Context Despite important progress in therapy and prevention, HIV and viral hepatitis are still a major health threat in the WHO European Region. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released action plans with specific targets to eliminate and control these diseases, which are being translated…
Context Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is among the leading causes of death worldwide, with approximately 4.95 million deaths associated with bacterial AMR in 2019. AMR knows no borders and is internationally recognised as a threat to global health, making it a high public health priority. All countries must collaborate globally to…
Context The COVID-19 pandemic put a heavy strain on many public health systems, which had to deal with high numbers of severely ill people and deaths and with challenges regarding vaccination and medical supplies. The Balkan region was seriously affected by the pandemic, highlighting the importance of strengthening preparedness and…
Context Madagascar is facing significant challenges in its health care system, due to the high prevalence of infectious diseases in the country, particularly neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Many of these diseases occur simultaneously and have chronic manifestations, imposing a huge burden on the population. It is therefore vitally important to…
Context Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, such as COVID-19 in 2021, Ebola virus disease in 2014 and human Mpox in 2023, pose a great threat to the global community not only from a public health perspective, but also from an economic and social standpoint. Furthermore, the changing climate and the…
Context Emerging viral infections (EVIs), including viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHF) such as Lassa fever and Ebola virus disease, pose a serious threat to public health. Among others, this is because of their epidemic potential, limited treatment options, high mortality rates, and the lack of available and efficient vaccines. They have…
Context The project addresses the third United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (Good health and well-being), contributing to the fight against communicable diseases. In modern human medicine, the use of drugs is essential for the treatment of infectious diseases. However, many pathogens develop resistance to drugs through genetic adaptation, and this…
Context Lung diseases are an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Every year, approximately 10 million new cases of tuberculosis (TB) are recorded, resulting in approx.1.5 million deaths. (Multi-) drug-resistant strains further complicate global TB control and challenge the WHO’s goal to end the TB epidemic by 2030. Moreover,…
Context Emergency medical teams (EMTs) are a key element of surge response capacity during national and international health crises, such as natural disasters and disease outbreaks. Strengthening EMT capacities is embedded in the approach of the WHO’s EMT Initiative. This can be facilitated by supporting countries in building national EMT…