Quick-start packs
Packs are minimal, high-leverage bundles intended to become an immediately usable baseline. Each link jumps to the full entry below.
Pack A — Household / Mutual Aid Core
Pack B — Community Health Worker Node
Pack C — Frontline Emergency Care
T0 — Core Manuals (the “carryable canon”)
Where There Is No Doctor (Hesperian, 2025 edition PDF)
Community medicine reference for diagnosis, basic treatment, prevention, and referral logic.
T0
offline-friendly
large PDF
Where There Is No Doctor (Hesperian, 2025 edition PDF)
Community medicine reference for diagnosis, basic treatment, prevention, and referral logic.
- Why it’s here: still the densest “one-book clinic” for low-tech environments.
- Best use: decision support for symptoms, red flags, and when to refer; health education; community prevention.
- Offline posture: print core chapters + medicines section + emergency pages; keep a second copy for mutual-aid lending.
Where There Is No Dentist (Hesperian, 2020 PDF)
Practical dental assessment, pain/infection control, prevention, and basic procedures.
T0
offline-friendly
Where There Is No Dentist (Hesperian, 2020 PDF)
Practical dental assessment, pain/infection control, prevention, and basic procedures.
- Why it’s here: dental pain/infection is common, disabling, and often neglected in field kits.
- Best use: prevention teaching + triage of dental emergencies + safe basic interventions.
Where Women Have No Doctor (Hesperian, 2023 PDF)
Women’s health across life stages, SRH, violence, mental health, and community determinants.
T0
offline-friendly
large PDF
Where Women Have No Doctor (Hesperian, 2023 PDF)
Women’s health across life stages, SRH, violence, mental health, and community determinants.
- Why it’s here: combines clinical basics with social/structural causality and practical community action.
- Best use: SRH education, safe pregnancy guidance, violence recognition pathways, and referral thresholds.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health (Hesperian, 2012 update PDF)
Water, sanitation, pollution, climate stresses, and mobilization activities for community-scale solutions.
T0
offline-friendly
A Community Guide to Environmental Health (Hesperian, 2012 update PDF)
Water, sanitation, pollution, climate stresses, and mobilization activities for community-scale solutions.
- Why it’s here: “upstream” determinants (water, sanitation, toxins) dominate morbidity in fragile settings.
- Best use: community campaigns, low-cost interventions, and environmental hazard literacy.
Disabled Village Children (Hesperian, 2022 PDF)
Rehabilitation, disability inclusion, practical adaptations, and family/community support.
T0
offline-friendly
large PDF
Disabled Village Children (Hesperian, 2022 PDF)
Rehabilitation, disability inclusion, practical adaptations, and family/community support.
- Why it’s here: resilience requires inclusion; disability support is a core continuity function.
- Best use: home-based rehab guidance, assistive adaptation, caregiver coaching.
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities (Hesperian, 2008 PDF)
Women’s health + disability realities: exams, sexuality, pregnancy, violence, access barriers.
T0
offline-friendly
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities (Hesperian, 2008 PDF)
Women’s health + disability realities: exams, sexuality, pregnancy, violence, access barriers.
- Why it’s here: closes a common field blind-spot (disability + SRH + access).
Helping Health Workers Learn (Hesperian, 2012 PDF)
How to teach health: participatory training, community learning loops, low-literacy methods.
T0
offline-friendly
Helping Health Workers Learn (Hesperian, 2012 PDF)
How to teach health: participatory training, community learning loops, low-literacy methods.
- Why it’s here: training is multiplicative; this is the “how-to” for local health education.
- Best use: build CHW teaching capacity; design practical drills; run feedback loops without bureaucracy.
Promoting Community Mental Health (Hesperian, 2025 PDF)
Community-based approaches: connection, meaning, inequality reduction, action-oriented mental health promotion.
T0
offline-friendly
Promoting Community Mental Health (Hesperian, 2025 PDF)
Community-based approaches: connection, meaning, inequality reduction, action-oriented mental health promotion.
