HEALTH ACTION IN CRISES UPDATE - WHO



HEALTH ACTION IN CRISES

MONTHLY REPORT

ISSUE 31: April 15 - May 31, 2004

Reports will henceforth be produced on a monthly basis (e.g., June 2004).

|West Africa Sub-Region | Contact: L. Simao, simaol@who.int |

|Cote d’Ivoire |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• Two multi-disciplinary assessment missions conducted |• WHO participated in the Mid-term review of |

|[pic] |in the North in April and May 2004 indicate dilapidated|the CAP. The main objectives for the rest of |

| |inventory, and lack of medicines and professional |2004 include: |

|Security Phase: 3 |medical staff. Serious illnesses cannot be treated and |facilitate access to basic healthcare for |

| |patients are evacuated to Ghana or Burkina Faso. |populations in the North and West by |

| |• There has been an alarming rise in the number of |supplying drugs and other consumables to 80% |

| |cases of Poliomyelitis. |of the rehabilitated care structures; |

| |• Measles continue to constitute a serious problem. |vaccinate 80% of children and adolescents |

| |Médecins San Frontières-Holland/Belgium/France and |aged 6 months to 14 years against measles; |

| |UNICEF have carried out vaccination campaigns with more|sensitise 80% of the high-risk populations |

| |than 77,000 children (aged 6 months to 5 years) having |(young people, soldiers) in the Forces |

| |been vaccinated in April and May. |Nouvelle- controlled zones on STIs/HIV/AIDS; |

| |• Malnutrition is increasing in the west of the country|improve the epidemiological surveillance |

| |with feeding centres and mobile clinics receiving more |system in order to prepare the response to |

| |cases. |epidemics among populations in the Forces |

| |• There is a dramatic increase in the number of people |Nouvelle-controlled zones. |

| |suffering from Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). | |

| |• Throughout the country, there are problems regarding | |

| |the provision of clean drinking water, with high risk | |

| |of cholera and Guinea Worm in some areas. | |

| |Source: OCHA (1 June) | |

|Liberia |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• Liberia's three-year plan for disarmament, demobilization,|• WHO's contribution to the DDRR process |

|[pic] |reintegration and remobilization (DDRR) of 40,000 to 50,000 |entails the provision of guidelines for |

| |former combatants commenced on 15 April. As of 21 May, the |and the supervision of medical screening.|

|Security Phase: 4, 5 |first round of the DDRR process had been completed in four | |

| |cantonment sites: Gbharnga, Buchanan, Tubmanburg and VOA. |• In conjunction with UNICEF and UNFPA |

| |The total number of ex-combatants who had been demobilized |and in relation to the CAP mid-year |

| |and gone through medical screening was approximately 18,589,|review, WHO is working to revise a health|

| |of whom 636 have been referred to hospitals. Medical |and nutrition project. |

| |screening has been carried out by an NGO and an |• WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA will coordinate |

| |international expert. |the following health activities outlined |

| |• The Mid-term review of the CAP 2004 highlights the |in the Mid-term CAP review: rehabilitate |

| |following successes in the health sector: CHT relocated to |three hospitals fully and three |

| |three out of 15 counties; Ministry of Health (MoH) |NGO-supported hospitals partially; |

| |renovated; thirty-three (33) clinics reactivated; cold chain|reactivate 57 additional clinics; conduct|

| |system established at central and regional levels; 1.2 |nutritional surveys country-wide; enhance|

| |million children vaccinated against measles; established 15 |provision of emergency obstetric services|

| |supplementary and four therapeutic feeding centres; |and essential obstetric care; conduct |

| |effective response to outbreak of yellow fever, cholera and |sub-national immunization days for the |

| |acute bloody diarrhoea; active surveillance in accessible |eradication of poliomyelitis; and enhance|

| |counties; nutritional surveys and screening conducted in |STI/HIV/AIDS prevention programmes. |

| |four counties; trauma and delivery kits distributed to NGOs;| |

| |SGBV medical services available in IDP camps; psycho-social | |

| |care services for ex-combatants; and three hospitals | |

| |partially supported by NGOs. | |

|Sierra Leone |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• On 20 April, WHO received reports of an outbreak of Lassa |• WHO is participating in investigating |

|[pic] |Fever in Kenema district and further testing confirmed Lassa|and controlling disease outbreaks. |

| |fever infection. The outbreak is now under control. | |

|Security Phase: 3, 4 |• Médecins Sans Frontières urged donors to help introduce | |

| |new drugs to overcome resistance to traditional malaria | |

| |treatments, as a study last year shows resistance in 70% of | |

| |cases treated. | |

|Great Lakes and Central Africa | Contact: L. Simao, simaol@who.int |

|Sub-Region | |

| | |

|Burundi |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• The UN and its partners are appealing for US$ |• An international Public Health Coordinator is |

|[pic] |100.9 million to meet the needs of the most |providing technical support for the public health |

| |vulnerable Burundians until the end of 2004. |aspects of the repatriation of Burundian refugees.|

|Security Phase: 3, 4 |• Many of the estimated 750,000 Burundians who were | |

| |residing in Tanzania, as well as 281,000 Internally |• WHO participated in the humanitarian needs |

| |Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Burundi, are now |assessments for health and nutrition. Key findings|

| |returning to their homes. |from the assessment included the need for the |

| |• Inter-agency humanitarian needs assessments for |following: transition strategies for health system|

| |health and nutrition recently took place in Burundi.|development; availability of key information |

| |These were conducted within the broader needs |within WHO; malaria control; Integrated Management|

| |assessments to define a common humanitarian strategy|of Childhood Illnesses; access to secondary care |

| |and set priorities for planning as part of the |(including emergency obstetric care); and research|

| |Consolidated Appeals Process. |on the effects of user fees on access where the |

| |• Thirty-seven cases of cholera have been confirmed |majority of the population live in extreme |

| |in rural Bujumbura. |poverty. |

| | |• WHO supported the cholera case management. |

|Central African Republic |Events |WHO Interventions |

| [pic] |• OCHA estimates that 20,000 people |• A WHO/OCHA/UNICEF field mission visited the Central African |

| |were internally displaced during the|Republic between 8-15 May. The scope of the mission was to |

|Security Phase: 2, 3, 4 |six-month rebellion led by the |follow-up on the UN Special Envoy mission; reach consensus on |

| |current CAR leader Francois Bozize, |key crisis indicators; and identify gaps for effective response.|

| |which ended on 15 March 2003 when | |

| |Bozize ousted President Ange-Felix |• Key findings: |

| |Patasse. An additional 42,000 |The emergency phase was closed too early, risking a gap in |

