Health Challenge: Environmental health management after natural disasters (part 1)

By Lucy Msungeni**
Reading the newspaper the other day, I was attracted by the press statement on Malawi floods: 100 days of response. I read with interest taking in all the local data made available and was particularly impressed with the accuracy of the statistics. I was saddened nonetheless, to hear that an outbreak of cholera has occurred with 504 cases reported and seven deaths due to the crisis. Through my concern, I began researching on what literature indicates the best means of managing the environment after natural disasters. As a true citizen, it is my responsibility to support government efforts as it tries to contain the situation to restore the normalcy in the lives of those affected. In my search, I came across the following tips on how we can manage environmental health after a natural disaster:

It is of primary importance to ensure the continuation or quick rehabilitation of effective environmental health services in emergency health management after the onset of a natural disaster. Priority should be given to services which will ensure the protection and well-being of the people in high risk areas. Much emphasis should be on prevention and control of communicable diseases. Thus, Post-disaster environmental health measures can be divided into two priorities:
1. Ensuring that there are adequate amounts of safe drinking water; basic sanitation facilities; disposal of excreta, wastewater and solid wastes; and adequate shelter.
2. Providing food protection measures, establishing or continuing vector control measures and promoting personal hygiene.
In a bid to quickly re-establish adequate environmental health services and conditions, it is recommended that a rapid assessment be conducted which will assist in identifying resources required to restore the system immediately. This will make available the required data for the government and other donors to establish proper response mechanisms.

To be continued next week