- Why it’s here: mental health is a community signal; this book treats it as a systems problem, not only an individual diagnosis.
Workers’ Guide to Health and Safety (Hesperian, 2015 PDF)
Occupational health & safety, chemical hazards, injury prevention, and collective problem-solving.
T0
offline-friendly
Workers’ Guide to Health and Safety (Hesperian, 2015 PDF)
Occupational health & safety, chemical hazards, injury prevention, and collective problem-solving.
- Why it’s here: health risk often enters through work (chemicals, ergonomics, heat, fatigue).
T1 — Self-Regulation & Mental Health
Doing What Matters in Times of Stress (WHO, 2020)
Compact stress-management skills (grounding, values, unhooking) designed for broad use.
T1
offline-friendly
Doing What Matters in Times of Stress (WHO, 2020)
Compact stress-management skills (grounding, values, unhooking) designed for broad use.
- Why it’s here: lowest-friction, highest-distribution mental resilience resource (works in groups or solo).
- Best use: routine practice; short sessions; rapid stabilization after acute stressors.
Psychological First Aid: Guide for Field Workers (WHO/War Trauma Foundation/World Vision, 2011)
Humane, practical support framework for crisis events; dignity- and culture-respecting.
T1
offline-friendly
Psychological First Aid: Guide for Field Workers (WHO/War Trauma Foundation/World Vision, 2011)
Humane, practical support framework for crisis events; dignity- and culture-respecting.
- Why it’s here: universal baseline for crisis psychological support by non-specialists.
- Best use: volunteers, CHWs, responders; integrate into first aid training.
Psychological First Aid for Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies (IFRC PS Centre, 2018)
PFA adapted for volunteer networks: guide + training modules ecosystem.
T1
offline-friendly
Psychological First Aid for Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies (IFRC PS Centre, 2018)
PFA adapted for volunteer networks: guide + training modules ecosystem.
- Why it’s here: operationalizes PFA for distributed volunteer delivery (real-world deployment patterns).
mhGAP Intervention Guide v2.0 (WHO, 2016)
Algorithmic clinical decision support for priority mental/neurological/substance-use conditions in non-specialized settings.
T1
large PDF
mhGAP Intervention Guide v2.0 (WHO, 2016)
Algorithmic clinical decision support for priority mental/neurological/substance-use conditions in non-specialized settings.
- Why it’s here: turns mental health into implementable “if/then” protocols for non-specialists.
- Best use: clinic workflows, CHW referral thresholds, and supervision structures.
mhGAP Humanitarian Intervention Guide (WHO, humanitarian settings)
First-line mental/neurological/substance use management adapted for emergencies with limited specialist access.
T1
offline-friendly
mhGAP Humanitarian Intervention Guide (WHO, humanitarian settings)
First-line mental/neurological/substance use management adapted for emergencies with limited specialist access.
- Why it’s here: crisis-tailored mental health algorithms (acute stress, grief, PTSD, alcohol/drugs, epilepsy).
IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings (2007)
Inter-agency coordination blueprint: layered supports, do-no-harm, and role clarity.
T1
T3
IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings (2007)
Inter-agency coordination blueprint: layered supports, do-no-harm, and role clarity.
- Why it’s here: prevents chaos: clarifies what belongs to community supports vs specialized care vs systems.
Preventing Suicide: A Community Engagement Toolkit (WHO, 2018)
Step-by-step community action planning and implementation guidance.
T1
offline-friendly
Preventing Suicide: A Community Engagement Toolkit (WHO, 2018)
Step-by-step community action planning and implementation guidance.
- Why it’s here: explicit community implementation steps (not just a “call for awareness”).
T2 — Emergency & Clinical Operations
Basic Emergency Care (BEC): Approach to the acutely ill and injured (WHO/ICRC, 2018)
Open-access course for frontline providers: ABCDE assessment, shock, airway/breathing, trauma basics.
