Haiti Case Study - The Department of Global Health and Social ...

During both the earthquake and the cholera responses, there were difficulties and missed
opportunities in processing and sharing important situation awareness information among all
actors, despite considerable efforts to do so. However, new ways and means of collecting,
processing and visualizing data—for example, social media, cell phone tracking data,
Geographic Information Systems, etc.—show significant potential to improve shared situation
awareness.
All of the above lead to the overarching finding from this case study: coordination
mechanisms and institutional arrangements necessary to undertake a disaster response of
this size and magnitude remain underdeveloped and inefficient.
TAKEAWAYS
As this report represents the first in a series of case studies, no specific recommendations
are made. But three takeaways have been identified for consideration by global crisis
responders to develop future frameworks for strengthening state health systems:
• In an overwhelming, chaotic, disaster situation the security community might be an
appropriate contributor to strengthen some elements of the health system: securing
the supply chain; contributing to the health service delivery in providing surge
secondary and tertiary care to assist health organizations regain their pre-crisis levels
of functioning; supporting local and international leadership by providing security to
health stakeholders.
• Coordination among the key actors from the humanitarian and security community in
the health sector is essential and requires long-term relationship to ensure that: there
is mutual understanding among the security and humanitarian communities such that
coordination mechanisms are in place prior to crisis responses; interoperability exists
between the different coordination mechanisms; threats to health systems are
detected and responded to quickly; Host Nation governance over the responders is
clarified and supported by all means.
• An efficient and pragmatic way for coordination among the humanitarian and security
communities is to create, and for all actors to contribute to, a commonly shared health
information picture which is essential for timely service delivery and early detection of
health threats. New technologies have the potential to enhance a holistic picture to
disaster response.
IDEAS TO TAKE FORWARD
Additionally, three key ideas will help shape the investigations to be carried out in
subsequent case studies:
• Weaknesses in other systems (e.g. security) may affect the health system and efforts
to address these weaknesses will be considered alongside health system specific
activities.
• The most prominent challenge that hampers a coherent and effective response by the
security, humanitarian and the development communities is insufficient coordination
mechanisms at national/international political level to include the whole spectrum of
governmental stakeholders in achieving a common goal. Military initiatives to
develop venues on how to contribute to a comprehensive approach are not currently
being fully supported by civilian actors either from the security or humanitarian and
development communities. Consequently, other ways will be explored that members
of all involved communities could be better engaged in common policy, plans, and
standing mechanisms for interaction.
• Ways and concepts that can better relate crisis response to longer term recovery and
health system strengthening will be investigated.
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