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

1. Public Health Engineering: Participants are able to identify suitable water and habitat actions to minimize the risk related to the interaction between people and their environment

1.1. Participants are able to describe the interaction between population, environment and health

• Disposal of human waste products (wastewater, feces, solid waste, ...) into the environment and exposure of humans to polluted environment & resources (water etc.) >> vicious circle of disease transmission

• Principles of public health engineering and classification of water related diseases according to transmission pathways

• Effective response to different types of communicable diseases >> F-Diagram

1.2. Participants are able to illustrate water and habitat related activities within the wider health system

1.3. Participants are able to describe the levels of intervention in the field of public health engineering to tackle communicable diseases

2. Water and Health: Participants are able to explain the key elements of water supply, treatment and distribution to ensure availability of safe-drinking water

2.1 Participants are able to explain water quality and quantity requirements

• Water quality parameters and WHO water quality standards

• Water quantity and accessibility aspects and their effect on health

• Pros and cons of surface- and groundwater >> selection criteria and feasibility considerations

• Water treatment processes and methods, i.e. chlorination

• Components of a water distribution system

2.2 Participants are able to compare different water sources and contamination risk

2.3 Participants are able to recommend a water treatment process based on basic quality indicators

2.4 Participants are able to analyse the different steps from water source to distribution

3. Environmental sanitation: Participants are able to identify the adequate sanitation options taking into account relevant management and behavioural change challenges

3.1. Participants are able to analyse excreta waste management

• Hygiene promotion principles and methods

• Technologies of fecal and waste water management >> selection criteria

• Health concerns of solid waste and management solution in emergencies

• Principles of medical waste management and recommendations for treatment and disposal

• Main vectors and related communicable diseases >> effective control measures

3.2. Participants are able to analyse solid waste management

3.3. Participants are able to analyse medical waste management

3.4. Participants are able to explain challenges of changing behaviour through hygiene /health promotion

3.5. Participants are able to explain the principles and key steps of vector control measures

4. Displacement: Participants as able to compare different transitional displacement options

4.1. Participants are able to explain the unique displacement, resettlement, and sheltering challenges in responding to an acute or protracted crisis

• Displacement >> impact on health

• Types of transitional settlements and their challenges

• Essential services required in camps and host communities, in rural and urban context

• Shelters options and assistance methods

• Camp site selection and design principles

4.2. Participants are able to describe shelter alternatives and problems associated with the resettlement of large populations

4.3. Participants are able to describe camp planning priorities and propose an adequate response in terms of essential services

5. Urban challenges: Participants are able to present the challenges of responding to essential service disruption in urban areas

5.1 Participants are able to explain the scope and magnitude of urbanization, and the characteristics and vulnerabilities of essential services in urban settings

• Challenges of conflicts in urban contexts

• Interconnectivity, interdependence of essential services in urban areas

• Direct, indirect, cumulative impact on critical infrastructure, consumables and people

• Humanitarian consequences of protracted urban conflicts

• Reviewing approach for humanitarian response in urban conflicts

5.2 Participants are able to discuss the challenges of humanitarian responses in urban settings

5.3 Participants are able to present and justify an appropriate response to essential services disruption in a specific setting