Emergency Health and Nutrition Training

Key Messages

Public Health Priorities in the Emergency Phase: (adapted from 10 priorities of MSF refugee health book 1997)

1. Initial Rapid Assessment

2. Measles Immunization

3. Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Promotion

4. Food & Nutrition including Infant Feeding in Emergencies

5. Shelter, Site Planning & Energy

6. Minimum Initial Service

Package (MISP) for Reproductive Health in Crisis situations

7. Health Care Service in Emergency Phase

8. Control of Communicable Disease & disease outbreaks

9. Public Health Surveillance10. Human Resources & Training11. Coordination/Camp

Management

The priorities in Bold are Save the Children priorities

Mortality Thresholds• Crude mortality rate (CMR)

• > 1 death/ 10,000 people/day

Or doubling of baseline CMR

• < 5 mortality rate (<5 MR)• > 2 deaths/ 10,000 children/day

Or doubling of baseline U5 MR The emergency response should aim to reduce the mortality rate

to below the threshold level

Rapid Health Assessment – Data Needs in the Emergency Phase

1. Background; social, political, economic data2. Background health data3. Affected population size and demographics 4. Vital health information

– Mortality rates– Top 5 causes of Morbidity – Risks for disease outbreaks – Measles vaccination coverage (>95% or

<95%)– Acute malnutrition level– Access to health services (primary, referral,

and secondary) – human resources, medical supplies

– Health practices (BF habit, delivery practice)5. Environmental conditions – water, shelter,

sanitation