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Natural disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies(CHEs)

4 important questions on Natural disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies(CHEs)

What is the importance of natural disasters and complex emergencies to global health?

Complex emergencies and natural disasters can lead to increased death, illness, disability and the economic costs of their health impacts can also be very large. Measures are most effective when
those involved in disaster relief work together according to agreed-upon standards that focus on the most important priorities for action.

The health effects of complex humanitarian emergencies;

Illness, disability and death come about as an indirect result of emergencies. These stem from malnutrition, the lack of safe water and sanitation, shortage of food, and breakdowns in health
services. They are exacerbated by the crowded and difficult circumstances in which people have to live when they are
displaced. The data on the breakdown of deaths by age in CHEs suggest that child mortality rates early in the CHE are 2 to 3 times that of adults.

Violence against women in CHEs

The security conditions during CHEs put women at considerable
risk of sexual violence. Rape may be used as a weapon of war. In addition, the chaos and economic distresses of conflict situations place women at risk of sexual violence and sometimes force them to trade sex for food or money, what many call ‘survival sex’

Addressing the health effects of CHE's

It is difficult to take measures that can prevent complex humanitarian emergencies from occurring and harming human health because these emergencies so often relate to civil conflict. Thus, the key to avoiding such problems lies in the political realm and in the avoidance of conflict, rather than by taking measures that are directly health related. Primary prevention in such
circumstances, therefore means stopping the violence. It would be prudent if organizations, countries and international bodies
would cooperatively establish contingency plans for areas of likely conflict.