T2
offline-friendly
Basic Emergency Care (BEC): Approach to the acutely ill and injured (WHO/ICRC, 2018)
Open-access course for frontline providers: ABCDE assessment, shock, airway/breathing, trauma basics.
- Why it’s here: the cleanest “field ACLS-lite” for low-resource settings without assuming high-tech diagnostics.
- Best use: clinic training cycles, drills, and standardizing first-contact emergency care.
ETAT — Emergency Triage, Assessment and Treatment (WHO)
Pediatric emergency triage and immediate interventions; reduces preventable mortality at the door.
T2
offline-friendly
ETAT — Emergency Triage, Assessment and Treatment (WHO)
Pediatric emergency triage and immediate interventions; reduces preventable mortality at the door.
- Why it’s here: triage is civilization: fast sorting + action prevents collapse inside a clinic.
- Best use: implement a simple triage desk + emergency lane + treatment readiness checklists.
IMCI Chart Booklet (WHO, 2014 PDF)
Standardized child assessment and classification charts (fever, diarrhea, ARI, malnutrition, etc.).
T2
offline-friendly
IMCI Chart Booklet (WHO, 2014 PDF)
Standardized child assessment and classification charts (fever, diarrhea, ARI, malnutrition, etc.).
- Why it’s here: compresses pediatric primary care into reproducible charts that scale across skill levels.
Pocket Book of Hospital Care for Children (WHO, 2nd ed.)
First-referral level inpatient management: common childhood illnesses, basic labs, essential medicines.
T2
large PDF
Pocket Book of Hospital Care for Children (WHO, 2nd ed.)
First-referral level inpatient management: common childhood illnesses, basic labs, essential medicines.
- Why it’s here: turns “hospital-level” decisions into stepwise guidance without requiring subspecialists.
IMAI District Clinician Manual (WHO) — Hospital Care for Adolescents & Adults
Symptom-based management in resource-constrained district hospitals (includes mental health sections).
T2
large PDF
IMAI District Clinician Manual (WHO) — Hospital Care for Adolescents & Adults
Symptom-based management in resource-constrained district hospitals (includes mental health sections).
- Why it’s here: adult acute/subacute decision support when diagnostics and specialists are thin.
Clinical Management of Rape & Intimate Partner Violence Survivors (WHO/UNFPA/UNHCR, 2020)
Step-by-step clinical protocols for survivor-centered care in humanitarian settings.
T2
offline-friendly
Clinical Management of Rape & Intimate Partner Violence Survivors (WHO/UNFPA/UNHCR, 2020)
Step-by-step clinical protocols for survivor-centered care in humanitarian settings.
- Why it’s here: reduces harm by standardizing evidence-based, dignity-preserving clinical pathways.
- Best use: build a clinic protocol binder; train staff; ensure privacy, consent, and referral loops.
Inter-Agency Field Manual on Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings (IAWG, 2018)
MISP and full SRH program guidance: coordination, services, supplies, and implementation details.
T2
T3
large PDF
Inter-Agency Field Manual on Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings (IAWG, 2018)
MISP and full SRH program guidance: coordination, services, supplies, and implementation details.
- Why it’s here: the SRH “operational constitution” for humanitarian contexts.
Interagency Emergency Health Kit (IEHK) 2024 (WHO) + UNICEF Information Note (2025)
Standardized initial medicine/device kit for 10,000 people / 3 months; rapid deployment & prepositioning.
T2
T3
Interagency Emergency Health Kit (IEHK) 2024 (WHO) + UNICEF Information Note (2025)
Standardized initial medicine/device kit for 10,000 people / 3 months; rapid deployment & prepositioning.
- Why it’s here: supply baseline that prevents improvisation from becoming a failure mode.
- Best use: procurement reference (even when building local equivalents).
Cholera Outbreak Response — Field Manual (GTFCC, 2024)
End-to-end cholera response: detection, confirmation, organization, case management, WASH, RCCE, OCV.