| |refugees fled into Chad, although |assistance; |

| |many have since returned. (Source: |The health aspects of the crisis have not been clearly assessed |

| |IRIN, UN News) |in all districts; |

| |• UNFPA donated obstetrical |The communicable disease surveillance system is severely |

| |equipment worth US $18.2 million to |disrupted; |

| |hospitals that were looted during |Immunization has been suspended for several months; |

| |the rebellion. (Source: IRIN, |There has been widespread looting of health institutions; |

| |quoting Radio Centrafrique) |Cost-sharing in the health sector was re-introduced too early. |

| |• CAR health officials polio |• Recommendations include the continuation of an emergency |

| |immunisation campaigns in |humanitarian approach for an additional nine months; |

| |Bamingui-Bangoran and Vakaga. |implementing widespread and standardized health impact |

| |(Source: IRIN) |assessments; addressing priority assessment findings with a |

| | |focus on public health. interventions; and strengthening |

| | |coordination mechanisms. |

|Chad |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• UNHCR has moved more |• WHO/HQ seconded a Public Health Coordinator to UNHCR in Abeche, eastern |

|[pic] |than 90,000 Sudanese |Chad, for a period of two months (May-June 2004), to assist in meeting the |

| |refugees from the |needs of the Sudanese refugee populations. |

|Security Phase: 1, 2 |Chad-Sudan border to camps|• On 4-12 May, a joint WHO/UNHCR mission visited Sudanese refugee camps in |

| |in the interior of Chad. |Chad. The mission worked with local health authorities, Médecins Sans |

| |The UN High Commissioner |Frontières and International Relief Corps, examining health coordination, |

| |for Refugees estimates a |nutritional issues, and common procedures for disease surveillance and case|

| |total of 158,000 Sudanese |management. The main finding was the need to scale-up activities for |

| |refugees in Chad as of 4 |diarrhoeal diseases and malnutrition. |

| |June. |• On 15/16 May, a coordination meeting was held with all health partners. |

| | |Agreements were made on the data collection /health information system, the|

| | |need for a nutritional assessment and the need to look at the referral |

| | |system. WHO provided expertise. |

|DR Congo (DRC) |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• As part of the Good |• WHO facilitated the humanitarian needs assessment process for health in |

|[pic] |Humanitarian Donorship |five eastern provinces and Kinshasa in May. This took place within the |

| |initiative, a pilot |broader humanitarian needs assessment coordinated by OCHA to strengthen the|

|Security Phase: 3, 4 |assessment is currently |CAP, and in support to the Good Humanitarian Donorship initiative. Key |

| |taking place in the |findings included the following: |

| |Democratic Republic of |Very high mortality rates, the majority caused by malaria, but also related|

| |Congo. |to pregnancy, measles, ARI and diarrhoea. |

| |• According to the UNICEF |Low access to quality health services, particularly in areas where there is|

| |Humanitarian Action report|little or no external aid. Access to secondary level, for example for |

| |of 7 May, some 100,000 |emergency obstetric care or when surgery is required to victims of sexual |

| |people were expected to |violence, is minimal as people have no capacity to pay and there are no |

| |cross into DRC from Angola|exemption mechanisms. |

| |in the coming weeks, in |Over-emphasis in general on curative care; vaccination rates are low. |

| |addition to the 70,000 |Not only funds, but also the implementation capacity of partners are |

| |already registered. |limiting factors. |

| |• An estimated 16 million |(Source: Dr Michael and Dr von Schreeb). |

| |persons (or 33% of the |• Findings will feed into the formulation of priorities for the CAP 2005, |

| |total population) are |and in the humanitarian health sector strategy. A consolidated workshop |

| |faced with food |will be organised by OCHA in Kinshasa, June 25-26. |

| |insecurity. Of these, 1.9 |• In response to an outbreak of Ebola virus in Sudan that claimed 5 lives |

| |million children are |in late May, WHO announced on 27 May that teams were dispatched to assist |

| |suffering from acute |officials in DR Congo conduct surveillance and active searches for cases of|

| |malnutrition. (Source: |Ebola virus and to alert the local population. |

| |UNICEF) |• WHO provided technical inputs to the following activities: (1) a health |

| |• Reports of sexual abuse |needs assessment undertaken by European Commission health officials and (2)|

| |continue to be reported by|a review of health priorities in DRC by the national authorities and |

| |new arrivals in Kahungula,|Belgium. |

| |Bandundu Province. |• A round table discussion on health—made possible by the support of the |

| |(Source: OCHA) |Government of Belgium—was held on 11-12 May in Kinshasa. The WHO |

| | |Representative to the DRC and staff from both AFRO (WHO Regional Office for|

| | |Africa) and Headquarters participated. |

| | |• On 3-7 May, a specialist in Reproductive Health and Research and a HAC |

| | |expert from AFRO participated in a mission on women's responsive health |

| | |services and gender-based violence in the DRC. The aims of the mission were|

| | |to: (a) identify partners and define main activities, (b) review the Plan |

| | |of Action proposed by the Country Office, and (c) identify WHO's role |

| | |according to the needs of national authorities. |

|Tanzania |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• A cholera outbreak was reported in the Lugufu refugee camp in |• An assessment mission comprised of |

|[pic] |the Kigoma Rural District and the Niarugusu camp in Kasulu. The |representatives from the Ministry of |

| |first cases appeared in late March and, as of 29 April, the |Health, WHO, UNHCR and NGOs departed |

|Security Phase: 1 |cumulative cases were 355 with zero deaths. Lugufu camp has |on 1 May for Kigoma. The aim of the |

| |about 90,000 refugees from the DRC and there is a severe |mission was to provide technical |

| |shortage of water. |support at the Lugufu refugee camp. |

| |• As of early May, cases were being detected early and proper | |

| |clinical management was in place. Food vendors were closed, and | |

| |improvements were made in health education and sanitation. | |

|Horn of Africa Sub-Region | Contact: L. Simao, simaol@who.int |

|Ethiopia |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• The Government plans to resettle 2.2 million |• WHO participated in the 15-23 March multi-agency |

|[pic] |vulnerable people before the end of 2005. |mission to assess the humanitarian conditions of the|

| |• A joint UN/Donor/World Bank Resettlement |resettlement sites. The assessment mission found |

|Security Phase: 1, 3 |Working Group has undertaken monitoring of |that food quality and quantity was insufficient in |

| |humanitarian conditions in resettlement sites. |resettlement sites, resulting in the presence of |

| |Many resettlement sites require urgent short-term|moderate to severe malnutrition in some sites. |

