Theme: Community and pandemic preparedness

The increasing number and complexity of disasters, epidemics, and other crises National Societies are facing has triggered various initiatives within the Movement aimed at strengthening National Societies capacity to reduce risk, prepare for and respon …

Geneva/Kuala Lumpur, 11 February 2020 – With the novel coronavirus steadily spreading beyond China and rising death toll, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is expanding its novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) …

Community-Based Surveillance (CBS) is the systematic detection and reporting of events of public health significance within a community by community members. The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement has developed a methodology for CBS and specific tools tha …

Outbreaks normally begin with a cluster of sick people or sudden deaths in a community that are not detected early enough by facility-based surveillance systems. Often the community is aware of the health threat but the people who can mobilize response resources receive this information too late to limit the spread of a disease and save as many lives as possible. Community-based surveillance (CBS) aims to close this gap and improve early detection. Thanks to its wide network of volunteers in communities around the world, the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement is uniquely placed to carry out CBS and support community resilience and early action to endemic, emerging or recurring public health threats in communities around the world where there is a Red Cross Red Crescent presence. While CBS has garnered a lot of interest and support in the past years and more National Red Cross Red Crescent Societies are showing interest in starting CBS projects, CBS may not be the answer in all cases, and a needs assessment should be conducted prior to planning implementation. To facilitate a useful and thorough CBS initial assessment a CBS assessment tool has been developed to guide Red Cross Red Crescent staff or delegates in conducting an assessment, using document reviews and interviews with relevant stakeholders at all levels as sources of data. This Assessment tool builds on the Community-based surveillance: guiding principles as well as the experience and lessons learned from implementing CBS around the world and will continue to be updated.

In many Ebola-affected areas, years of conflict has eroded basic services and created mistrust in the community. Many communities feel that the response is not addressing their broader humanitarian needs. On some occasions, this mistrust has led to con …

For the past several weeks, the Philippine Red Cross emergency healthcare unit in the Philippines have been tending to the youngest of patients, children and babies coughing with fever, and whose bodies and faces are covered in red rashes. In early February, the local authorities declared a measles outbreak and since then 355 people have died, most of them children under 5 years of age.

Stories and photos collected by Aija Kuparinen  |  Written by Corrie Butler You can’t help but draw nearer to the beckoning drum base of music in the distance and bellowing laughter echoing through the streets. Coming closer, you can see people dancing …

In a health crisis, the media has the power to save lives. Effective communication can help to prevent or reduce the spread of disease, and guide those affected towards health services and treatment. This manual provides tips for media practitioners on …

By Elhadj As Sy, IFRC Secretary General Responders to the current Ebola epidemic in North Kivu are dealing with an unprecedented scenario. This is the first time that Ebola has found its way into an area where there is complex and violent conflict. It …

William Carter talks with Alexandra Machado about her new role in IFRC covering hygiene promotion and menstrual hygiene, and the challenges of bringing WASH solutions to Bangladesh.