Health Emergencies in Large Populations - The H.E.L.P. Course

1. Participants are able to explain how people, communities and services may be affected by different types of crisis situations

1.1. Participants are able to describe the crisis (disaster) typology

- Crisis typology:

• Natural disasters

• Natural hazards increased by humans

• Crisis caused by humans (man-made)

• Disease outbreaks/epidemics

- Distinguishing features:

• Progressive evolution

• Sudden onset

- Presence of different crisis types within one context

1.2. Participants are able to identify different settings in which a crisis may take place

- General context in which a crisis takes place:

• Geographic environment, political, military, socio-economic and cultural environment

• Rural/ urban settings

• Demographic and epidemiological setting

- Population groups:

• Residents, IDPs, refugees, migrants, host populations

1.3. Participants are able to describe main differences between situations of armed conflict and natural disasters

- Impact on populations of armed conflict

• Violence that impacts integrity of people

• Constraints that prevents affected people from getting services they need

- Generally slow onset of armed conflict compared to natural disasters but lasting much longer

- Context for response

1.4. Participants are able to describe the stages of a crisis, and when a crisis is considered a significant public health emergency

- Stages of a crisis:

• Disaster management cycle

• Crisis cycle

- Emergency threshold:

• Crude mortality rate

• Under-five mortality rate

2. Participants are able to identify needs that should be met during humanitarian crises in order to maintain and/or improve the health of people affected by the crisis situation

2.1. Participants are able to describe common needs and specific needs of crisis affected people /population groups

- Basic needs to enhance and maintain health:

• Common needs

• Specific needs linked e.g.: age, sex, certain diseases, disability, dead bodies, belonging to certain part of society

3. Participants are able to describe main causes of excess morbidity and mortality during crisis situations and explain at what level humanitarian interventions take place to counter these causes

3.1. Participants are able to explain how the crisis type and the setting influence causes of morbidity and mortality

- Variety linked to crisis type

- Influence crisis setting

• Demographic and epidemiological

• Socio-economic

3.2. Participants are able to identify key risk factors for excess morbidity and mortality

- Three levels of risk factors: Proximate, intermediate & distant

• Humanitarian action focuses mainly on overcoming proximate risk factors

3.3. Participants are able to explain the relationship between needs, capacities and vulnerabilities

- Balance between needs and capacities /services

- Meeting basic needs:

• Capacity of people /services to meet their basic needs

• Coping mechanisms (resilience)

- Those vulnerable /unable to meet basic needs

• Increased susceptibility

- Making the invisible visible

- Sendai framework

- Humanitarian development (peace) nexus

4. Participants are able to explain the relationship between health, health systems, health care services, public health and the social determinants of health

4.1. Participants are able to describe the prerequisites for health

- Determinant factors and fundamental conditions for health and survival

• Health pyramid

4.2. Participants are able to define health, health system, health care services and public health

- Sharing definitions and ways the different components are intertwined

• Multi-disciplinary approach

5. Participants are able to identify main groups of actors in humanitarian interventions (See also module Actors in Humanitarian Interventions /Coordination)

5.1. Participants are able to list the main groups of actors

- Grouping main stakeholders

5.2. Participants are able to identify actors for which humanitarian action is their primary mission and those that play a critical role in the response while humanitarian action is not their core function

- Grouping actors that have a primary mandate /mission and other organizations /entities

6. Participants are able to explain core principles, standards and norms in humanitarian action

6.1. Participants are able to list principles commonly recognized as core for humanitarian action

- Four core humanitarian principles

- Other principles, e.g. do no harm, autonomy, participation by affected populations, accountability, ......

6.2. Participants are able to list key standards applicable and promoted in humanitarian action

- The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief

- Professional standards: National, international

- SPHERE

- Core humanitarian standards (CHS)