Health Presentation

John Rainer Talabis

Master in Disaster Risk Management –1102, 503
Batangas State University
Objectives

to learn about the below health topics focusing key

indicators and guidelines for improvement
2.4 Injury and trauma care

People have access to safe and effective trauma care during crises to prevent
avoidable mortality, morbidity, suffering and disability.
2.4 Injury and trauma care cont.
2.4 Injury and trauma carecont.
Training and skills development for injury and trauma care should include:

Standardized protocols should exist or be developed to cover the following:

• acuity-based triage classification for routine and surge situations that
includes assessment, prioritization, basic resuscitation and criteria for
emergency referral;

Community-based first aid: Timely and appropriate first aid by non-professionals

saves lives if done in a safe and systematic manner. All first aiders should use a
structured approach to the injured. Basic wound management training, such as in
cleaning and dressing, is vital.
2.5 Mental health
Mental health and psychosocial problems are common among adults, adoles-
cents and children in all humanitarian settings. The extreme stressors associated
with crises place people at increased risk of social, behavioural, psychological and
psychiatric problems. Mental health and psychosocial support involves multi-
sectoral actions.
2.5 Mental health cont.
Assessment: Rates of mental health conditions are substantial in any crisis.
Prevalence studies are not essential to initiate services. Use rapid participatory
approaches and, where possible, integrate mental health in other assessments.
Do not limit assessment to one clinical issue.

Community self-help and support: Engage community health workers, leaders

and volunteers to enable community members, including marginalised people, to
increase self-help and social support. Activities could include creating safe spaces
and the conditions for community dialogue.

Psychological first aid: Psychological first aid needs to be available to people

exposed to potentially traumatic events such as physical or sexual violence,
witnessing atrocities and experiencing major injuries.
2.6 non-communicable diseases
The need to focus on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in humanitarian
crises reflects increased global life expectancy combined with behavioural risk factors such as
tobacco smoking and unhealthy diets. About 80 per cent of
deaths from NCDs occur in low- or middle-income countries, and emergencies
exacerbate this.

Within an average adult population of 10,000 people, there are likely to be

1,500–3,000 people with hypertension, 500–2,000 with diabetes, and 3–8
acute heart attacks over a normal 90-day period.
Diseases will vary but often include diabetes, cardiovascular disease (including
hypertension, heart failure, strokes, chronic kidney disease), chronic lung
disease (such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and
cancer.

Initial response should manage acute complications and avoid treatment inter-
ruption, followed by more comprehensive programmes.
2.6 non-communicable diseases cont.
2.6 non-communicable diseases
Needs and risk assessment to identify priority NCDs: Design according to
context and phase of emergency. This could involve reviewing records, using
pre-crisis data, and conducting household surveys or epidemiological assess-
ment with a cross-sectional survey. Gather data regarding specific NCD
prevalence and incidence and identify life-threatening needs or severely
symptomatic conditions.

Complex treatment needs: Provide continuity of care for patients with complex
needs such as renal dialysis, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, if possible. Give
clear and accessible information about referral pathways.

Integration of NCD care into the health system: Provide basic treatment for NCDs
at primary healthcare level in line with national standards, or in line with interna-
tional emergency guidance where national standards do not exist.
Work with communities to improve early detection and referrals. Integrate CHWs
into primary care facilities, and engage with community leaders, traditional heal-
ers and the private sector.
2.7 palliative care
Palliative care is the prevention and relief of suffering and distress associated with
end-of-life care. It includes identifying, assessing and treating pain as well as other
physical, psychosocial and spiritual needs. Integrate physiological, psychological
and spiritual care based solely on patient or family request, and include support
systems to help patients, families and caregivers. This end-of-life care should be
provided regardless of the cause.
2.7 palliative care cont.
Developing a care plan: Identify relevant patients and respect their right to
make informed decisions about their care. Provide unbiased information and
take account of their needs and expectations. The care plan should be agreed
and be based on patient preferences. Offer access to mental health and
psychosocial support.

Availability of medicines: Some palliative care medicines such as pain relief are
included in the basic and supplementary modules of the inter-agency emergency
health kit, and in the Essential Medicines List. Inter-agency emergency health kits
(IEHK) are useful for early phases of a crisis but are not suitable for protracted
situations where more sustainable systems should be established ⊕ see Health
systems standard 1.3: Essential medicines and medical devices and References and
further reading.
Family, community and social support: Coordinate with other sectors to agree a
referral pathway for patients and their families to have integrated support. This
includes accessing national social and welfare systems or organisations that offer
assistance in shelter, hygiene and dignity kits, cash-based assistance, mental
health and psychosocial support, and legal assistance to ensure that basic daily
needs are met.
END