| |assistance. |Supplementary food was needed for children and |

| |• Health services remain inadequate, with less |pregnant/lactating women in most sites. There was an|

| |than 40% of the 70 million Ethiopians having |overall lack of drugs and medical supplies, and |

| |access to healthcare. |water and sanitation problems were persistent in |

| |• Routine immunization shows wide variations from|many sites. In addition, the health service coverage|

| |one region to another; it is as low as 5% in |in the regions was very low. This situation was |

| |pastoral areas. |attributed to insufficient and unevenly distributed |

| |• Over 50% of children countrywide are |health facilities and health personnel in the |

| |chronically malnourished and there are |regions. In light of the above, assessment summary |

| |unacceptably high levels of acute malnutrition. |reports underline the need for the following: |

| |• In May, 100 Ethiopian health workers underwent |Immediate humanitarian interventions to meet urgent |

| |training in the treatment and management of |needs. |

| |severely malnourished children and will be |Further specialised assessment in key areas to |

| |deployed to various hospitals to train others. |determine appropriate urgent responses. |

| |• The incidence of waterborne diseases remains |Pre-positioning of stocks to meet potential |

| |widespread. Sanitation levels lag behind set |vulnerabilities expected during the rainy season. |

| |targets. (Source: UNICEF) |Actions on longer term issues before it is too late.|

| |• A US$ 6.3 million community care campaign for |• The Resettlement Working Group recommends that the|

| |families affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic has |Government slow down or cease resettlement activity |

| |been launched in Ethiopia by WFP and the |for this year so that the humanitarian community and|

| |government’s HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control |the Government can address urgent needs. |

| |Office. (Source: IRIN) | |

|Uganda |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• The number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) has|• A proposal is being prepared for a project |

|[pic] |risen three-fold in 24 months; it now stands at over |aiming to ensure IDPs' access to a minimum |

| |1.6 million, 80 percent of which are women and |health care package. In addition, HAC is |

|Security Phase: 1, 2, 3 |children. |readying a mission to support the WR in |

| |• Executive Director of UNICEF, Carol Bellamy, |following up on the recommendations of the |

| |undertook a four-day mission to Uganda to highlight |October/November 2003 health needs assessment|

| |exacerbated humanitarian needs and the gross |of IDP camps in northern Uganda. |

| |under-funding of the UN appeal for the conflict-ridden |• WHO is sending a Public Health Officer for |

| |north. Governments, to date, have pledged just 20% of |six months to provide technical support to |

| |this year's UN appeal for $127 million in humanitarian |health partners operating in northern Uganda.|

| |aid for northern Uganda. |• As of 23 May, a cholera outbreak in the |

| |• During her mission, Bellamy highlighted the plight of|Kayunga district of Uganda is under |

| |the estimated 44,000 "night commuters"—children who |verification by WHO. The Global Public Health|

| |travel into towns from outlying areas at night to |Intelligence Network reports seven deaths and|

| |escape abduction or attack by the Lord's Resistance |more than 10 hospitalizations. According to |

| |Army. These children are particularly vulnerable to |the report, MoH has dispatched health workers|

| |injuries and sexual violence. |to contain the situation (Source: WHO). |

| |• Repeated attacks to the IDP camps are being reported.| |

| |Health problems, as well as infant and maternal | |

| |mortality, are increasing. | |

|Southern African Sub-Region | Contact: L. Simao, simaol@who.int |

|Angola |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• The health department in Huila reported 48,000 malaria cases |• WHO warned of a potential rupture|

|[pic] |with 56 deaths during January-March 2004. Kuando Kubango, Cunene |in the essential drugs pipeline by |

| |and Namibe are estimated to have the highest malaria prevalence |July if immediate action isn't |

|Security Phase: 2 |rates. (Source: OCHA, 30 April) |taken. It was estimated that 30,450|

| |• UNHCR is preparing to repatriate 90,000 refugees who fled during|essential medicine kits—each one |

| |the country's 27-year civil war. Since April 2002, some 33,000 |servicing 1,000 patient visits—are |

| |have returned under a UN-sponsored voluntary repatriation |needed for the year. (Source: OCHA,|

| |programme. (Source: IRIN, 26 April) |30 April) |

| |• The Angolan Health Minister, Albertina Hamukuaya, made an appeal| |

| |to WHO to mobilize more resources to control the spread of | |

| |HIV/Aids at the 57th World Health Assembly. (Source: Government of| |

| |Angola) | |

|Madagascar |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• Tropical Cyclone Gafilo |• As part of the UN appeal for Madagascar launched 19 March, WHO |

|[pic] |struck Madagascar in early |appealed for US$ 371,200 to procure urgent medical supplies and restore|

| |March and affected 773,000 |medical facilities. |

|Security Phase: no phase |people. |• The Government of Madagascar requested that WHO provide technical |

| |• A WHO/AFRO consultant |expertise for a health needs assessment, financial support and kits. |

| |assessing the health sector |WHO/AFRO responded through the immediate dispatch of US$10,000 for the |

| |response to the consequences |purchase of drugs, which was followed by the transfer—on 31 March—of an|

| |of Cyclone Gafilo has reported|additional US$ 12,000 from HQ to AFRO for the procurement of relief |

| |a substantial rise in the |items for affected populations in Madagascar. |

| |number of cases of malaria, |• WHO provided 3,600 insecticide-treated mosquito nets and emergency |

| |diarrhoeal diseases, measles, |drug kits sufficient to meet the needs of 130,000 inhabitants for a |

| |conjunctivitis and acute |period of three months. |

| |respiratory infections, |• WHO has facilitated the re-enforcement of the early warning system, |

| |particularly in the most |in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other health sector |

| |affected districts. |partners. |

| | |• WHO has provided support to the Ministry of Health in the area of |

| | |health sector coordination. |

|Zimbabwe |Events |WHO Interventions |

| [pic] |• As of 12 May, 57 people died of malaria, bringing |• The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and a|

| |the toll to 500 since the start of the rainy season |number of partners including WHO and UNICEF have|

|Security Phase: 1 |this year. Heavy rains, and lack of funds and |developed a malaria preparedness plan. (Source: |

| |chemicals to carry out routine spraying are |UN Relief and Recovery Unit, 21 April) |

| |attributed to the rising number of cases. (Source: |• WHO continues to work with UNICEF, the |

| |IRIN) |Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and other |

| |• The government says the country has produced enough|partners to support the provision of |

| |food to meet consumption requirements and will not |anti-malaria drugs, provide insecticide-treated |

| |require international aid. According to aid agencies,|bednets (ITNs) and support prevention efforts, |

