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Ikejezie J, Miglietta A, Hammermeister Nezu I, Adele S, Higdon MM, Feikin D, Lata H, Mesfin S, Idoko F, Shimizu K, Acma A, Moro S, Attar Cohen H, Sinnathamby MA, Otieno JR, Temre Y, Ajong BN, Mirembe BB, Guinko TN, Sodagar V, Schultz C, Muianga J, De Barros S, Escobar Corado Waeber AR, Jin Y, Rico Chinchilla A, Izawa Y, Khare S, Poole M, Alexander N, Ciobanu S, Dorji T, Hassan M, Kato M, Matsui T, Ogundiran O, Pebody RG, Phengxay M, Riviere-Cinnamond A, Greene-Cramer BJ, Peron E, Archer BN, Subissi L, Kassamali ZA, Awofisayo-Okuyelu A, le Polain de Waroux O, Hamblion E, Pavlin BI, Morgan O, Fall IS, Van Kerkhove MD, Mahamud A. Informing the pandemic response: the role of the WHO's COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update. BMJ Glob Health 2024; 9:e014466. [PMID: 38580376 PMCID: PMC11002403 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
On 31 December 2019, the Municipal Health Commission of Wuhan, China, reported a cluster of atypical pneumonia cases. On 5 January 2020, the WHO publicly released a Disease Outbreak News (DON) report, providing information about the pneumonia cases, implemented response interventions, and WHO's risk assessment and advice on public health and social measures. Following 9 additional DON reports and 209 daily situation reports, on 17 August 2020, WHO published the first edition of the COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update (WEU). On 1 September 2023, the 158th edition of the WEU was published on WHO's website, marking its final issue. Since then, the WEU has been replaced by comprehensive global epidemiological updates on COVID-19 released every 4 weeks. During the span of its publication, the webpage that hosts the WEU and the COVID-19 Operational Updates was accessed annually over 1.4 million times on average, with visits originating from more than 100 countries. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the WEU process, from data collection to publication, focusing on the scope, technical details, main features, underlying methods, impact and limitations. We also discuss WHO's experience in disseminating epidemiological information on the COVID-19 pandemic at the global level and provide recommendations for enhancing collaboration and information sharing to support future health emergency responses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sandra Adele
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Melissa M Higdon
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel Feikin
- Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Harsh Lata
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Mesfin
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Friday Idoko
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kazuki Shimizu
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ayse Acma
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Moro
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Homa Attar Cohen
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Yosef Temre
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Tondri Noe Guinko
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Vaishali Sodagar
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Craig Schultz
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Joao Muianga
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stéphane De Barros
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Yeowon Jin
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Yurie Izawa
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Shagun Khare
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marcia Poole
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nyka Alexander
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Silviu Ciobanu
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tshewang Dorji
- World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, India
| | - Mahmoud Hassan
- World Health Organisation Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Masaya Kato
- World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, India
| | - Tamano Matsui
- World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
| | - Opeayo Ogundiran
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Richard G Pebody
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Manilay Phengxay
- World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
| | | | | | - Emilie Peron
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Lorenzo Subissi
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Esther Hamblion
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Boris Igor Pavlin
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Morgan
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ibrahima Socé Fall
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Abdi Mahamud
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Bergeri I, Boddington NL, Lewis HC, Subissi L, von Dobschuetz S, Rodriguez A, Jara J, El Naja HA, Barakat A, Rashidian A, Aly EA, Al Ariqi L, Wijesinghe P, Inbanathan F, Nguyen PN, Phengxay M, Le L, Enebish T, Okeibunor J, Herring B, Farley E, Jorgensen P, Vaughan AM, Mott J, Zhang W, Pebody R, Van Kerkhove MD. WHO's Investigations and Studies, Unity Studies: A global initiative creating equitable opportunities for enhanced surveillance, operational research, capacity building, and global knowledge sharing. Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2024; 18:e13256. [PMID: 38346794 PMCID: PMC10861351 DOI: 10.1111/irv.13256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization's Unity Studies global initiative provides a generic preparedness and readiness framework for conducting detailed investigations and epidemiological studies critical for the early and ongoing assessment of emerging respiratory pathogens of pandemic potential. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative produced standardized investigation protocols and supported Member States to generate robust and comparable data to inform public health decision making. The subsequent iteration of the initiative is being implemented to develop revised and new investigation protocols, implementation toolkits and work to build a sustainable global network of sites, enabling the global community to be better prepared for the next emerging respiratory pathogen with epidemic or pandemic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Bergeri
