Emergency needs assessment

Sean Steven Puleh

Dept. of Public Health
Lira University
Why emergency response?
The first step in any emergency response is
to assess the extent
and impact of the damage caused by the
disaster
 The needs and
 the capacity of the affected population to
meet its immediate survival needs
 degree of vulnerability.
Typical needs in emergency
typical needs that arise include:
 food;
 shelter;

 essential items, such as blankets, heaters, water

containers;
 medical care;

 safe drinking water;

 sanitation and waste disposal;

 psychosocial support.
Importance of an assessment
An assessment will identify the needs that
require external intervention & the gaps to
be filled.
It is a vital component of the programme-
planning process.
It provides the information on which key
decisions affecting the lives of the disaster
victims will be made.
Types of assessment
Assessments can take the following forms:

 Rapid assessment 

 Detailed assessment

 Continual assessment 
Rapid assessment
Undertaken immediately after a disaster,
rapid assessment provides information on
needs,
possible courses of action and resource
requirements.
It normally takes up to a week.
Detailed assessment
A more detailed assessment is carried out
 after a rapid assessment,
 if the situation is changing and

 more information is needed.

It takes about one month, depending on the

size of the area and the complexity of the
situation.
Continual assessment
Disaster situations can evolve rapidly and
include unexpected knock-on effects, such
as population movements.
Assessment should therefore be an ongoing
process throughout the emergency phase.
Information is continually updated so that
relief and programming can be adapted to
evolving needs.
Facts
Experience shows that a poorly conducted
assessment is likely to lead to poor planning
decisions and an inadequate response.

This often has consequences beyond the

emergency phase and can affect recovery
efforts too.
Community engagement
accountability
It is supported by a set of activities that help
put communities at the centre of what we
do, by integrating communication
and participation throughout the
programme cycle or operation.
 Community Engagement
Accountability
CEA is the process of and commitment to
providing timely, relevant and actionable life-
saving and life-enhancing information to
communities.
It is about using the most appropriate
communication approaches to listen
to communities’ needs, feedback and
complaints, ensuring they can
actively participate and guide actions.
Questions?