Health
HealthThis brief sets out key considerations for events related to death, burial, funerals (rites, ceremonies and practices) and mourning in the context of the global outbreak of the COVID-19. Further participatory inquiry should be undertaken, but given ongoing transmission, conveying key considerations for adapted end-of-life, mortuary, burial and funeral practices and related community engagement have… Read more
The Safe Delivery App is a smartphone application that provides skilled birth attendants with direct and instant access to evidence-based and up-to-date clinical guidelines on Basic Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care. The App leverages the growing ubiquity of mobile phones to provide life-saving information and guidance through easy-to-understand animated instruction videos, action cards and drug… Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to disrupt public health supply chains in countries worldwide. However, its impact will vary from country to county. To help ensure continuity of supply for all public health commodities while also supporting COVID-19 response, review this series of questions – by functional area – that highlight factors to consider…. Read more
The risks of severe public health consequences continue to rise with the spread of COVID-19. Swift action is needed for countries to properly secure their supply chains and curb long-term impact. As resources like fuel, access to vehicles, and healthy staff become scarcer, health systems’ abilities to provide routine health care will be ever more… Read more
Trained human resources are the most valuable asset in the supply chain. It is important to reinforce the basic principles for keeping yourself and others from contracting or spreading COVID-19 through hand washing, social distancing (maintaining two meters of distance from other people) and covering your mouth with your inner arm when you cough or… Read more
During emergencies, backloading multiple months of medicines and other public health commodities as close to patients as possible can minimize supply chain disruption and maintain patient access. Backloading often requires additional temporary storage for the significant increase in supply. Shipping containers can be used to fill these short-term storage capacity needs. Note that temperature-sensitive commodities… Read more
Adequate and efficient storage of commodities is critical for efficient supply management. Commodities must be easily visible, organized for efficient throughput, and stored appropriately to prevent damage and expiry. During emergencies, proper and efficient use of all available storage space is all the more important. The influx of emergency supplies, in addition to routine deliveries… Read more
This brief reports on attitudes and practices relating to physical distancing measures in Eastern and Southern Africa in the context of the current global COVID-19 outbreak. Where relevant, it also includes insight and learning from the Ebola outbreaks in West Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It sets out practical considerations for the formulation… Read more
in January 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of a new coronavirus disease in Hubei Province, China to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Since then WHO has declared it as a Pandemic affecting more than 115 countries around the globe. India witnessed its first COVID-19 case in Kerala on… Read more
COVID-19 is an unprecedented pandemic which has led to millions being affected and thousands dying every day across the world. The Government of India has announced a 21-day lockdown to prevent COVID-19 transmission in India -essentially buying time for health systems to be better prepared. While tertiary care systems are also being prepared it is… Read more
This graphic from BMJ, intended for use in a primary care setting, is based on data available in March 2020, much of which is from hospital settings in China. It will be revised as more relevant data emerges.