Building capacity to prevent childhood diseases linked to the environment
Overview
A growing number of diseases in children from rural and urban
areas are linked to unsafe, degraded environments. However, many health care
providers are unable to recognize, assess and manage environmentally-related
diseases in children.
WHO is working on enabling those ‘in the front line’ - the
health professionals dealing with children and adolescent’s health - to
recognize and assess diseases linked to, or triggered by, environmental
factors. Paediatricians, family doctors, nurses, primary and other health care
workers need to be trained on the relationship between children's health and
the environment through the use of harmonized training materials, which can be tailored
to the specific needs of countries and professional groups.
WHO has developed the WHO Training Package on children’s
environmental health for Health Care Providers. The package consists of a
collection of modules with internationally harmonized information and
peer-reviewed materials to enable health care workers to be trained, and also
to become trainers of their peers and colleagues. The modules include extensive
notes and references, case studies and self-evaluation tools, backed up by
manuals and guides.