WHO publishes manual on safety in administering medicines for neglected tropical diseases

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a manual which aims to help health workers better administer and manage the safety of people who benefit from free medicines for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The objective of this manual is to provide practical tools, including training modules and job aids, to help national programmes for NTDs plan, prepare and monitor the safe administration of medicines for treatment of these diseases. While the materials consolidate and emphasise critical aspects of existing guidance published by the WHO, they do not make new recommendations.

The manual summarises key issues related to the safety of NTD medicines and their administration, with a focus on essential medicines used in mass drug administration (MDA), also called preventive chemotherapy. The manual can be used as a standalone reference, but is intended to be used in conjunction with the accompanying training modules, which provide practical instruction, and aide-mémoires.

Source: WHO, 16 August 2021