Risk communication and community engagement readiness and response toolkit


Book Description

This toolkit is a comprehensive set of practical tools and resources designed to support country-level risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) practitioners, decision-makers, and partners to plan and implement readiness and response activities for dengue fever outbreaks. It is one of a suite of toolkits on RCCE readiness and response to a range of disease and response areas.




WHO competency framework, risk communication and community engagement


Book Description

The risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) competency framework is a resource that details the essential behaviours and activities necessary for effective communication and engagement with communities before, during and after public health emergencies. The purpose of this framework is to establish and promote a common understanding of behavioural competencies and how they should be applied for high-performing and community-centred health emergency programmes. It is intended to support the development of standardized training programmes, professional development and talent acquisition and to enhance the capabilities of public health professionals involved in RCCE. Its goal is to inform the establishment of a skilled, well-trained RCCE workforce that consistently understands and executes the necessary behaviours and activities required to conduct RCCE activities with competence and professionalism.




Minimum standards and recommendations for medical teams responding to highly infectious disease outbreaks


Book Description

Infectious diseases with epidemic potential remain a significant and constant threat to the health and security of populations around the world, requiring robust health emergency preparedness, readiness and response systems and capacities at local and national levels. Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs), the EMT Initiative and its global network focus on establishing common quality standards and recommendations for medical teams to respond to health emergencies rapidly and effectively, as well as strengthening and supporting national capacities through strong collaboration and coordination. This publication defines minimum standards for the establishment of such critical capacities in a predictable and quality assured manner, and will enhance the interoperability between national, regional, and international capacities. This will contribute to the development and classification of respective specialized care teams (SCT) within the EMT framework and will provide guidance to member states, ministries of health, national and international EMTs and other key stakeholders to develop capacities and trainings, preparing for, or responding to outbreaks of highly infectious diseases.







WHO's response to health emergencies


Book Description

In 2023, the World Health Organization was responding to 72 health emergencies, including 19 grade 3, reaching millions of people. The annual report on WHO’s response to health emergencies in 2023 outlines the increasingly critical role of WHO at global, regional and country levels, and across the key elements of effective emergency response, including emergency coordination and planning, operational and logistic support, and community engagement and protection. The huge scale and complexities of health emergencies in the 21st century require a strategic shift towards not only meeting the immediate needs of vulnerable communities, but also building community and health system resilience to all hazards – a challenge that both WHO and its partners must continue to meet.




Communicating Risk in Public Health Emergencies


Book Description

"During public health emergencies, people need to know what health risks they face, and what actions they can take to protect their health and lives. Accurate information provided early, often, and in languages and channels that people understand, trust and use, enables individuals to make choices and take actions to protect themselves, their families and communities from threatening health hazards." -- Publisher's description.





Book Description




WHO benchmarks for strengthening health emergency capacities


Book Description

The WHO Benchmarks for International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Capacities was first published in 2019 and serves as a capacity-building tool and reference document to guide development/updating of country health security plans, including the national action plan for health security (NAPHS). It is now updated to a second edition which incorporates lessons learned from recent health emergencies, as well as alignment with updated IHRMEF tools, the HEPR framework, the WHO Director-General’s ten proposals to build a safer world together, and to build back better through multi-hazard and whole-of-society approaches to support better preparedness for future emergencies. Over 250 relevant technical leads contributed to this edition, by providing inputs from WHO regional offices, countries, partners and participation in global consultation meetings. The second edition is titled “WHO Benchmarks for Strengthening Health Emergency Capacities: Support for the Implementation of International Health Regulations (IHR) and Health Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Resilience (HEPR) Capacities”. WHO benchmarks are further digitalized for easy and quick use, along with a reference library, which is currently being updated. The audience for this document includes WHO Member States, health ministries and other relevant ministries, healthstakeholders, partners, nongovernmental organizations and academia to support building capacities at the country level.




Risk communication and community engagement readiness and response toolkit


Book Description

This toolkit is a comprehensive set of practical tools and resources designed to support country-level risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) practitioners, decision-makers, and partners to plan and implement readiness and response activities for mpox (previously known as monkeypox). The toolkit contains: information about mpox; RCCE considerations for how to approach key issues during mpox outbreaks; tools for understanding the context in which mpox outbreaks occur; methods for collecting data to inform strategy development and bring evidence into planning and implementation of activities; case studies; and links to existing RCCE tools and training. It is one of a suite of toolkits on RCCE readiness and response to a range of disease and response areas.




Ebola and Marburg treatment centres


Book Description

This manual addresses the design and construction of healthcare facilities supporting the response to Ebola and Marburg (E&M) disease outbreaks, particularly in treatment centres (TCs). It provides technical guidance, minimum requirements, practical tools and layout examples, and references for planning, designing, building, and operating healthcare facilities (TCs and others) to respond to E&M disease outbreaks in low– and middle-income contexts and resource-limited settings. The manual complements other World Health Organization (WHO) literature and contributes to the standardization of facility design and operation for safe and humane care and treatment of patients.