| |some 5.5 million rural Zimbabweans and 2.5 million |especially through the promotion of integrated |

| |people in urban areas were in need of food aid up to |management of childhood illnesses (IMCI) that |

| |the latest harvest, which began in April. (Source: |includes malaria. (Source: UN Relief and |

| |IRIN) |Recovery Unit, 5 May) |

| |• Health officials fear endemic cholera in the | |

| |Nyaminyami area of Kariba District, which has poor | |

| |water and sanitation facilities. (Source: UN Relief | |

| |and Recovery Unit, 2 June) | |

|Contact: R. Buhakah, buhakahr@who.int Acting: K. Shibib, shibibk@who.int |

|Colombia |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• The humanitarian situation is worsening; in|• The WHO/PAHO Office in Bogotá and seven decentralized |

|[pic] |the past four years alone, 1 million newly |offices are supporting national health institutions in |

| |displaced joined the 2 million displaced over|assisting IDPs and host communities. All WHO/PAHO |

|Security Phase: 1, 2, 3 |the preceding 15 years. (Source: UN |programmes have included emergency-related activities in|

| |Department of Public Information) |their respective work plans. |

| |• On 7 May, the Under-Secretary-General for |• Sector-wide initiatives have brought together UN |

| |Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief |agencies, government institutions and civil society. |

| |Coordinator, Jan Egeland, met with the |• WHO/PAHO priorities in coming months include the |

| |Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and his |improving the health data analysis on emergencies |

| |ministers to discuss the humanitarian needs |through close collaboration with health sector situation|

| |of the displaced population. |rooms, and promoting continuous health coordination by |

| |• The United Nations currently has 38 offices|implementing departmental emergency operation centres. |

| |in Colombia—a quadrupling of its presence in |• The plight of Colombia’s IDPs is increasingly |

| |the past five years. |becoming a sub-regional concern. WHO/PAHO is mobilizing|

| |• In June 2004, OCHA, together with the |its offices in Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama |

| |Government and NGOs, will launch Humanitarian|for a sub-regional strategy. |

| |Action Plan II for Colombia. | |

|Haiti |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• Torrential rains beginning on May 21 |• In response to the floods, WHO/PAHO launched an emergency |

|[pic] |along the border between the Dominican |health appeal on 28 May seeking US$300,000 to support |

| |Republic and Haiti caused severe |immediate health sector needs. WHO/PAHO is sending |

|Security Phase: 2, 3, 4 |flooding. The total number of dead has |additional staff to the affected areas and convened a |

| |risen to almost 2,000 and more than |meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force— with the |

| |12,000 people were evacuated from their |Organization of American States, the Inter-American |

| |homes. |Development Bank, the Inter-American Defense Board, and |

| |• Although slightly improved, the |other agencies—to discuss the most pressing health sector |

| |security environment remains volatile, |needs. |

| |with gangs, kidnapping and banditry |• On 24 May, WHO/PAHO participated in the Inter-Departmental|

| |reported in various parts of the |Task Force on Haiti in New York. Agenda items included an |

| |country. |update on the planning for MINUSTAH (United Nations |

| |• The nutrition situation in Haiti has |Multi-Dimensional Stabilization Mission in Haiti), |

| |been aggravated since February 2004. |assessment missions, the humanitarian situation, and |

| |(Source: OCHA) |consultations with the Organisation of American States and |

| |• The European Commission granted €5.4 |CARICOM. |

| |million in aid to support the victims of |• On 22 April in Port-au-Prince, WHO/PAHO participated in a |

| |the socio-economic crisis in Haiti. This |meeting organized by the Government and ICF Steering |

| |will allow 100,000 vulnerable people to |Committee (composed of representatives from the |

| |get access to basic health services. |Inter-American Development Bank, UN, World Bank, and EC) on |

| |• Life expectancy in Haiti fell from 57 |priorities for the next two years. |

| |in 1993 to 50 years in 2002, primarily as|• WHO/PAHO contributed to a plan for the rehabilitation of |

| |a result of AIDS. (Source: World Health |the Hopital de l'Université d'Etat d'Haïti. |

| |Report 2004) |• On 24 April, WHO/PAHO's Vaccination Week in the Americas |

| |• The Government is leading the |was launched in Haiti, with the participation of the |

| |preparation of an assessment and two-year|Minister of Health. |

| |strategy called the Interim Cooperation | |

| |Framework. | |

|Venezuela |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• According to the World Bank Group, Venezuela could |• AMRO/PAHO is cooperating with the government |

|[pic] |reach all of the Millennium Development Goals by |in all efforts (including the Barrio Adentro |

| |2015. Significant strides were made in reducing |initiative) that aim to expand the Primary |

|Security Phase: 1, 2 |infant mortality during the 1990s: it decreased from |Health Care coverage to the 60% of the |

| |25 per 1,000 in 1990 to 19 per 1,000 in 2000. |population that has been extremely underserved |

| |• Despite the country's progress, the percentage of |in the past 20 years. Barrio Adentro has |

| |Venezuelans living in poverty (household income of |entailed a major shift in investing for public |

| |less than $2 a day) has doubled between 1991 and |health, from a service-driven to a demand-driven|

| |2000. Likewise, the proportion of those living in |model. The programme was established through |

| |extreme poverty —below $1 a day—rose from 11.8 |inter-country cooperation between the |

| |percent to 23.5 percent. (Source: World Bank Group, |governments of Venezuela and Cuba. |

| |Country Brief) | |

|Contact: R. Buhakah, buhakahr@who.int Acting: K. Shibib, shibibk@who.int |

|Djibouti |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• On 13 April, following torrential rains|• WHO has provided surge capacity, including backstopping |

|[pic] |in almost all districts of the country, |from the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean |

| |the Ambouli River burst its banks |and Headquarters and immediately releasing emergency funds. |

|Security Phase: 1, 3 |affecting densely populated |• Efforts by WHO are underway to mobilize resources to cover|

| |neighbourhoods of the capital Djibouti. |the costs of transporting supplies to the country. This will|

| |An estimated 300 people died, |free other resources for surveillance activities and disease|

| |approximately 1,500 were left homeless, |control. |

| |and 100,000 were affected. |• WHO was charged with providing technical and operational |

| |• Four health centres, serving the most |support, particularly in regards to the following: |

| |affected population, had their equipment,|Conducting a health needs assessment; |

| |medicine stocks and files washed away. |Serving in a liaison and coordination capacity and |

| |Assessments highlighted the need for |exchanging information with various bodies involved in |

| |urgent stocks of medicines and supplies |health-related relief; |

| |to ensure resumption of health services |Reviewing the contingency treatment plan for cholera and the|