T2
offline-friendly
large PDF
Cholera Outbreak Response — Field Manual (GTFCC, 2024)
End-to-end cholera response: detection, confirmation, organization, case management, WASH, RCCE, OCV.
- Why it’s here: cholera is a “systems test” — water, logistics, clinical operations, and communication all at once.
- Best use: pre-plan roles, facility layout, and data flows before first cases escalate.
WHO Cholera Outbreak Toolbox (2022 PDF)
Curated set of outbreak tools, forms, and guidance to execute cholera response without waiting for “perfect info.”
T2
offline-friendly
WHO Cholera Outbreak Toolbox (2022 PDF)
Curated set of outbreak tools, forms, and guidance to execute cholera response without waiting for “perfect info.”
- Why it’s here: a “response acceleration layer” — templates, checklists, and operational assets.
Dengue: Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control (WHO)
Clinical management + vector control + lab diagnosis + preparedness and response.
T2
offline-friendly
Dengue: Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control (WHO)
Clinical management + vector control + lab diagnosis + preparedness and response.
- Why it’s here: dengue surges stress triage systems; this provides standard severity and management logic.
MSF Clinical Guidelines — Diagnosis & Treatment Manual (MSF)
Field-oriented clinical guidance built from MSF operational experience; complements WHO tools.
T2
access may vary
MSF Clinical Guidelines — Diagnosis & Treatment Manual (MSF)
Field-oriented clinical guidance built from MSF operational experience; complements WHO tools.
- Why it’s here: often more “field-pragmatic” wording and workflows; strong pairing with WHO BEC/IMCI/ETAT.
MSF Essential Drugs — Practical Guidelines
Drug selection, dosing, and rational use; designed for constrained formularies.
T2
offline-friendly
MSF Essential Drugs — Practical Guidelines
Drug selection, dosing, and rational use; designed for constrained formularies.
- Why it’s here: a practical counterweight to “theoretical pharmacy”—built for real supply constraints.
First Aid in Armed Conflicts and Other Situations of Violence (ICRC)
First aid under violence risk: scene safety, stabilizing measures, and responder protection.
T2
offline-friendly
First Aid in Armed Conflicts and Other Situations of Violence (ICRC)
First aid under violence risk: scene safety, stabilizing measures, and responder protection.
- Why it’s here: adapts first aid to “unsafe scenes” realities and threat environments.
War Surgery — Working with Limited Resources (ICRC) Vol. 1
Surgical principles and trauma care in austere settings; clarity on what is feasible with limited support.
T2
large PDF
War Surgery — Working with Limited Resources (ICRC) Vol. 1
Surgical principles and trauma care in austere settings; clarity on what is feasible with limited support.
- Why it’s here: sets realistic boundaries for trauma surgery given anesthesia/nursing limits.
War Surgery — Working with Limited Resources (ICRC) Vol. 2
Trauma specific to armed conflict; expands management in extreme constraints.
T2
large PDF
War Surgery — Working with Limited Resources (ICRC) Vol. 2
Trauma specific to armed conflict; expands management in extreme constraints.
- Note: link may not be English; pair with Vol. 1 principles if language coverage is limited.
Public Health Guide in Emergencies (Johns Hopkins + IFRC)
High-coverage humanitarian public health handbook: assessment → WASH → nutrition → surveillance → coordination.
T2
T3
large PDF
Public Health Guide in Emergencies (Johns Hopkins + IFRC)
High-coverage humanitarian public health handbook: assessment → WASH → nutrition → surveillance → coordination.
- Why it’s here: the widest “public health in crises” coverage; excellent for coordinators and planners.
International First Aid, Resuscitation, and Education Guidelines (IFRC, 2020)
Evidence-backed first aid best practice + program design and education strategy.
T2
offline-friendly
very large PDF
International First Aid, Resuscitation, and Education Guidelines (IFRC, 2020)
Evidence-backed first aid best practice + program design and education strategy.
- Why it’s here: separates myths from evidence, and ties “skills” to real education delivery.
