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Antimicrobial stewardship programmes in health-care facilities in low- and middle-income countries. A WHO practical toolkit

World Health Organization WHO (2019) C_WHO

Stewardship is defined as “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care”. It was originally applied in the health-care setting as a tool for optimizing antimicrobial use, termed “antimicrobial stewardship” (AMS). Stewardship has since be... more

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State of the world's hand hygiene

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2021) C_WHO

This report is the first of its kind. It brings together various data sets to present the current status of hand hygiene, highlight lagging progress, and call governments and supporting agencies to action, offering numerous inspiring examples of change. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hand hygiene ... more

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Venezuela’s Humanitarian Emergency

Human Rights Watch (2019) C1

Large-Scale UN Response Needed to Address Health and Food Crises This report is based on interviews with more than 150 health care professionals, Venezuelans seeking or in need of medical care who recently arrived in Colombia and Brazil, representatives from international and nongovernmental humani... more

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Public Health Action for the Prevention of Suicide

World Health Organization (WHO) (2012) C_WHO

Suicide is largely preventable. Unlike for many other health issues, the tools to significantly reduce the most tragic loss of life by suicide are available. With collective action to acknowledge and address this serious problem, as well as commitment to effective interventions, supported by politic... more

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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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Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Standards for Schools in Low-cost Settings
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2009) C2

These guidelines deal specifically with water, sanitation and hygiene, and are designed to be used in schools in low-cost settings in low- and medium-resource countries to: • assess prevailing situations and plan for required improvements; • develop and reach essential safety standards as a f... more

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A case study of the Essential Health Benefit in Tanzania mainland

Todd G.; Nswilla A.; Kisanga O.; Mamdani M. Regional Network for Equity in Health in east and southern Africa (EQUINET) (2017) C1

Regional Network for Equity in Health in east and southern Africa (EQUINET): Disussion Paper 109
This report describes the evolution of mainland Tanzania’s EHB; the motivations for developing the EHBs, the methods used to develop, define and cost them; how it is being disseminated, communicat... more

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Global Report on Diabetes World Health Organization 2016 1. Diabetes Mellitus – epidemiology. 2. Diabetes Mellitus – prevention and control. 3. Diabetes, Gestational. 4. Chronic Disease.

World Health Organization WHO (2016) C_WHO

The document "Global Report on Diabetes" by the World Health Organization (WHO) provides an in-depth analysis of diabetes as a global health challenge. It covers the rising prevalence of the disease, the associated risk factors, and the increasing burden on healthcare systems, particularly in low- a... more

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Kangaroo mother care: a transformative innovation in health care

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

This document puts forward the joint position and vision of an expert, global, multistakeholder working group on implementing Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) for all preterm or low birth weight (LBW) infants as the foundation for small and/or sick newborn care within maternal, newborn, and child health p... more

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Burden of disease attributable to unsafe drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene: 2019 update

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

The report summarizes the estimates of the burden of disease attributable to unsafe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene for the year 2019 for four health outcomes - diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections, soil-transmitted helminthiases, and undernutrition - which are included in the reporting o... more

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Standards for Prosthetics and Orthotics. Part 2: Implementation manual

World Health Organization (WHO) (2017) C_WHO

WHO, in partnership with the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has published global standards for prosthetics and orthotics. Its aim is to ensure that prosthetics and orthotics services are people-centred an... more

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Leprosy/Hansen Disease Elimination Dossier: Tool accompanying the Technical guidance on interruption of transmission and elimination of leprosy

World Health Organization World Health Organization WHO (2025) C_WHO

Leprosy/Hansen disease is a chronic infectious disease primarily impacting the skin and peripheral nerves. If left untreated, leprosy can have long-term consequences, including deformities and disabilities, which are associated with stigma. Leprosy is one of the 21 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)... more

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Strengthening infection prevention and control in primary care
recommended

World Health Organization WHO (2021) C_WHO

This document aims to support those working in primary care to strengthen IPC, informed by existing WHO IPC guidance and implementation resources. Many of the existing WHO IPC guidance and implementation resources initially developed for acute health care facilities have a potential utility for IPC ... more

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Estimating the Size of Populations through a Household Survey (ESPHS) - RWANDA 2011

Rwanda Biomedical CenterInstitute of HIV (2012) C2

This report presents the findings of the Estimating the Size of Populations through a Household Survey (ESPHS) study that took place in 2011. The study utilized a single household survey to estimate the size of several key populations, including sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), injectin... more

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Disruption in essential health services in Mexico during COVID-19: an interrupted time series analysis of health information system data

Doubova SV, Leslie HH, Kruk ME, et al. BMJ Global Health (2021) CC

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted health systems around the world. The objectives of this study are to estimate the overall effect of the pandemic on essential health service use and outcomes in Mexico, describe observed and predicted trends in services over 24 months, and to estimat... more

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WHO research for hand hygiene in health care 2023–2030: summary

World Health Organisation WHO (2023) C_WHO

Hand hygiene is vital for safe health care delivery, yet practices at the point of care remain suboptimal worldwide. A comprehensive research agenda is therefore necessary to improve our understanding of factors influencing hand hygiene behaviour and to strengthen appropriate interventions. This age... more

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A Second Revolution: Thirty years of child rights, and the unfinished agenda

Terre des hommes, Save the Children, Plan International, SOS Children's Villages International, World Vision, ChildFund Alliance (2019) C2

The report showed commitments made three decades ago to protect the rights of children remain unfulfilled for millions. Violence still affects countless children. Discrimination based on age, gender, disability, sexual orientation and religion harms children worldwide. Key factors include a lack ... more

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Age-friendly Primary Health Care (PHC) Centres Toolkit

World Health Organization WHO (2008) C_WHO

The toolkit's purpose is to: improve the primary health care response for older persons. sensitize and educate primary health care workers about the specific needs of their older clients. provide primary care health workers with a set of tools/instruments to assess older people's hea... more

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Migrants in an irregular situation: access to healthcare in 10 European Union Member States
recommended

European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (2011) CC2

This report explores the access to healthcare granted to irregular migrants in 10 EU Member States. It focuses on migrants who are present in an irregular situation, namely those who do not fulfil conditions for entry, stay or residence. Through interviews with a range of different sources including... more

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Self-assessment tool: Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality & Accountability, V1.1 - 11 March 2016

CHS Alliance (2016) C1

The CHS is a voluntary and measurable standard, which means its application can be objectively assessed. The CHS Verification Scheme allows organisations to measure the extent to which they have successfully applied the CHS requirements, and allows them, to demonstrate that they have done so. The Sc... more

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Standards for Schools in Low-cost Settings recommended

Strengthening infection prevention and control in primary care recommended

Migrants in an irregular situation: access to healthcare in 10 European Union Member States recommended

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Standards for Schools in Low-cost Settings
recommended

Strengthening infection prevention and control in primary care
recommended

Migrants in an irregular situation: access to healthcare in 10 European Union Member States
recommended