| |in damaged centres and to be ready for |treatment guidelines; |

| |possible outbreaks of cholera and |Undertaking and advising on surveillance activities; |

| |malaria. |Providing logistics support; |

| |• The health sector's main concern is to |Developing a plan for public education; |

| |prevent, detect (as early as possible) |Procuring medicines and necessary supplies for possible |

| |and respond quickly to any outbreak of |outbreaks, in collaboration with USAID (through an emergency|

| |cholera, dengue fever, and/or malaria. |donation of US$ 300,000) and the Italian Government (through|

| |The probability of such outbreaks is |an emergency donation amounting to US$ 51,708). |

| |heightened, given the damage to the water|• As part of the WHO surge capacity for crisis response, an |

| |and sewage systems as well as the poor |epidemiologist and logistician were sent to Djibouti to help|

| |hygiene awareness among the population. A|the UN Country Team provide support to national authorities.|

| |contingency plan for a possible outbreak | |

| |of cholera was initiated. | |

|Iran |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the |• On 30 and 31 May, a UN inter-agency mission, comprised of |

|[pic] |Richter scale occurred on 28 May in |representatives from WHO, UNICEF, WFP, UNFPA and OCHA, |

| |Northern and Central Iran. The Iranian |joined by the Mazandarn Provincial Disaster Task Force |

|Security Phase: 2, 3 |Red Crescent Society reported 35 deaths |delegation, visited the Mazandarn province to assess the |

| |and 278 injured. Around 133 villages |damages resulting from the earthquake of 28 May (Source: |

| |reported damage from the quake (Source: |OCHA). |

| |OCHA). |• A polio vaccination campaign took place in last week of |

| |• The situation remains crucial in the |May (Source: WHO). |

| |area of Bam, where an earthquake on 26 |• In Bam, about 250 volunteer health workers have been |

| |December left 43,200 people dead, 2,000 |trained through the collaboration of the MoH, WHO, UNICEF |

| |children orphaned and up to 90,000 people|and NGOs. |

| |displaced. Six months after the |• WHO facilitates weekly health sector coordination meetings|

| |earthquake, there are 23 camps with a |and is providing technical assistance to local health |

| |population of 11,327 people. WHO still |authorities. |

| |considers the area in a state of | |

| |emergency in regards to health. The one | |

| |active hospital in the area is providing | |

| |inpatient services, there are four | |

| |outpatient clinics, one day polyclinic | |

| |centre and 109 Health houses, 91 of which| |

| |are active. (Source: WHO and OCHA) | |

|Iraq |Events |WHO Interventions |

|[pic] |• Dr Ala'a Alwan has been appointed |• In Basra in early May, WHO supported a workshop on awareness |

| |new Minister of Health in the |and prevention measures for diarrhoeal diseases, leishmaniasis |

|Security Phase: 4, 5 |framework of the transitional |and malaria. With WHO's support, a MoH spraying campaign for |

| |government that will take over from |control of the latter two diseases is being carried out |

| |the Coalition Provisional Authority |countrywide. It will include indoor spraying and health |

| |from 30 June. Dr Ala'a Alwan is a |education. |

| |former WHO Representative. |• Thirteen persons participated in a WHO-supported training |

| |• The number of measles cases |event for water quality control in Basrah in the first week of |

| |reported in the southern |May. |

| |governorates has decreased in the |• WHO supported the Training of Trainers on Nursing Education, |

| |reporting period. MOH supported by |which started in Amman on 17 May. |

| |UNICEF, WHO, USAID and others |• WHO—in conjunction with NGOs and other UN Agencies—coordinated|

| |carried out a catch up measles |the shipment of emergency health supplies to Iraq in response to|

| |campaign that succeeded in |requests by the Ministry of Health. The UN has prepared a |

| |vaccinating some 5 million children |contingency plan to address possible health risks if the |

| |aged 6-12 across the country. |political situation further deteriorates, the most likely |

| |• Diarrhoea and cholera cases have |scenario being humanitarian issues in hot spot areas like |

| |increased in the last weeks. Cases |Falluja or Najaf. |

| |reported are within the seasonal |• The rehabilitation and provision of equipment to public health|

| |average. Health measures such as |laboratories of Baghdad, Najaf, Mosul and Basra is ongoing. |

| |increased in chlorination and |WHO's support of the rehabilitation work is made possible |

| |broadcast of public information |through a grant from ECHO. |

| |messages have been carried out. |• The WHO Representative for Iraq represented the UN Health |

| |• No further cases of hepatitis E |Cluster in the Iraq Donor Meeting in Doha 25-26 May. It was |

| |have been reported in Sadr City in |agreed that funds from the International Reconstruction Fund for|

| |Baghdad after an outbreak in early |Iraq will be used for the following areas: re-establishing |

| |March affected more than 100 people,|essential services (especially health and education); |

| |two of which died. An outbreak |infrastructure rehabilitation, job creation, poverty reduction, |

| |control plan has since been set in |and governance. |

| |motion. |• The joint UN & NGO Health Emergency Group continues to |

| |• The spraying campaign against |coordinate the shipment of essential supplies to respond to |

| |malaria and leishmaniasis was |emergency situations in Iraq. During April-May, WHO shipped |

| |conducted in all governorates. Both |goods to Iraq with a value of approximately $90,000. |

| |diseases are endemic in various |• On 2-6 June, the MoH organized a "Workshop on Maternal and |

| |parts of the country. |Child Health in Iraq" in Amman. The event was supported by WHO, |

| | |UNICEF and UNFPA. Eighty experts from all governorates in Iraq |

| | |participated representing various levels of the MOH and private |

| | |practitioners. The objective was to start the development of a |

| | |Mother and Child Health Strategy and to come up with urgent |

| | |action points for the next six months. WHO's contribution has |

| | |been possible thanks to funds from the European Commission. |

|Sudan |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• The Greater Darfur Region |• WHO estimates that a humanitarian crisis can only be prevented through |

|[pic] |is witness to one of the most|a rapid scaling up in the response—especially during the next three |

| |serious humanitarian crisis |months. WHO now seeks US$ 7.6 million for the health response in Darfur |

|Security Phase: 1, 2, 3 |this year. Estimates by the |as part of US$30 million needed for health work throughout Sudan, to help|

| |United Nations indicate that |the Government coordinate the response of the health sector and tackle |

| |2 million people are |disease outbreaks, improve sanitation, respond to public health needs and|

| |affected, of which 1.3 are |improve access to medical care. |

| |Internally Displaced Persons |• WHO has spearheaded the establishment of an early warning system |

