Course Title (in English)

Course Title (in Chinese)

Disaster and Humanitarian Crisis

災難及人道危機

Course Code

POPG5006

Module Coordinator

Prof. Emily YY Chan

Credits

 2

Prerequisite (s) or Recommended Background

Level: [ ]  Beginner  [x ]  Advanced

Pre-requisite: POPG5001; non-MPH students are required to have relevant academic or work experience upon decision by module coordinator

Effective from the academic year/ term

2017 -2018

Time

See below

Description (in English)

Disaster and humanitarian responses are crucial elements in public health practices. Humanitarian relief actions often highlight the importance of mitigation, preparedness, training and multidisciplinary collaborative response within and beyond the health and medical sector. This course offers an overview of the disaster management cycle and the public health and medical implications of disaster and humanitarian crisis. It aims to show how public health principles may be applied in disaster relief and how evidence-based health related humanitarian actions can be planned, implemented and evaluated.

Description (in Chinese)

災難及人道救援乃環球社區下的公共衞生實踐原素。人道支援行為特顯緩災、防災、培訓及多方合作的重要性。本課程闡述災害管理週期,以及災害及人道危機於公共衞生及醫學上的含意及牽連。同時,本課程介紹公共衞生原則於災害救援的應用,以至如何計劃、落實及評估循證的人道救援行動。

I. Content

Topic

Contents/fundamental concepts

1. Public Health and Humanitarian Principles in Disaster Settings

• Humanitarian principles
• Application of public health principles in disaster settings
• Global humanitarian response systems, resources and actors

2. Fundamentals of Disaster Management Cycle

• Disaster cycle (management and response)
• Disaster management systems (local and national)
• Global disaster response policies (Sphere Standards)
• Issues in disaster and medical humanitarian settings (Health service provision, logistics and prioritisation)

3. Mitigation and Preparedness: Management of Natural Disasters

• Epidemiology of natural disasters
• Health, medical and humanitarian implications of natural disaster (earthquakes, floods and meteorological related disasters)
• Health needs of mobile population
• Planning strategies on mitigation and preparedness 

4. Mitigation and Preparedness: Management of Man-Made Disasters

• Epidemiology of man-made disasters 
• Health, medical and humanitarian implications of man-made disasters (nuclear, fire, transport and industrial accidents)
• Planning strategies on mitigation and preparedness 

5. Mitigation and Preparedness: Management of Complex Emergencies

• Epidemiology of complex emergencies
• Health, medical and humanitarian implications of complex emergencies (Ethiopia famine, Rwanda, Niger crisis)
• Issues in disaster and medical humanitarian settings (security risks and health systems in fragile states )
• Planning strategies on mitigation and preparedness 

6. Public Health and Medical Humanitarian Response in Disaster Relief

• Rapid Health Needs Assessment: initial clinical needs and disease pattern
• Public health and medical response to disaster relief events
• Introduction to the role of medical specialties and health systems

7. Disaster Preparedness, Resilience and International Policies: Planning and Evaluation

• Current international policy updates 
• Needs of vulnerable subgroups & for disaster preparedness and resilience
• Principles of health needs, program planning and evaluation
• Disaster risk reduction, training and collaborations, and limitations

II. Learning Outcomes or Objectives of the Course

Student should be able to:
1. understand and identify key health and medical implications in humanitarian settings;
2. apply public health principles in disaster response and humanitarian settings;
3. gain an overview of the disaster management cycle and its respective planning in humanitarian settings; and
4. devise disaster risk reduction strategies for disaster management programs to respond to population needs in disaster and humanitarian relief settings.

III. Course Schedule

Term : Summer
Time: [ x ] am [ x ] pm [ ] evening [ ] Saturday [ ] Sunday

Day

Date 2018

Hrs

Topic

Format

Lecturer

Venue

Requirement or HW

1

19 June 2018 (Tue) 9:30-11:30am

2

Public Health & Humanitarian Principles in Disaster Settings

Lecture

Emily Chan

TBC

 

19 June 2018 (Tue) 11:30am-1:30pm

2

Disaster Management System (local and mainland)

Lecture

Sida Liu

 

19 June 2018 (Tue) 2:30-5:30pm

3

Management of Natural Disasters

Lecture

Emily Chan

 

2

20 June 2018 (Wed) 9:30am-12:30pm

3

Management of Man-Made Disasters & Complex Emergencies

Lecture

Emily Chan

TBC

 

20 June 2018 (Wed) 2:30-5:30pm

3

Humanitarian Crisis: Simulation Exercise

In-class Exercise

Tutor

 

3

21 June 2018 (Thu) 9:30-11:30am

2

Preparedness, Resilience and International Policies in Disaster Settings

Lecture

Emily Chan

TBC

 

21 June 2018 (Thu) 11:30am-1:30pm

2

Mental Health Issues Relevant to Disaster and Humanitarian Crisis

Lecture

Emily Chan / Guest speaker

 

4

22 June 2018 (Fri) 9:30-11am

1.5

Tutorial / Case discussion  (1) ­On Shaky Ground: Disaster Preparedness and Response in Nepal

