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Response to the 2009 Floods Emergency in Namibia Preventing Diseases, Saving Lives © World Health Organization, Namibia Country Office, 2010 Response to the 2009 floods emergency in Namibia Preventing diseases, saving lives © World Health Organization, Namibia Country Office, 2010 All rights reserved. This publication of the World Health Organization can be obtained from the WHO Country Office in Namibia, UN House, 2nd Floor, 38 Stein Street, Klein Windhoek, Windhoek, Namibia (tel.:+264-61-255-121/717; fax +264-61-204-6202; email: [email protected]). Requests for permission to reproduce or translate this publication – whether for sale or for non- commercial distribution – should be addressed to the above address. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or areas or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capitals letters. All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this publica- tion. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The respon- sibility of interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damage arising from its use. Response to the 2009 floods emergency in Namibia Preventing diseases, saving lives Report compiled and written by Michelle Thulkanam for the World Health Organization Namibia Country Office, 2010 © Photo credit: WHO Namibia photo library 2009-2010/Noël Pelegrin Editing: Eva Ndlovu Graphic Design and Printing: John Meinert, 2010 Contents Abbreviations……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….................. II Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................................................... III Executive Summary..................................................................................................................................................... IV 1. Background.............................................................................................................................................................. 1 .... Impact.of.floods....................................................................................................................................................... 3 .... Government.response.............................................................................................................................................. 3 2. WHO Response to Floods........................................................................................................................................ 4 ..... Support.to.assessment.missions.............................................................................................................................. 5 ..... Provision.of.health.care.services.............................................................................................................................. 5 . Provision.of.Medical.Supplies.................................................................................................................................. 6 ..... Provision.of.emergency.health.services................................................................................................................... 7 ..... Disease.surveillance.and.management.................................................................................................................. 10 ..... Strengthening.health.coordination........................................................................................................................ 13 ..... UN.coordination..................................................................................................................................................... 13 ..... Strengthening.Emergency.Preparedness.and.Response.Capacity.......................................................................... 14 3. Resource Mobilization........................................................................................................................................... 15 4. Conclusions and Recommendations..................................................................................................................... 16 5. References............................................................................................................................................................. 18 List of Tables Table.1:.Impact.of.floods.on.human.health................................................................................................................... 2 Table.2:.Number.of.people.affected.............................................................................................................................. 2 Table.3:.Number.of.health.facilities.affected................................................................................................................. 6 Table.4:.Donations.of.medical.supplies.to.the.MoHSS.................................................................................................. 7 Table.5:.Number.of.people.accessing.health.facilities.in.Caprivi.Region....................................................................... 8 List of Figures Figure.1:.Map.showing.accessibility.of.health.facilities.in.Caprivi.Region..................................................................... 7 Figure.2:.Malaria.Reporting.Trends.in..Kavango.Region:.29.December.2008.-.27.September.2009........................... 11 Figure.3:.Trend.analysis.of.dysentery.cases.and.reporting.in.Kavango.Region............................................................ 11 Figure.4:.CERF.funds.disbursed.to.UN.agencies.......................................................................................................... 15 Figure.5:.Organizations’.needs.and.funds.received..................................................................................................... 15 i Rebuilding houses, rebuilding lives Abbreviations AIDS. Acquired.Immunodeficiency.Syndrome ORS. Oral.Rehydration.Salts ARV. Antiretroviral PDNA. Post.Disaster.Needs.Assessment CERF. Central.Emergency.Response.Fund.(UN) PHC. Primary.Health.Care DDRM. Directorate.of.Disaster.Risk.Management REMU. Regional.Emergency.Management.Unit EPR. Emergency.Preparedness.and.Response TB. Tuberculosis FEMCO. Flood.Emergency.Management. UNDAC. United.Nations.Disaster.Assessment.and. Coordination.Office Coordination.Team HIV. Human.Immunodeficiency.Virus UNAIDS. Joint.United.Nations.Programme.on.HIV/ IDSR. Integrated.Disease.Surveillance.and. AIDS Response UNDP. United.Nations.Development.Programme ITNs. Insecticide.Treatment.Nets UNESCO. United.Nations.Educational,.Scientific. LLINS. Long.Lasting.Insecticide.Treated.Nets. and.Cultural.Organization MoHSS. Ministry.of.Health.and.Social.Services UNFPA. United.Nations.Population.Fund NGO. Nongovernmental.Organization UNHCR. Office.of.the.United.Nations.High. NRC. Namibia.Red.Cross Commissioner.for.Refugees OCHA.ROSA. Office.for.the.Coordination.of. UNICEF. United.Nations.Children’s.Fund Humanitarian.Affairs,.. WFP. World.Food.Programme Regional.Office.for.Southern.Africa WHO. World.Health.Organization OPM. Office.of.the.Prime.Minister ii Acknowledgements The. World. Health. Organization. (WHO). would. like. to. This. report. would. not. have. been. possible. without. the. commend. its. health. partners,. such. as. the. Ministry. contributions.of.FEMCO.led.by.the.Permanent.Secretary. of. Health. and. Social. Services. (MoHSS),. the. regional. of.the.Ministry.of.Regional,.Local.Government,.Housing. governors,.mayors.of.towns,.regional.and.local.councils,. and.Rural.Development.and.his.team.and.the.Namibia.Red. UNICEF,.UNFPA,.the.Namibia.Red.Cross.Society,.the.Post- Cross.Society.and.the.United.Nations.in.Namibia.-.UNAIDS,. Disaster.Needs.Assessment.(PDNA).team.for.their.support. UNDP,. UNFPA. and. UNICEF,. OCHA. ROSA. who. provided. information. or. compiled. reports. used. as. reference. in. and.swift.response.to.ensure.that.lives.were.saved.. writing.this.report.. The. WHO. gratefully. acknowledges. the. financial. The.WHO.also.wishes.to.acknowledge.the.contributions. contributions.of.the.Regional.Office.for.the.Coordination. from.Dr.Lawson.Ahadzie,.Dr.Alex.Bolo,.Dr.Desta.Tiruneh,. of.Humanitarian.Affairs.for.Southern.Africa.(OCHA.ROSA). and.others.who.reviewed.and.provided.comments.for.this. for.funds.from.the.UN.Central.Emergency.Response.Fund. report. (CERF).and.the.Finnish.Government.for.the.Flash.Appeal.. iii WHO Role in Emergencies WHO.provides.technical.assistance,. medical.supplies.and.coordination. services.during.humanitarian. emergencies.. WHO.works.with.Governments,.UN. agencies,.NGOs.and.other.partners.to. address.the.needs.of.people.in.crisis. Executive Summary in.a.comprehensive.and.coordinated. manner. From.March.2009,.north-central.and.north-eastern.Namibia.experienced.the. WHO Functions in Emergencies worst. flooding. in. decades.. The. six. regions. affected.
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