| |(IDPs). |(EWARN) for monitoring and responding to disease outbreaks. Across |

| |• Located in 124 locations, |Greater Darfur, 52 surveillance officers have been trained and six |

| |spread around a very wide |reporting units are now operational. In addition, Outbreak Response Kits,|

| |desert and semi-desert area, |Cholera Kits, and New Emergency Health Kits are now positioned for an |

| |only about 760,000 of the |outbreak response. |

| |IDPs are currently |• The Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WHO, and partners are launching a |

| |accessible. |measles vaccination campaign for 2.15 million children in the Greater |

| |• Despite several calls from |Darfur. Starting by mid-June, the campaign will target children between |

| |the UN, NGOs and donor field |the ages of 9 months to 15 years. In addition to reducing mortality from |

| |staff based in Darfur and |measles, it will serve as a venue to provide vitamin A capsule |

| |Khartum, limited resources |supplementation and vaccinate at least 90% of children under five against|

| |were made available by donor |poliomyelitis. |

| |governments. Thus, |• WHO is supporting 172 environmental health workers to ensure that |

| |insufficient capacity on the |vector control, waste disposal measures and health promotion are in place|

| |part of the UN and other |for 310,000 people in four locations: El Mashtel, Abu Shouk, and Kaalma, |

| |operational agencies has |and Geneina. In addition, WHO assessed and created guidelines to address |

| |further exacerbated a |environmental threats in displaced persons' camps, as well as supplied |

| |situation already made |500 household hygiene kits. |

| |difficult by widespread |• WHO plays a leading role in sector coordination. WHO is coordinating |

| |insecurity and limited |the health sector component of a six-month UN contingency plan for the |

| |access. |rainy season in Darfur. |

| | |• WHO is increasingly providing norms and guidelines for health partners |

| | |operating in the Greater Darfur Region on malaria, cholera, and |

| | |epidemiological surveillance. |

|West Bank and the Gaza Strip |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• Activities related to the construction of|• WHO participated in the finalization of the Mid-Year CAP|

|[pic] |the separation barrier, closures, curfews |review in coordination with other UN agencies. The review |

| |and other movement restrictions affect the |underlines the need to: focus on emergency responses, |

|[pic] |safe access to clinics and hospitals, the |collect health data, and identify vulnerable groups in |

| |delivery of emergency, long-term and |areas affected by the separation barrier; strengthen |

|Security Phase: 3 |preventive care. |advocacy to ensure humanitarian access; increasingly |

| |• "Operation Rainbow" resulted in |intervene to prevent the degradation of public health |

| |approximately 1,600 residents loosing their|indicators (supplementary immunization, administration of |

| |homes in Rafah (Source: UN resolution). |micronutrients, etc.); further expand the capacity for |

| |Curfew was imposed in some areas. Chronic |prevention and care at community level; scale up efforts |

| |patients had no access to health services, |to secure critical supplies, drugs and commodities; |

| |and evacuation of injured and referral to |continue policy development on mental health, immunization|

| |backup hospitals was difficult. |and PHC. |

| |• During the period 27 April - 25 May, 122 |• Health Inforum worked directly in Rafah (following 17 |

| |Palestinians died and 521 were injured, 18 |May). WHO and ICRC facilitated the delivery of |

| |Israelis died and 17 were injured, and 3 |pharmaceutical drugs and disposables. WHO and other UN |

| |internationals were injured. A total of 32 |agencies visited on 20 and 31 May to assess health needs. |

| |ambulances were denied access, 30 were |• WHO Representative of the Director General for HAC |

| |delayed at checkpoints and 14 incidents |visited Gaza Strip and met MoH representatives to |

| |were reported of shooting or damage to |strengthen the WHO strategic approach. |

| |ambulances. (Source: OCHA weekly briefing | |

| |notes) | |

| Contact: J.H. Chang,|

|changj@who.int |

|Russian Federation |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• The health care system in Chechnya remains unable to|• WHO supports a policlinic in Satsita IDP tent |

|[pic] |cope adequately with the needs of a population |camp by compensating for medical staff salaries |

| |estimated at over 800,000 people. The vaccination |(Source: OCHA). |

|Security Phase: 2 to 5 |coverage of children, particularly amongst IDPs in |• WHO and WFP agreed on a regular provision of |

| |Ingushetia, is dangerously low, while the region |supplementary food to patients of the |

| |presents an increasing potential of a high growth rate|Tuberculosis hospital in Nazran (Source: OCHA). |

| |for sexually transmitted and HIV/AIDS infections. | |

| |(Source: UNICEF) |• WHO conducted training in Nazran for 116 |

| |• The European Commission approved a €16.5 million |health care professionals from Chechnya and |

| |humanitarian aid package to support victims of the |Ingushetia on medical statistics/reporting, |

| |ongoing conflict in Chechnya. It includes assistance |infectious disease control, and first aid and |

| |for medical support, specifically primary health care |basic pediatric care (Source: OCHA). |

| |to mothers and children and funding to support |• Medical literature on mother/child health |

| |surgery, traumatology and rehabilitation services as |care, HIV and infectious diseases was |

| |well as safe drinking water and improved sanitation |distributed by WHO to the MoH of Chechnya and |

| |for Grozny and IDP populations in Ingushetia and |the Grozny medical college for distribution to |

| |Daghestan (Source: ECHO). |interested health professionals. |

|Ukraine |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• Explosions beginning on 6 May at an ammunition |• The WHO Country Office coordinated security|

|[pic] |warehouses near Melitopol left five people dead and led|actions with the UN Security Officer in Kiev.|

| |to the evacuation of 10,000. Debris was sent flying as | |

|Security Phase: no phase |far as 10 kilometres, destroying buildings in the near | |

| |vicinity and leaving hundreds of people homeless. | |

| |(Sources: BBC and AlertNet) | |

| |• Authorities worked to assist the affected population | |

| |and restore affected gas, electricity, water and food | |

| |supply systems. | |

|Contact: R. Buhakah, buhakahr@who.int Acting: K. Shibib, shibibk@who.int |

|Democratic People's Republic of Korea |Events |WHO Interventions |

| |• On 22 April 2004, two train wagons exploded|• WHO immediately delivered medical supplies and |

|[pic] |at Ryongchon Station, North Phyongan |equipment valued at about US$ 100,000 to Ryongchon and |

| |Province, in the Democratic People's Republic|Sinuiju. These supplies were transported from existing |

|Security Phase: 1 |of Korea (DPRK). The explosion killed 161 |stocks in Pyongyang. |

