NIRAPAD Barta A Quarterly Newsletter of Network for Information, Response And Preparedness Activities on Disaster Issue 16, October 2009 Typical Disaster affected family Residing on the Polder Photograph: NIRAPAD from the AILA affected upazilla of Dakob In this Issue EDITORIAL Protecting Physical and Mental Well Being of Health Services for Disaster Victim during Disaster and Children: Child Friendly Spaces at AILA Affected Area 2 in post Disaster Situation -Md. Harun or Rashid Disaster is a common phenomenon in Bangladesh. From the past few years its -Mostafa Kamal increased intensity and frequency indicate that in future it is going to create huge -Kazi Sunzida Lisa mess in our country. Global warming and climate change also accelerated the disaster events and can affect human health directly and indirectly. Generally after Climate Change and Health Impact disaster we concentrate on food, health, cloth, shelter and livelihood restoring. But in Bangladesh 4 impact of health consequence is not much taken seriously as other after any -Kazi Shahidur Rahman disaster. -Sabkat Kamal After a massive disaster like flood or cyclone, massive health response in needed. Also injuries from disaster, recovery of dead bodies are required. Not only that wide First Aid for Different Disaster Events: CPP 5 spread dead bodies (in case of cyclone), animals and others pollute the water and -Ruhul Amin cholera, diarrhea and other water borne epidemic. Stagnant water and dead bodies Reproductive Health Services for Disaster of animal could lead to a potential environmental disaster as well as health disaster Affected Areas 6 by water contamination. -Tahera Ahmed When a disaster sticks, the affected people necessitate medical assistance as well as the children, people with disabilities (PWDs), women (especially pregnant and Disaster and Climate Change Risk Management lactating mothers), elderly people need protection and psychosocial care. Yet, the Need to be Emphasized in BCS (Health) Cadre medical responses to a disaster lean on a health system which is not fully Foundation Training courses 7 sequenced. Health services for disaster victims during disaster and in post disaster -Dr. Mahmudul Islam situation are poorly equipped to respond to a major disaster with proper planning. Facility and staff resources are limited, misuse of resources, public health and Relief to SIDR Affected People: Drinking private medical sector plans are inadequately coordinated, communications are Water and First Aid in Disaster 7 incompatible and funding is not sufficient to support development of a sustainable -Mirza S I Khaled infrastructure for an effective response. Despite that GO and different development organizations are very concerned about the emergency health management. Health Services for The Flood Affected People of The Haor Area 9 Considering the overall situation, consequences and importance of Health services -Shah Md. Nazmul Haque for disaster victims, NIRAPAD decided to cover Health Services for Disaster Victims in this issue. It presents several articles, expert opinion and case studies of health The Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) services during disaster and in post disaster situations. We hope our publication will For Sexual And Reproductive Health In be succeeded if it contributes in generating further knowledge and meeting up the Emergency 9 gaps between reached to and unreached people. I would like to acknowledge all the contribution made by the authors, our colleagues, and member NGOs. -Niger Dil Nahar Interview: Mahbuba Nasreen 10 Kazi Shahidur Rahman Editor and Coordinator, NIRAPAD Protecting Physical and Mental Well Being of Children: the traumatic children. In that case, the children also program. They referred to the Professional Counselor if necessary. took overall Child Friendly Spaces at AILA Affected Area responsibilities · Joyful learning: In the CFS center, the adult workers for the running Md. Harun or Rashid, Manager-ECB Project, Save the Children What is Child Friendly Space (CFS) created such kind of environment where children can E-mail: [email protected]; as well as A space, where services to children are provided to ensure learn joyfully through playing, drawing, to tell a story, responsible for Mostafa Kamal, Coordinator-BELT, Save the Children their protection in short term or long term basis during the singing or drama, etc. The children of all ages enjoyed E-mail: [email protected]; disseminating natural calamity or after the natural calamity is called child the learning system. the information Kazi Sunzida Lisa, Program Officer-Research & Documentation, NIRAPAD, friendly spaces (CFS) for children. This is a comprehensive E-mail: [email protected] · Recreation: The materials for play or to spend leisure to the children. effort to recover physical and mental loss of children through time or for recreational were also preserved locally in the Above all, they providing some services such as psychosocial support, joyful May 25, 2009 witnessed the landfall of Cyclone Aila that hit space. maintained learning, nutrition, recreation and