Clinical management
Lassa fever R&D; and clinical management accelerated in Nigeria
14 August 2018 - EDCARN members were actively participating in two meetings in Nigeria in July 2018 to refine the national Lassa Fever Research Plan and to review evidence-based clinical management guidance, adapted for country specific needs.
Both meetings were part of an ongoing WHO work to support Nigeria in Lassa fever preparedness and response.
EDCARN members support the WHO Ebola response
30 July 2018 - EDCARN members Drs Katrin Heim, Thomas Kratz and William Fischer deployed to Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of the WHO Ebola response, supporting the health operations pillar as part of the case management and infection prevention and control (IPC) team.
Dr Janet Diaz, Clinical Management lead at WHO, also deployed to the field to oversee and support various aspects of the response.
Online course on clinical management of Ebola virus disease
26 June 2018 - This comprehensive intermediate level course is for clinicians caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola virus disease. Modules provide information on screening and triage, infection prevention and control, laboratory diagnostics, organization of the Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC), clinical care of patients in the ETC, and investigational therapeutic agents. Course duration is approximately 6 hours.
Technical guidance and resources for Ebola responders available online
11 May 2018 - We are pleased to inform you that all the relevant technical information on Ebola strategy and coordination; surveillance, contact tracing and laboratory; case management, infection prevention and control; safe and dignified burials; communication and social mobilization; travel and entry points as well as vaccines, therapies and diagnostics is available online.
Integrated approach to clinical management in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
10 April 2018 - The current crisis in Cox’s Bazar is unfolding, mainly affecting displaced Rohingya population, that are living in temporary settlements with difficult and crowded conditions. WHO is supporting the national health authorities in the emergency response, including clinical and case management.
"This is a complex health emergency, with a diphtheria outbreak requiring specialized treatment centres, integrated with extensive preparedness work for future and ongoing outbreaks of other diseases," said Dr. Srinivas Murthy, EDCARN member deployed as WHO lead for case management in Cox's Bazar.
"This calls for an integrated approach to clinical management across the emergency response, demonstrating the need for strong clinical guidance during these difficult situations."
What is clinical management?
Clinical Management is an essential pillar of WHO's interdisciplinary response to outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. WHO's clinical management team provides rapid technical and operational guidance, clinical training, quality assurance and support for operational research to ensure the delivery of safe, high quality, and equitable care to those suffering from infectious diseases.
During outbreaks, WHO works under the Acute Emergency System and collaborates closely with partners and colleagues from disease-specific as well as cross-cutting programmes that support outbreak response.
During outbreaks, WHO develops timely and rapid operational guidance on case management that can be used and adapted immediately to the field, with simplified tools for triage, infection prevention and control and supportive management. Rapid guides are created using expert peer review process according to Guideline Review Committee (GRC) standards. After the outbreak, guidance is reviewed again and updated based on new evidence and experiences. WHO's aim is to provide evidence-based, high quality guidance that is also practical to the front-line clinicians who will be caring for the sick patients. During non-outbreak times, WHO selects key diseases and conducts more extensive grading and systematic reviews to make guideline recommendations.
During outbreaks, WHO deploys expert clinicians to lead the case management pillar of the outbreak response. This entails bridging the technical with the operational aspects of outbreak response, and ensuring staff, supplies and systems are in place to provide safe and good quality care of the patients. WHO works in close collaboration with its partners, the Emergency Medical Teams, the GOARN network and others.
WHO provides clinical training before, during and after outbreaks to prepare for a better response. The trainings use adult-learning methodology and various platforms, including online training using the openwho.org training platform, as well as face-to-face trainings. Impact is measured by numbers trained, quizzes, tests as well as satisfaction surveys.
WHO develops and supports operational research during outbreaks of infectious diseases and works closely with the R&D; groups. WHO works in collaboration with many academic partners from our EDCARN and GOARN networks. A major focus of work over the past few years has been the development of clinical characterization protocols and case record forms to operationalize the standard collection of clinical data from patients affected in outbreaks of emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases.
The Emerging Diseases Clinical Assessment and Response Network (EDCARN) comprises collaborating centres and individuals from governmental and nongovernmental organizations, academia, WHO and other stakeholders aimed at sharing information and experience to enhance clinical care and scientific understanding of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). EDCARN strengthens the essential link among front-line health workers, global clinical experts and researchers to provide technical expertise at the clinical interface of EIDs, contributing to the capacity of clinicians worldwide to detect and treat these diseases safely and effectively.