Community-Based Health and First Aid (CBHFA) Volunteer Manual (IFRC)
Volunteer-scale health promotion + disease prevention + first aid + preparedness modules.
T2
offline-friendly
Community-Based Health and First Aid (CBHFA) Volunteer Manual (IFRC)
Volunteer-scale health promotion + disease prevention + first aid + preparedness modules.
- Why it’s here: “community health” as runnable modules (volunteer training-ready).
Community First Aid Response (CFAR) Course (OpenWHO)
Community-level first response bridging to health systems; requires practical skill demonstration in-person.
T2
T3
Community First Aid Response (CFAR) Course (OpenWHO)
Community-level first response bridging to health systems; requires practical skill demonstration in-person.
- Why it’s here: formalizes the “first responder to clinic” handoff chain.
Manual of Basic Techniques for a Health Laboratory (WHO, 2003)
Peripheral lab methods designed for scarcity: safe, accurate basics for diagnostics and surveillance.
T2
offline-friendly
large PDF
Manual of Basic Techniques for a Health Laboratory (WHO, 2003)
Peripheral lab methods designed for scarcity: safe, accurate basics for diagnostics and surveillance.
- Why it’s here: labs are the backbone of outbreak confirmation; this is the low-tech foundation.
Surgical Care at the District Hospital (WHO, 2003)
Practical surgical care guide for district-level facilities when referral is unsafe or impossible.
T2
large PDF
Surgical Care at the District Hospital (WHO, 2003)
Practical surgical care guide for district-level facilities when referral is unsafe or impossible.
- Why it’s here: expands “what can be safely done” at first-referral level with limited equipment.
T3 — Systems, Standards & Governance
The Sphere Handbook (2018)
Humanitarian Charter + Minimum Standards across response sectors (WASH, shelter, food, health).
T3
offline-friendly
large PDF
The Sphere Handbook (2018)
Humanitarian Charter + Minimum Standards across response sectors (WASH, shelter, food, health).
- Why it’s here: establishes minimum acceptable conditions; prevents “normalization of failure.”
- Best use: program design, audits, and accountability in response operations.
WASH FIT (2nd edition) — Water and Sanitation for Health Facility Improvement Tool (WHO/UNICEF, 2022)
Risk-based, quality improvement tool for WASH in health care facilities (water, sanitation, hygiene, waste, cleaning, energy links).
T3
offline-friendly
WASH FIT (2nd edition) — Water and Sanitation for Health Facility Improvement Tool (WHO/UNICEF, 2022)
Risk-based, quality improvement tool for WASH in health care facilities (water, sanitation, hygiene, waste, cleaning, energy links).
- Why it’s here: infection control fails without WASH; this is the facility-level execution tool.
WASH in Health Care Facilities — Practical Steps to Achieve Universal Access (WHO/UNICEF, 2019)
Eight practical actions to improve WASH in HCF; companion implementation framing.
T3
offline-friendly
WASH in Health Care Facilities — Practical Steps to Achieve Universal Access (WHO/UNICEF, 2019)
Eight practical actions to improve WASH in HCF; companion implementation framing.
- Why it’s here: policy + operational steps that align ministries, districts, and facilities.
WHO Guideline: Health policy & system support to optimize CHW programmes (2018)
Evidence-informed system design: selection, training, supervision, incentives, integration, and data.
T3
offline-friendly
WHO Guideline: Health policy & system support to optimize CHW programmes (2018)
Evidence-informed system design: selection, training, supervision, incentives, integration, and data.
- Why it’s here: “CHW program” succeeds or fails at system design; this is the reference blueprint.
CHW AIM Toolkit (USAID / partners, 2013)
Program assessment matrix: identifies gaps in CHW functionality and guides improvements.
T3
offline-friendly
CHW AIM Toolkit (USAID / partners, 2013)
Program assessment matrix: identifies gaps in CHW functionality and guides improvements.
