This is the final report of the World Health Organization’s Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (2005-2008). The report gives three main recommendations: 1 improve daily living conditions 2. Tackle the inequitable distribution of power, money, and resources 3. Measure and understand the problem and assess the impact of action. The Commission was created to provide evidence on policies that improve health by addressing the social conditions in which people live and work. The report is addressed to WHO, national governments, civil society, and other global organizations
This is a report of a study of faith-based organisations in sub-Sahara, with a focus on their activities of medicine supply and distribution. Faith-based drug supply organisations (DSOs) play a crucial role in facilitating access to medicines, and complement government efforts, particularly in rural and remote areas. The study found that DSOs generally perform well, and operate in a transparent and cost-effective way. In the countries considered in this study, DSOs serve an average of 43% of the population. Weaknesses are also highlighted, including lack of quality assurance, rational use of medicines policies and business plans
This publication distills what is known about environmental health during an emergency or disaster. It is intended for practitioners as well as for policy makers and researchers, and covers both general and tecnical aspects of environmental health. Part 1 presents a conceptual framework for understanding environmental health issues in the context of disaster management. Part 2 pulls togetther a series of best pratices and stategies for risk reduction in a number of fields