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Managing epidemics - Key facts about major deadly diseases

WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO)
2018

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The manual is structured in three parts.

  • Part One “Epidemics of the 21st century” provides vital insights on the main features of the 21st century upsurge and the indispensable elements to manage them.
  • Part Two “Be in the know. 10 key facts about 15 deadly diseases” contains key information about 15 diseases (Ebola Virus Disease, Lassa Fever, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Yellow Fever, Zika, Chikungunya, Avian and Other Zoonotic Influenza, Seasonal Influenza, Pandemic Influenza, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Cholera, Monkeypox, Plague, Leptospirosis and Meningococcal Meningitis). This section provides tips on the interventions required to respond to epidemics of all these diseases.
  • Part Three “Tool boxes” gives an overview and summarized guidance on some other important topics, including: the role of WHO, the International Coordinating Group, laboratory diagnosis and shipment of infectious diseases substances, and vector control.

 

The handbook enables the three levels of WHO – its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Country Offices to work efficiently together by building the foundations of a shared conceptual and thinking framework, which includes common terminology. 

WHO : microcephaly and zika virus infection : questions and answers

COSTELLO, Anthony
February 2016

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Dr Anthony Costello, Director of WHO's Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, answers some key questions on Microcephaly and Zika virus infection including concerning how a pregnant women would know if her baby is infected, what support would be needed if the child has Microcephaly and what steps can be taken to avoid being infected

2015 global reference list of 100 core health indicators

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
2015

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“The Global Reference List of 100 Core Health Indicators is a standard set of 100 indicators prioritized by the global community to provide concise information on the health situation and trends, including responses at national and global levels. It contains indicators of relevance to country, regional and global reporting across the spectrum of global health priorities relating to the post-2015 health goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agenda, new and emerging priorities such as noncommunicable diseases, universal health coverage and other issues in the post-2015 development agenda.”

The global status report on road safety 2013 : supporting a decade of action

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
2013

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"This report presents information on road safety from 182 countries, accounting for almost 99% of the world’s population. The report indicates that worldwide the total number of road traffic deaths remains unacceptably high at 1.24 million per year. Only 28 countries, covering 7% of the world’s population, have comprehensive road safety laws on five key risk factors: drinking and driving, speeding, and failing to use motorcycle helmets, seat-belts, and child restraints. This report serves as a baseline for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, declared by the UN General Assembly. This is the second in a Global status report series"

Early childhood development and disability : a discussion paper

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
2012

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"This discussion paper provides a brief overview of issues pertaining to early childhood development (ECD) and disability. It lays the foundation for a long-term strategic and collaborative process aimed at improving the developmental outcomes, participation and protection of young children with disabilities. Essential to this effort is dialogue between United Nations agencies and relevant stakeholders to identify sustainable strategies which build on existing efforts, and expand on multisectoral approaches to guarantee the rights of young children with disabilities and their families"

Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2010

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
2011

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"This report sets out the statistics, evidence and experiences needed to launch a more forceful response to the growing threat posed by noncommunicable diseases. While advice and recommendations are universally relevant, the report gives particular attention to conditions in low- and middle-income countries, which now bear nearly 80% of the burden from diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases. The health consequences of the worldwide epidemic of obesity are also addressed"

PMTCT strategic vision 2010 - 2015 : preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV to reach the UNGASS and millennium development goals

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
February 2010

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This strategic vision defines WHO’s commitment to help countries achieve agreed international goals on the prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, increase access to quality PMTCT services and integrate these services with maternal, newborn and child health and sexual and reproductive health programmes

World health statistics 2010

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
2010

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This annual compilation of health-related data for the World Health Organization's 193 member states, includes a summary of the progress made towards achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and associated targets

Preventing intimate partner and sexual violence against women : taking action and generating evidence

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE
2010

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"This document aims to provide sufficient information for policy-makers and planners to develop data-driven and evidence-based programmes for preventing intimate partner and sexual violence against women. Chapter 1 outlines the nature, magnitude and consequences of intimate partner and sexual violence within the broader typology of violence. Chapter 2 identifies the risk and protective factors for such violence and the importance of addressing both risk and protective factors in prevention efforts. Chapter 3 summarizes the scientific evidence base for primary prevention strategies, and describes programmes of known effectiveness, those supported by emerging evi-dence and those that could potentially be effective but have yet to be sufficiently evaluated for their impact. Chapter 4 presents a six-step framework for taking action, generating evidence and sharing results. In the closing section, several future research priorities are outlined and a number of key conclusions drawn"