| |people. Approximately 1,300 people were |• An assessment mission, consisting of UN agencies |

| |injured, 370 of those were hospitalized, many|(including WHO), the IFRC, NGOs and representatives from|

| |with severe injuries to the face and head who|the diplomatic community, visited the blast-site in |

| |will require long-term rehabilitation and |Ryongchong County on 24 April. |

| |reconstructive surgery (OCHA). |• WHO has helped coordinate the procurement and delivery|

| |• The explosion caused major damage |of medical supplies and equipment from other |

| |infrastructure, including medical facilities.|humanitarian organizations. |

| | |• WHO is working with the OCHA, UNICEF, WFP and IFRC in |

| |• The health services in DPR Korea are in a |the coordination of international assistance. |

| |difficult situation due to the economic |• A continuous dialogue is maintained with Ministry of |

| |problems the country has been facing in |Public Health on the need for additional support. An |

| |recent years. Most hospitals do not have |agreement has been reached with ECHO and the county |

| |regular electricity or running water, and |authorities that WHO will provide support for the |

| |there is critical shortage of essential |rehabilitation of the damaged Ryongchon County Hospital |

| |medicines and medical supplies. Therefore, |within the ongoing project for strengthening of county |

| |the capacity to cope with a major disaster, |hospitals. |

| |such as the current tragedy, is very limited |• WHO is working to strengthen disease surveillance in |

| |(OCHA). |Ryongchon, provide technical advice for the management |

| |• The Ryongchon train disaster has been |of the injured in the Sinuiju hospitals, conduct needs |

| |incorporated in the CAP mid-term review, and |assessments and monitor supplies. |

| |will be used to call increased attention to |• The large number of eye injuries represented a |

| |the under-funding and vulnerability of the |technical challenge. Eye preparations were ordered by |

| |health sector in the DPRK. WHO has still less|WHO. |

| |than 50% funding of the UN CAP. | |

|Global Interagency Activities |

|Armed Conflict and Civil-Military Relations |

|• As an active member of the UN Development Group/Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs Working Group on the Protection of Civilians in|

|Armed Conflict, WHO is contributing to the draft report of the UN Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. |

|• WHO is reviewing the draft inter-agency report on negotiations with armed groups, which comprises 216 examples of field practices. This is |

|one of WHO's responsibilities as a member of the inter-agency Task force on Negotiations with Armed Groups. |

|• WHO is participating in the finalization of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee paper on Civil-Military Relations in Complex Emergencies |

|for endorsement at the June meeting of the IASC Working Group. |

|Gender |

|• WHO is providing inputs on achievements, good practices, gaps and challenges for the future mainstreaming of gender perspectives into |

|peace-support operations for the UN Secretary-General’s study on women, peace and security. |

|• On 11 May, representatives from WHO and OCHA met to contribute to the review of the 1999 Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Gender |

|Policy. WHO co-chairs the IASC Task Force on Gender and Humanitarian Assistance. |

|• On 26 May, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Task Force on Gender and Humanitarian Assistance discussed mainstreaming gender in |

|Consolidated Appeals and provided an update on the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence project. The Task Force is also developing a matrix for |

|guidelines for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence interventions in emergency settings. |

|Natural Disasters |

|On 1 June, the IASC Task Force on Natural Disasters — in which WHO participates — will meet to discuss the methodology, implementation |

|method, final group of countries, and funding for the Task Force pilot project. |

|Internal displacement |

|• The Senior Inter-Agency Network on Internal Displacement, of which WHO is a member, met on 20 April to discuss preparations for the IASC |

|Working Group meeting in June 2004, the IDP Advisors Lessons Learnt meeting in May, updates on Uganda and Somalia, and the report on the |

|Liberia mission. |

|Humanitarian coordination and action |

|• WHO participated in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Task Force on Human Rights and Humanitarian Action workshop in Geneva on |

|22-23 April. |

|• WHO is providing comments on the draft Secretary-General’s report to the ECOSOC Humanitarian Segment 2004, which will be held in New York, |

|12-14 July. |

|• From 9-21 May, a WHO representative participated in the UNDAC (United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination) training course in |

|Lausanne, Switzerland. |

|Collaboration |

|• On 3 May, the Representative of the Director-General for Health Action in Crises met with the Director of WFP/Geneva to discuss WHO/WFP |

|collaboration for health action in crises. |

|• An Inter-agency Workshop on Common Services for UN operations took place in Geneva on 3 and 4 May. The meeting aimed to: a) lay the |

|foundation for a shared understanding of Common Services, b) examine inter-operability and inter-action between Common Services and c) |

|discuss Common Services monitoring. WHO, through various inter-agency mechanisms, participates in Common Services. |

|• On 11 May, the Representative of the Director-General for Health Action in Crises met with Director of Operations and acting |

|Director-General, ICRC, to discuss WHO’s initiative to secure better health outcomes in communities affected by crises. |

|Disaster Reduction |

|• As a Task Force member, WHO participated in the ninth session of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Disaster Reduction in Geneva on 4 |

|and 5 May. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator chaired a panel discussion on challenges to be |

|addressed at the 2nd World Conference on Disaster Reduction (Kobe, Japan, 18-22 January 2005). |

|Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs (ECHA) |

|• WHO participated in the 11 May meeting of the UN Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs (ECHA). Participants discussed Colombia, |

|Darfur, security issues and the occupied Palestinian territory. |

|• Under the aegis of ECHA, WHO is providing inputs for the Humanitarian Chapter of the Secretary-General’s 2004 Report on the Work of the |

|Organization. |

|Global Interdepartmental Activities |

| |

|• On 20 April, representatives from various departments within WHO, in conjunction with staff from Merlin, International Red Cross/Red |

|Crescent, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), International Organization for Migration (IOM), Médecins San Frontières, and others, |

|participated in a meeting regarding the revision of the New Emergency Health Kit (NEHK). Each kit provides medical supplies for 10,000 people|

|for three months. |

| |

|• On 23 April, a briefing was organized by Communicable Diseases for the Associate Director of the National Center for Environmental Health |

|for Emergency Preparedness, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Presentations of WHO's activities on preparedness and response to |

|biological, chemical and radiological threats were given by the following departments/units: Radiation and Environmental Health, Programme on|

|Chemical Safety, Food Safety Programme, Health Action in Crises and Preparedness for Deliberate Epidemics. |

| |

|• The Regional Advisor for HAC in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) gave a presentation on 29 April during the staff meeting|

|of the department for Communicable Diseases, Surveillance and Response. The presentation covered the field assessment mission in Jordan on |

|health preparedness for natural and man-made disasters. The mission was jointly carried out by EMRO and HQ (the Programme on Chemical Safety,|