Tutorial

Cheuk Pong Chiu / Guest speaker

TBC

 

22 June 2018 (Fri) 11am-12:30pm

1.5

Tutorial / Case discussion (2) -Fukushima Daiichi: The Path to Nuclear Meltdown

Tutorial

Emily Chan / Guest speaker

 

22 June 2018 (Fri) 2:30-4pm

1.5

Tutorial / Case discussion (3)­the Rohingya Crisis in Myanmar

Tutorial

Cheuk Pong Chiu / Guest speaker

 

22 June 2018 (Fri) 4-6:30pm

2.5

Revision & Examination

Exam

Tutor

 

IV. Assessment

Assessment Scheme

Description

Weight

Attendance

*Students are expected to attend at least 80% of the lectures to be eligible to sit in the final examination.

*0%

Program Strategy Proposal 

Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies within a Disaster Management Programme
– Not more than 1000 words (Less than 4 pages)
– Content:
 • describe a disaster/humanitarian crisis
 • frame the proposal under the four phases of disaster management cycle
 • propose a feasible strategic disaster risk reduction plan (with implementation timeline and outcome evaluation)

*Please submit both hardcopy and softcopy to TA

50%

Final Examination

• 60 minutes examination
• Based on lectures and topics discussed

50%

V. Learning Resources for Students

a) Required textbooks or readings

Bradt, D. A. 2009. Evidence-based Decision-making in Humanitarian Assistance. Humanitarian Practice Network Paper, 67. London: Humanitarian Practice Network. Available from: http://www.odihpn.org/documents/networkpaper067.pdf

Checchi, F., Gayer, M., Grais, R. F., & Mills, E. J. 2007. Public Health in Crisis-affected Populations: A Practical Guide for Decision-makers. Humanitarian Practice Network Paper, 61. London: Humanitarian Practice Network. Available from: http://www.odihpn.org/documents/networkpaper061.pdf

Guha-Sapir, D., Hoyois, P., Below, R.. 2014. Annual Disaster Statistical Review 2014: The Numbers and Trends. CRED. Brussels: CRED.  Available from: http://cred.be/sites/default/files/ADSR_2014.pdf

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 2012. OCHA on Message: Humanitarian Principles. Available from: https://docs.unocha.org/sites/dms/Documents/OOM­humanitarianprinciples_eng_June12.pdf

Twigg, J. 2015. Good Practice Review 9: Disaster Risk Reduction. London: Overseas Development Institute. Available from: http://goodpracticereview.org/wp­content/uploads/2015/10/GPR-9-web-string-1.pdf

b) Recommend ed readings or resources

Castleden, M., McKee, M., Murray, V., Leonardi, G. 2001. Resilience Thinking in Health Protection. Journal of Public Health, 33(3), pp. 369-377. Available from: http://intl-jpubhealth.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/04/06/pubmed.fdr027.full.pdf

Chan, E.Y.Y. 2013. Bottom-Up Disaster Resilience. Nature Geoscience, 6, pp. 327-328. Available from: http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/v6/n5/pdf/ngeo1815.pdf

Doocy, S., et al. 2013. The Human Impact of Tsunamis: a Historical Review of Events 1900-2009 and Systematic Literature Review. PLOS Currents Disasters. Available from: http://currents.plos.org//disasters/article/the-human-impacts-of-tsunamis-a-historical-review-of­events-1900-2009-and-systematic-literature-review/pdf

Doocy, S., et al. 2013. The Human Impact of Volcanoes: a Historical Review of Events 1900-2009 and Systematic Literature Review. PLOS Currents Disasters. Available from: http://currents.plos.org//disasters/article/the-human-impact-of-volcanoes-a-historical-review-of­events-1900-2009-and-systematic-literature-review/pdf

Doocy, S., et al. 2013. The Human Impact of Floods: a Historical Review of Events 1980-2009 and Systematic Literature Review. PLOS Currents Disasters. Available from: http://currents.plos.org//disasters/article/the-human-impact-of-floods-a-historical-review-of­events-1980-2009-and-systematic-literature-review/pdf

Doocy, S.,et al. 2013. The Human Impact of Earthquakes: a Historical Review of Events 1980­2009 and Systematic Literature Review. PLOS Currents Disasters. Available from: http://currents.plos.org//disasters/article/the-human-impact-of-earthquakes-from-1980-2009-a­historical-review-of-events-1980-2009-and-systematic-literature-review/pdf

VI. Teaching Staff

Name:

Prof. Emily YY Chan  (Main lecturer)

Office Location:

3/F, School of Public Health Building, PWH, Shatin

Telephone:

2252 8468

Email:

emily.chan@cuhk.edu.hk

Name:

Ms. Janice Ho (Tutor)

Office Location:

5/F, School of Public Health Building, PWH, Shatin

Telephone:

2252 8883

Email:

janice.hk@link.cuhk.edu.hk

VII. Channels for Feedback or Evaluation

An evaluation form will be passed to students in the last lecture.