ABSTRACT

This chapter highlights humanitarian principles, public health responses in disasters and the basic requirements for heath. Humanitarian principles are the guiding rules and fundamental principles of humanitarian action. Many public health concepts and epidemiology methods can be applied to support assessment, planning implementation, monitoring and evaluation of relief response and programmes in a disaster context. Disaster response is a core competency in public health practice and public health approaches to disasters and crises are of a pro-active, preventive and multidisciplinary nature. As a voluntary initiative bringing together various humanitarian actors, the Sphere Project advocates that the basic requirements of health include clean water and sanitation, food and nutrition, shelter and clothing, health services and information. To facilitate response, relief, and recovery efforts post disaster, the media reporting in the immediate aftermath of disasters and emergencies should focus on areas that are of immediate concern to the victims, including shelter, food, health, and water and sanitation.