|the Laboratory in Lyon, Preparedness for Deliberate Epidemics, and HAC), in collaboration with the Organization for the Prohibition of |

|Chemical Weapons, the Jordanian Red Crescent and UNICEF. |

| |

|• On 3-7 May in Geneva, the department of Child and Adolescent Health organized a Regional Advisers' Meeting to discuss how to better support|

|countries in achieving the Millennium Development Goals for child and adolescent health and development. A session was held on child health |

|in emergency settings and efforts by WHO (in conjunction with UNICEF) to address neglected areas in child health. A multi-agency initiative |

|is now underway to create a minimum package of essential child health interventions in emergency settings. |

| |

|• The WHO Inter-Cluster Working Group (ICWG) on "preparedness and response to natural occurrence, accidental release or deliberate use of |

|biological and chemical agents or radio-nuclear materials that affect health" met on 12 May 2004. |

| |

|• "Essentials for Emergencies" — the portable, laminated booklet for use by health professionals in emergency situations—is being updated and|

|several WHO departments are providing inputs. Once completed, the booklet will be made available in French and English. |

| |

|• On 13 May, representatives from the Communicable Diseases, Nutrition, and HAC departments discussed the possibility of an inter-agency and |

|nutrition multi-sectoral training in emergencies. |

| |

|• WHO's Strategic Health Information Centre was inaugurated on 17 May. |

|Specials |

|World Health Assembly |

| |

|A Technical Briefing on Health Action in Crises was held on 18 May in the context of the 57th World Health Assembly. The following |

|presentations from the briefing are available via WHO's HAC Web site: |

|China: Emergency Response Mechanism for Public Health Incidents |

| |

|Djibouti : Histoire d'une inondation a Djibouti |

| |

|Sudan: Health Action in Crises- Past Experiences and Future Expectations |

| |

|Iraq: Rebuilding the Iraqi Health Care System |

| |

|WHO's Better Contribution to Health During and After Crises |

| |

| |

|8th Induction Briefing on Health Action in Crises |

| |

|• On 30 April, WHO concluded its 8th Induction Briefing on Health Action in Crises for key field staff and partners. Fourteen WHO |

|Representatives and Liaison Officers from countries in all WHO Regions, nine regional and sub-regional Focal Points for Health Action in |

|Crises, and several representatives of partnering organizations in Geneva attended. The briefing benefited from the participation of 20 |

|WHO/HQ technical and general management departments. |

| |

|• The Briefing served as a platform to introduce WHO Country, Regional, and HQ staff to the functions (outlined below) of the new WHO |

|three-year plan for improved health action in crises. |

|Function 1: Track the evolution and progression of crises in countries, and ensure proper assessments are undertaken and acted upon; |

|Function 2: Coordinate support for, and strengthen WHO country teams as they contribute to more effective preparation and response by |

|governments, civil society and other Stakeholders; |

|Function 3: Manage and re-route funds to support technical back-up to country teams from specialist groups in HQ, Regional Offices, |

|collaborating centres and technical networks; |

|Function 4: Support countries to prepare for and respond to the health aspects of crises through capacity-building, evaluation of responses, |

|and lessons learnt. |

| |

|• Eight out of ten WHO Representatives who attended the meeting committed themselves to either developing national disaster plans or to |

|review existing strategies in line with the new three-year plan for improved WHO performance in crises. Others are planning briefings and |

|meetings at the country level to create an environment for meaningful national preparedness for crises. |

| |

|• Running parallel with the Induction Briefing was a Training of Trainers course for regional staff to prepare for similar induction |

|briefings at regional and sub-regional levels. |

List of Acronyms/Abbreviations:

AFP Agence France Presse

AFRO WHO Regional Office for Africa

ALN AlertNet

CAP Consolidated Appeals Process

CAR Central African Republic

CCS Country Cooperation Strategy

CIMCORD Civil-Military Cooperation Center

CHT County Health Teams

CO Country Offices

DDRR Disarmament, Demobilisation, Rehabilitation, Reintegration

DRC Democratic Republic of Congo

DPRK Democratic People's Republic of Korea

ECHA Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs

ECHO European Commission Humanitarian Office

ECOSOC Economic and Social Commission

FT Framework Team

GAR Global Alert and Response (to outbreaks)

GIST Geographical Information Support Team

GOS Government of the Sudan

HAC Health Action in Crises

HC Humanitarian Coordinator

HIC Humanitarian Information Centre

HLWG Humanitarian Liaison Working Group

IASC Inter-Agency Standing Committee

IDPs Internally Displaced Persons

ICG International Cooperation Group (on global vaccine distribution)

IMCI Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses

IRIN Integrated Regional Information Network

ITNs Insecticide-treated bednets

MOH Ministry of Health

MONUC United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

MSF Médecins San Frontières

NA Needs Assessment

OCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN)

oPt occupied Palestinian territory

RW ReliefWeb

SAHIMS Southern Africa Humanitarian Information Network

SPLM Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement

STIs Sexually Transmitted Infections

TF Task Force

UNAMI UN Assistance Mission in Iraq

UNDAC United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination

UNDG United Nations Development Group

UNHAS United Nations Humanitarian Air Service

UNJLC United Nations Joint Logistics Centre

VHF Viral Haemorrhagic Fever

WG Working Group

MAP DISCLAIMER: The presentation of material on the maps contained herein does not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or areas or of its authorities, or concerning the delineation of its frontiers or boundaries.

-----------------------

DISCLAIMER: The following is a non-exhaustive selection of health-related events and WHO actions undertaken during the stated period in specific countries in which popu(2CIKL”•–—˜?žŸ ¡¢£¤ºõìåáÝáÓƹ¨Ÿ?ƒylUyKlƒBh( |3h±X>CJhçKaOJ[?]QJ[?]^J[?],jh( |3hçKaOJ[?]QJ[?]U[pic]^J[?]mHnHu[pic]h( |3hçKaOJ[?]QJ[?]^J[?]h±X>OJ[?]QJ[?]^J[?]h( |3h±X>OJ[?]QJ[?]^J[?]h( |3h±X>CJOJ[?]QJ[?]^J[?]h( |3h±lations are experiencing crisis conditions. This has been compiled by WHO/Health Action in Crises (HAC/HQ), in consultation with relevant Country and Regional Offices. If you are a WHO staff member and wish to contribute to this update, please write crises@who.int.

For a list of acronyms, please see the last page of this update.

AFRO

FRO

AMRO/PAHO

FRO

EMRO

FRO

EURO

FRO

SEARO

FRO

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