak preparedness. In this Health Policy, we use the Intern... more

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Healthy planet, healthy people. Understanding the relationship between human health and natural systems

World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) (2022) C2

Human activities are driving fundamental changes to the biosphere and disrupting many of our planet’s natural systems. There is increasing scientific evidence that the unfolding climate crisis, global pollution, unprecedented levels of biodiversity loss, and pervasive changes in land use and cover... more

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The 2021 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: code red for a healthy future

Romanello M., McGushin A., et al. (2021) C2

The Lancet Countdown is an international collaboration that independently monitors the health consequences of a changing climate. Publishing updated, new, and improved indicators each year, the Lancet Countdown represents the consensus of leading researchers from 43 academic institutions and UN ag... more