Integrating gender into HIV/AIDS programmes in the health sector : tool to improve responsiveness to women’s needs

AMIN, Avni
et al
2009

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The purpose of this operational tool is to: raise awareness of how gender inequalities affect women’s access to and experience of HIV and AIDS programmes and services; and offer practical actions on how to address or integrate gender into specific types of HIV and AIDS programmes and services. The vulnerability of women, their risk of HIV infection and the impact of the epidemic on them are heightened by many factors, including: the low status accorded to women in many societies, their lack of rights, their lack of access to and control over economic resources, the violence perpetrated against them, the norms related to women’s sexuality, and women’s lack of access to information about HIV. This tool is primary aimed at primarily programme managers and health-care providers involved in setting up, implementing or evaluating HIV and AIDS programmes

Promoting safety of medicines for children

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
2007

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These guidelines are intended to improve awareness of medicine safety issues among everyone who has an interest in the safety of medicines in children and to provide guidance on effective systems for monitoring medicine safety in the paediatric populations. The document will be of interest to all healthcare professionals, medicine regulatory authorities, pharmacovigilance centres, academia, the pharmaceutical industry and policy-makers

HIV and infant feeding : new evidence and programmatic experience

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
et al
2007

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This report aims to clarify and refine existing UN guidance on HIV and infant feeding. It follows a previous technical consultation in 2000 and presents a summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations regarding HIV and Infant Feeding between 2000 and 2006

UNICEF and WHO call for stronger support for the implementation of the joint United Nations HIV and infant feeding framework

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
December 2004

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This call for support aims to strengthen plans to help women who may be HIV positive to choose the right feeding option for their child. A framework has been created by the UN which recognises that special attention and practical support is needed in exceptionally difficult circumstances, including the presence of HIV. The framework outlines five priority areas

TB/HIV : a clinical manual

HARRIS, Anthony D
MAHER, Dermot
2004

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Developments since 1996, particularly in the TB/HIV field, have prompted a second edition of this popular manual which provides a pocket-sized guide to the clinical management of TB, particularly in patients suffering from co-infection with HIV. Designed for use by busy clinicians, the manual aims to promote the best possible diagnosis and treatment in low-income countries where the prevalence of TB and HIV infection is high, case loads are heavy, and laboratory support may be limited. With these needs in mind, the manual combines the latest scientific knowledge about TB and HIV with authoritative advice based on extensive field experience in several of the hardest hit countries. Throughout the manual, tables, flow charts, lists of do's and don'ts, questions and answers, and numerous practical tips are used to facilitate quick reference and correct decisions. Information ranges from advice on how to distinguish TB from other HIV-related pulmonary diseases to the simple reminder that in sub-Saharan Africa, anyone with TB is in a high risk group for HIV. Though primarily addressed to clinicians working at district hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa, the manual is also suitable for use in areas of Asia and South America where the problem of TB and HIV co-infection poses a growing clinical challenge

Antiretroviral drugs for treating pregnant women and preventing HIV infection in infants : guidelines on care, treatment and support for women living with HIV/AIDS and their children in resource-constrained settings

WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO)
2004

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Mother to child transmission is the most common cause of HIV infection in children. These guidelines provide updated information on WHO issued recommendations on the use of antiretroviral drugs for preventing mother to child transmission of HIV. These reassessments are within the context of rapidly expanding treatment programmes using simplified and standardised regimens. There has been experienced gained from treatment of mother to child transmission of HIV in resource poor settings as well as further evidence on the safety and effectiveness of various antiretroviral regimens. This document addresses issues of efficacy, safety, drug resistance and feasibility and intends to guide the selection of antiretroviral regimens. They may also be useful for health service providers as specific recommendations are provided for the most frequently encountered clinical situations

HIV transmission through breastfeeding : a review of available evidence

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
JOINT UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMME ON HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND
2004

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This book presents a summary of the available scientific evidence on the transmission of HIV infection through breastfeeding. It briefly describes the benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and infants; and summarizes evidence on the relative risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 infection during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding.
Contents: 1. Executive Summary 2. Introdution 3. Background 4. Mother-to-child transmission 5. HIV transmission through breastfeeding 6. Preventing transmission through breastfeeding 7. Current or planned research 8. References

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