- Why it’s here: converts “we should improve the program” into a scored, auditable plan.
CDC Field Epidemiology Manual (chapters)
Definitive, practical outbreak investigation workflow: data collection → analysis → field operations.
T3
CDC Field Epidemiology Manual (chapters)
Definitive, practical outbreak investigation workflow: data collection → analysis → field operations.
- Why it’s here: outbreak work is a repeatable algorithm; this is the field playbook.
IDSR Technical Guidelines (WHO AFRO, 2010)
Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response: linking community → facility → district → national action.
T3
offline-friendly
large PDF
IDSR Technical Guidelines (WHO AFRO, 2010)
Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response: linking community → facility → district → national action.
- Why it’s here: surveillance without response is theatre; IDSR binds them into one operational spine.
Primary Health Care Network Guidelines (Kenya MoH, 2021)
Concrete PHC network design example: hub-and-spoke facilities linked to community units.
T3
offline-friendly
Primary Health Care Network Guidelines (Kenya MoH, 2021)
Concrete PHC network design example: hub-and-spoke facilities linked to community units.
- Why it’s here: makes PHC “network” design concrete (not abstract): governance, linkages, and operational steps.
Operational Framework for Primary Health Care (WHO, 2020)
PHC operational architecture, including networks and system functions.
T3
offline-friendly
Operational Framework for Primary Health Care (WHO, 2020)
PHC operational architecture, including networks and system functions.
- Why it’s here: bridges facility care, community platforms, governance, and financing into one frame.
Immunization in Practice (WHO, 2015 update)
Cold chain, safe injections, microplanning, session management, monitoring, community partnership.
T3
offline-friendly
large PDF
Immunization in Practice (WHO, 2015 update)
Cold chain, safe injections, microplanning, session management, monitoring, community partnership.
- Why it’s here: cold chain failures are silent catastrophe; this is the operational guide.
Cross-cutting modules (integration maps)
Modules are “capability bundles” that intentionally cross tiers. Each module links to the best executable resources in this atlas.
Module 1 — SRH + SGBV Clinical Pathway
Core: survivor-centered care, protocols, supplies, and referral loops.
Module 2 — Outbreak Core (detect → confirm → respond)
Surveillance algorithm + disease-specific execution (cholera, dengue as archetypes).
Module 3 — Facility Infection Control & WASH-in-Healthcare
Facility quality improvement cycle + national/subnational practical steps.
Module 4 — Child Health Spine (community → clinic → hospital)
Standardized child assessment + emergency triage + inpatient protocols.
- IMCI Chart Booklet
- ETAT
- Pocket Book: Hospital Care for Children
- Where There Is No Doctor (community-level baseline)
Module 5 — Mental Health Layer (community skills → non-specialist clinical)
Stress skills + PFA + mhGAP algorithms + system coordination.
Module 6 — CHW System Build
Design, assess, and upgrade a CHW program without drifting into bureaucracy.
Maintenance & offline packaging
Offline-first packaging rule: prefer PDFs that print cleanly; mirror critical items in at least two locations; keep a minimal “go-binder” subset.
Recommended offline bundles (print/PDF subsets)
- Clinic Door / Triage: ETAT + BEC quick reference pages + local referral list.
- CHW Bag: IMCI charts + Immunization in Practice key modules + Doing What Matters.
- Outbreak Binder: IDSR (core forms) + CDC field epi checklists + cholera toolbox.
- Protection/SGBV: CMR-IPV protocols + IAWG RH manual MISP sections.
Update cadence (practical)
- Quarterly: outbreak tools (cholera, dengue), national policy changes, essential drug updates.
- Yearly: CHW program doctrine, WASH-in-HCF tools, first aid guidelines updates.
- On signal: when a major new edition drops (e.g., Hesperian, WHO guideline revisions), replace the older PDF link and archive the previous one.
This page is intentionally “one file.” It can be saved as a local HTML document and used as a clickable index to local PDFs if links are re-pointed to local paths.
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