Introduction

The Health in Humanitarian Crises Training Course provides participants with an understanding of the key health issues faced by affected populations during emergencies, such as natural disasters, armed conflicts, and complex crises. It emphasizes the importance of delivering timely, quality healthcare in a way that meets the immediate needs of communities while also addressing long-term health system recovery and strengthening. The course integrates practical strategies, global standards, and innovative approaches for healthcare response in humanitarian settings.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will:

1. Understand health challenges in humanitarian settings: Learn about the common health issues faced in crisis situations and their impact on affected populations.
2. Plan health interventions during crises: Gain the skills needed to design and implement emergency health responses, including the management of medical supplies and healthcare workforce.
3. Address public health issues in emergencies: Learn how to tackle infectious diseases, malnutrition, and mental health during humanitarian crises.
4. Strengthen healthcare systems: Understand how to build and restore healthcare services during and after emergencies.
5. Ensure coordination and collaboration in health interventions: Master the principles of coordination with other humanitarian actors, governments, and local communities in a health crisis.
6. Implement global health standards: Learn to work within international frameworks and adhere to World Health Organization (WHO) and Sphere standards for health responses in crises.

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for:

• Humanitarian health workers and medical professionals (doctors, nurses, midwives) working in emergencies and disaster response.
• Program managers and coordinators involved in healthcare operations in crisis settings.
• Public health professionals focused on disaster response and recovery.
• NGO staff involved in healthcare programs during humanitarian emergencies.
• Government officials managing emergency health responses and recovery.
• Field workers in international organizations (e.g., UNHCR, WHO, IFRC) focused on health emergencies.
• Students and academics studying public health, global health, or humanitarian aid.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Health in Humanitarian Crises

• Morning Session: Understanding Health in Emergencies
  • Defining humanitarian crises: Natural disasters, conflicts, and complex emergencies.
  • The key health challenges faced in humanitarian crises: infectious diseases, malnutrition, mental health disorders, and lack of healthcare infrastructure.
  • Impact of displacement on health: Refugee and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
  • Health indicators in emergencies: Mortality rates, morbidity, and disease outbreaks.
  • Case study: The Ebola outbreak in West Africa (2014-2016) and the healthcare response.
• Afternoon Session: Humanitarian Health Systems
  • Principles of healthcare in emergencies: Providing care in resource-constrained settings.
  • Health coordination mechanisms: The role of WHO, UNICEF, Red Cross, and other agencies in managing health crises.
  • Key international health frameworks: Sphere Standards and Humanitarian Charter.
  • Understanding health assessments: Rapid needs assessment and health surveillance during crises.
  • Group exercise: Designing a rapid health needs assessment for a hypothetical disaster scenario.

Day 2: Public Health and Infectious Disease Management

• Morning Session: Infectious Diseases in Emergencies
  • The epidemiology of infectious diseases in humanitarian settings: cholera, malaria, dengue, measles, and respiratory infections.
  • The role of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in preventing disease outbreaks.
  • Managing vaccination campaigns and immunization programs in emergencies.
  • Case study: Cholera outbreak response in Haiti (2010).
• Afternoon Session: Nutrition and Health in Emergencies
  • Managing malnutrition in emergency settings: Impact on children, pregnant women, and vulnerable groups.
  • Nutrition screening: Identifying malnutrition early through community-based nutrition assessments.
  • Treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM): Guidelines for therapeutic feeding and rehydration therapy.
  • Managing food security and supplementary feeding programs.
  • Group activity: Developing a malnutrition management plan for an emergency response.

Day 3: Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Crises

• Morning Session: Addressing Mental Health in Emergencies
  • The impact of crises on mental health: trauma, stress, grief, and depression.
  • Psychosocial support (PSS): Interventions to promote mental health and well-being.
  • The role of psychological first aid (PFA) and mental health interventions in emergencies.
  • Case study: Psychosocial care during the Rwanda Genocide (1994).
• Afternoon Session: Integrating Mental Health into Health Programs
  • Strategies for integrating mental health into existing health programs.
  • Capacity building of healthcare workers to address mental health needs in crises.
  • Addressing the mental health needs of healthcare workers in emergencies.
  • Group exercise: Designing a psychosocial support program for a refugee camp.

Day 4: Health System Strengthening and Recovery

• Morning Session: Rebuilding Health Systems Post-Crisis
  • Principles of health system recovery: How to rebuild and strengthen health services in post-crisis settings.
  • The role of mobile health (mHealth) and telemedicine in improving access to healthcare in remote or conflict-affected areas.
  • Engaging local health professionals in health system rebuilding: Training and empowering local health workers.
  • Case study: Health system rebuilding after the Nepal earthquake (2015).
• Afternoon Session: Long-Term Health Needs and Sustainability
  • Addressing chronic health conditions in post-crisis recovery: diabetes, hypertension, and HIV/AIDS.
  • Sustainable health interventions: How to ensure health programs are adaptable and long-lasting.
  • Building resilience in healthcare systems: Preparing for future health crises.
  • Group activity: Develop a post-crisis health recovery plan for a country impacted by conflict.

Day 5: Coordination, Ethics, and Health in Humanitarian Action

• Morning Session: Coordination and Collaboration in Humanitarian Health
  • The importance of multi-agency coordination: Working with NGOs, governments, UN agencies, and local communities.
  • Managing health logistics in emergencies: Supply chain management, medical procurement, and equipment distribution.
  • Case study: International coordination during the Syrian refugee crisis.
• Afternoon Session: Ethical Considerations and Human Rights in Health Interventions
  • Ethical challenges in delivering healthcare in humanitarian settings: patient consent, confidentiality, and cultural considerations.
  • Health and human rights: Ensuring the right to health for all individuals in crisis situations.
  • Addressing vulnerable populations: Special considerations for women, children, disabled individuals, and elderly.
  • Group project: Develop an ethical framework for delivering health services in a conflict zone.