Communicable Diseases in Humanitarian Emergencies and Disasters

Description

Currently, many countries are under the effect of disaster and emergency situations. Ongoing wars and unrest in addition to natural disasters feed this situation continuously. EMR suffers tremendously from such situation, particularly in the last 10 years. As a result, people move from area to another and live in camps. The public sector and the control programs are deeply disturbed. This situation leads to flaring up and re-introduction of communicable diseases.

This course provides participants with knowledge and skills to detect and measure the impact of communicable diseases in humanitarian emergencies and disasters. It also equips them with common principles and approaches on how to deal with communicable diseases in such situations.

Learning Outcomes

Analyze human and environmental factors that contribute to emergence of communicable diseases during emergencies
List the commonly encountered communicable diseases
Identify diseases of epidemic potentiality (in relation to disaster)
List the steps in ensuring communicable diseases’ control in emergency
Promote effective, coordinated action towards the prevention and control of communicable diseases in emergencies and disasters
Describe / put in action appropriate interventions for the commonly encountered communicable diseases during disasters

Common communicable diseases during emergency situations and disasters
Determinants of communicable diseases during emergency situations and disasters
Rapid health assessment and identification of at-risk group/s to communicable diseases
Establishing preventive measures
Setting-up surveillance system
Containment of an outbreak
Communicable diseases control approaches during emergency situations and disasters