Humanitarian Supply Management and Logistics in the Health Sector

The actors who intervene in relief operations are diverse, with different
mandates and working methods. Although they all share
the desire to help, lack of coordination is common in emergency
situations. Disputes between organizations, or the unwillingness to
share information and work side by side, can delay the provision of care
to disaster victims, lead to duplication of efforts, and waste valuable
resources.
To prevent this predicament, and to maximize available resources and
expertise, relief efforts should be launched in a spirit of coordination.
This will be possible to the extent that participating organizations know
each other, share information, identify and acknowledge their respective
strengths, and explore ways of collaborating and supporting each other.
The Actors 5
Chapter 4
Coordination
Coordination Structures
Minor emergencies are generally handled by specialized national or local
agencies, perhaps with the collaboration of international organizations
present in the country. However, when an event is catastrophic, other
sectors of the nation and the international community must often mobilize
to provide relief. The increase in the arrival of emergency supplies
and response personnel places an extra burden on the efforts to coordinate
relief on the ground. It is crucial to establish effective working relationships
with the following stakeholders (see also Annex 4.1):
◆ The local population: The residents of the affected area are the first
to engage in search and rescue operations, and often among the first
to share vital supplies such as food and water with victims of the
disaster.
◆ Neighboring communities or regions: It is also common for neighboring
communities or even countries to respond quickly with donations
and the sending of volunteers.
5 This section is partially based on J. Davis and R. Lambert, Engineering in Emergencies, Intermediate
Technology Publications Ltd., 1995, London.
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