health as well as turn back India and Bangladesh coast, impacting 3.9 million people and close liaison with the local administration and local people for them to normal life. As a whole, this is an attempt to support 2. Safe water killing more than 190 people across 11 districts in coordinating the overall task. 1 their normal development and as well as the preparedness for Safe water was preserved in the service center. The water was Bangladesh . Although the death and injury toll was much less future emergencies. Community participation compared to cyclone SIDR, the effect of storm surge on the purified by water purification tablet or boiling. The CFS people and families living in mainland chars and isolated chars Objectives of the CFS in Aila affected areas service workers were tried to aware the children to use safe A Committee named “CFS Management Committee” was was substantial. The storm surge rose 10-12 feet over water for household purpose. formed. The members of the committee included the local · To ensure protection of the children in the immediate leader, UP member, Imam of mosque, school teacher and astronomical tide destroyed homes, household belongings, aftermath of the AILA disaster. 3. Nutrition food stocks, water sources and sanitation facilities of the poor social workers. The main task of the committee was to help to properly establish and run the CFS. The CFS Management communities. · To support children to return back to normal life. Nutritional food supplied or provided to the children regularly and adequately to maintain their nutrition. The food Committee is responsible to maintain close liaison with local Initial assessments of the affected areas showed the crucial · To increase accountability of local people, policy makers was produced or cooked locally. The food items were selected government, schools etc. need for child to ensure protection of children during the disaster. in consultation with the children. This includes vegetable, Staff/Volunteers protection mixed khichuri (hotchpotch), vitamin enriched biscuits, fruits including creation · To increase skill and participation of children. collected from the local area etc. Two staff/volunteers were assigned to operate each CFS. of safe · To support children to return to or start education. Staff/volunteer had considered the following to operate the environment for 4. Clothes and education material safe space: Participants of the CFS children, clean Children can return to school clothing as school uniforms and · A staff/volunteer should never hit physically, mentally or drinking water and The children who were victimized mentally or physically educational material was also provided. Moreover the sexually abuse children, such as slap, hit with the fist, sanitation systems, during the calamity or after calamity may come to the space. organization cooperated with the local school and supports scolding, verbal discipline, intimidate, comparing, etc. ? and medical The ages of the children were usually between 5 years to the children to start school as soon as possible. Never act in ways intended to shame, humiliate, belittle assistance in the 16/18 years. But in special cases, less than 5 years of children 5. General treatment or degrade children or otherwise perpetrate any form of prevention of also came with their parents. The children of the community emotional abuse. disease outbreak. were motivated to visit the CFS. General treatment facilities were provided in the safe space. In As in most emergency, some medicine according to the doctor advice for · Need to ensure child participation. Location of the CFS emergency treatment was preserved to ensure children’s disasters, children · health facilities. In special cases, special arrangement kept to Take action immediately if the children have possibilities have been severely The CFS is a community based service centre. In a to be a victim of any kind of oppression. affected by the community, more than one CFS could be operated according bring the children to the local hospital and regular follow up. · effects of the cyclone. Many children have lost their homes to its necessity. It has been operated in Child Club, School, and Timetable to operate the safe space daily Keep monitoring that one child might not be victim by and are now displaced, creating a sense of insecurity. Some Community Space or in home of the community people. But other children. also have lost family members and friends. Schools and health Child Club was given priority to establish and operate the safe The CFS opened 09:00am to 05:00pm daily. It ensured that The Child Friendly Spaces lessons learned workshop which centers have been damaged and destroyed, creating a need for space. every child can be returned safely to their parents before the was held at Dhaka on 12th July, 2009 revealed that CFS was a protective environments, education, and water and health sun set. Services Provided very timely and useful intervention to meet the immediate services. The most crucial problem faced by the children were Duration of Safe Space needs of the vulnerable children.