Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) technical guidance: Maintaining Essential Health Services and Systems
To view all of WHO’s country and technical guidance on COVID-19 please visit our publications hub
COVID-19: Operational guidance for maintaining essential health services during an outbreak
When health systems are overwhelmed, both direct mortality from an outbreak and indirect mortality from vaccine-preventable and treatable conditions increase dramatically. Countries will need to make difficult decisions to balance the demands of responding directly to COVID-19, while simultaneously engaging in strategic planning and coordinated action to maintain essential health service delivery, mitigating the risk of system collapse. This document expands on the content of the Operational planning guidelines to support country preparedness and response, and provides guidance on a set of targeted immediate actions that countries should consider at national, regional, and local level to reorganize and maintain access to high-quality essential health services for all.
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Pulse survey on continuity of essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic
The Pulse survey on continuity of essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic aimed to gain initial insight from country key informants into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on essential health services across the life course. The survey results in this interim report can improve our understanding of the extent of disruptions across all services, the reasons for disruptions, and the mitigation strategies countries are using to maintain service delivery.
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Considerations for the provision of essential oral health services in the context of COVID-19
The purpose of this document is to address specific needs and considerations for essential oral health services in the context of COVID-19 in accordance with WHO operational guidance on maintaining essential health services.Harmonized health service capacity assessments in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
Countries are facing a multitude of questions that must be addressed to prepare for and respond to COVID-19 while maintaining other essential health services across the life course. Key decisions and actions must be informed by accurate and timely data on health service delivery and utilization throughout all phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Harmonized health service capacity assessments in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic is a suite of health facility assessment tools to support rapid and accurate assessments of the current, surge and future capacities of health facilities throughout the different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Access the tools (Updated 31 July 2020)
Community-based health care, including outreach and campaigns, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
Community-based health care is an essential part of primary care at all times; in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the distinct capacity of trusted community members for social engagement and delivering care where it is needed is ever more critical. This joint WHO, UNICEF and IFRC guidance addresses the role of community-based health care in the pandemic context. It includes practical recommendations for decision makers to help keep communities and health workers safe, to sustain essential services at the community level, and to ensure an effective response to COVID-19. Using this comprehensive and coordinated approach will help countries strengthen the resilience of community-based health services throughout the pandemic, into early recovery and beyond.
- Access the publication (Uploaded 06 May 2020)
Recommendations to Member States to improve hand hygiene practices to help prevent the transmission of the COVID-19 virus
WHO recommends member states provide universal access to public hand hygiene stations and making their use obligatory on entering and leaving any public or private commercial building and any public transport facility. It is also recommended that healthcare facilities improve access to and practice of hand hygiene.
WHO SAVES LIVES: Clean your hands in the
context of COVID-19
Hand Hygiene is one of the most effective
actions to reduce the spread of pathogens and prevent infections, including the
COVID-19 virus. This document promotes the WHO global hand hygiene campaign SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands in the
context of other hand hygiene initiatives launched by WHO for COVID-19, and
provides rapid technical guidance.
Immunization as an essential health service: guiding principles for immunization activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and other times of severe disruption.
This document, endorsed by the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, provides guiding principles to support countries in their decision-making regarding provision or resumption of immunization services during severe disruptive events such as COVID-19, natural disasters or humanitarian emergencies. It incorporates the Immunization Agenda 2030 principles of being people-centred, country-owned, partnership-based and data-guided.
Frequently Asked Questions: Immunization in the context of COVID-19 pandemic
This document provides technical answers to frequently asked questions on immunization services, vaccine-preventable disease surveillance, cold chain and supplies, among others. While committing to sustaining immunization systems, countries should use approaches that respect the principle of do-no-harm and limit transmission of COVID-19 while providing immunization activities.
Building health systems resilience for universal health coverage and health security during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: WHO position paper
The WHO position paper on “Building health systems resilience for universal health coverage and health security during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond” calls for renewed and heightened national and global commitment to build resilient health systems through the integration of universal health coverage and health security efforts.
This will require countries to:
- invest in primary health care and essential public health functions while addressing gaps in health systems foundations
- strengthen preparedness to tackle all forms of public health threats
- ensure whole-of-government and whole-of-society engagement to position health as central to socioeconomic growth and resilience