- WHO Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization HeadquartersGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Nicki L. Boddington
- WHO Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization HeadquartersGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Hannah C. Lewis
- WHO Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization HeadquartersGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Lorenzo Subissi
- WHO Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization HeadquartersGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Sophie von Dobschuetz
- WHO Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization HeadquartersGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Angel Rodriguez
- Pan American Health OrganizationWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
| | - Jorge Jara
- Pan American Health OrganizationWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
| | | | - Amal Barakat
- World Health Organization for the Eastern MediterraneanCairoEgypt
| | - Arash Rashidian
- World Health Organization for the Eastern MediterraneanCairoEgypt
| | | | - Lubna Al Ariqi
- World Health Organization for the Eastern MediterraneanCairoEgypt
| | - Pushpa Wijesinghe
- Regional Office for South‐East Asia, World Health OrganizationNew DelhiIndia
| | - Francis Inbanathan
- Regional Office for South‐East Asia, World Health OrganizationNew DelhiIndia
| | - Phuong Nam Nguyen
- Regional Office for the Western Pacific, World Health OrganizationManilaPhilippines
| | - Manilay Phengxay
- Regional Office for the Western Pacific, World Health OrganizationManilaPhilippines
| | - Linh‐Vi Le
- Regional Office for the Western Pacific, World Health OrganizationManilaPhilippines
| | - Temuulen Enebish
- Regional Office for the Western Pacific, World Health OrganizationManilaPhilippines
| | - Joseph Okeibunor
- Regional Office for Africa, World Health OrganizationBrazzavilleRepublic of the Congo
| | - Belinda Herring
- Regional Office for Africa, World Health OrganizationBrazzavilleRepublic of the Congo
| | - Elise Farley
- Regional Office for Africa, World Health OrganizationBrazzavilleRepublic of the Congo
| | | | | | - Joshua Mott
- WHO Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization HeadquartersGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Wenqing Zhang
- WHO Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization HeadquartersGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Richard Pebody
- Regional Office for Europe, World Health OrganizationCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Maria D. Van Kerkhove
- WHO Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization HeadquartersGenevaSwitzerland
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Phengxay M, Ali M, Yagyu F, Soulivanh P, Kuroiwa C, Ushijima H. Risk factors for protein-energy malnutrition in children under 5 years: study from Luangprabang province, Laos. Pediatr Int 2007; 49:260-5. [PMID: 17445054 DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-200x.2007.02354.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Laos is one of the poorest countries in which chronic malnutrition is highest. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of and to identify risk factors associated with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in children under 5 years of age in Luangprabang province, Laos. METHODS This cross-sectional study was undertaken from March to May 2004. Anthropometric measurements of 798 children were done and data were transformed into height-for-age, weight-for-age and weight-for-height ratios. Mothers were also interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. Anthropometric data were entered into Nutstat in Epi-Info 2000 and transferred to SPSS for analysis. RESULTS There was a high prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting, that is, 54.6%, 35%, and 6% respectively. It was also noted that children aged 12-23 months and Khmu ethnic children had a higher prevalence of stunting (65% and 66%) and underweight (45% and 40%), respectively. However, it was also found that boys were more prone to be stunted and underweight. Furthermore, restricted intake of meats, vegetables during illness, and low maternal education were main risk factors for child malnutrition in the study area. CONCLUSION Socioeconomic-demographic factors, low maternal education, poor nutrition knowledge for mother and feeding practices for sick children are affecting children's health regarding stunting and underweight. It is recommended that an improvement in societal infrastructure, better maternal education and nutrition are needed to address the child malnutrition issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manilay Phengxay
- Department of Developmental Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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