Online Course on Public and Environmental Health in Emergencies
This course aims to instruct participants on how to critically design WASH responses to humanitarian crises while focusing on protecting public health.
For whom?
Professionals from the humanitarian WASH aiming to improve their competencies for career development; professionals from the water and sanitation sector (private, public or non-governmental sectors) aiming to expand their expertise to the humanitarian sector; students from IHE aiming to diversify their learning pathway with humanitarian WASH knowledge.
Prerequisites
A bachelor's degree or equivalent. Good command of the English language. Completed the “Building a Better Response” online course. Preferably experience in the WASH sector (technical and/or social sciences oriented).
Learning objectives
- Select context-appropriate WASH interventions in emergencies, including health care facilities
- Analyse public health data/sources during different phases of a humanitarian crisis to assess the progression/ regression of public health outcomes
- Design an adequate WASH response (incl. hygiene promotion and behaviour change programmes) during the different phases of a humanitarian crisis focusing on public health outcomes
- Explain the link between public health and the environment in the WASH sector
Course content
Topic 1: Introduction to WASH and public health in emergencies
- Introduction about the type of emergencies and disasters (tbc what is covered in the governance module)
- Introduction to communicable diseases and link to health
- Effects of disasters on environmental & public health facilities and services
- Introduction to the SPHERE standards on water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion
Topic 2: Design a WASH response to reduce risks of public health emergencies or to respond to public health crises
- The phases of humanitarian emergencies (in acute emergency phase vs protracted/long term crisis) from the public health perspective.
- Prevention and public health emergency preparedness.
- Introduction to the phases of project cycle management, highlighting the key phases from the public health perspective.
- Effective programme/project design and implementation.
- Monitoring and evaluation.
Topic 3: Epidemiology in emergencies
- Foundation of field epidemiology
- Conducting a field (outbreak) investigation (rapid assessments; cross sectional surveys) [incl. data collection methodology (objectives and data needs; protocols; surveys; sample size)]
- Data analysis (basic statistics; interpretation of outbreak data)
Topic 4: WASH approaches in emergency contexts
- Description of WASH approaches in low- and medium-income countries
- Health impacts of WASH interventions in disease outbreaks
Topic 5: WASH in health care facilities
- Health organization for emergencies and disasters
- Infection Prevention & Control
Part of
Humanitarian WASH
Graduate Professional Diploma Programme
Course Coordinator
Claire Furlong
Senior Lecturer in Sanitary Engineering
Related
News ·
New Global Sanitation Graduate School hubs in Africa, Asia and South America to strengthen regional education
The Global Sanitation Graduation School (GSGS), a rigorous sanitation curriculum platform founded by IHE Delft and the Gates Foundation, has established five regional hubs to increase its impact. With almost half the world’s population lacking access to the safely managed sanitation, the school’s alumni are sorely needed.
News ·
Drinking water safety planning in focus during training in the Maldives
Providing the residents of Kaafu Atoll and other Maldivian outer atolls with a reliable supply of drinking water is a challenge, and planning is key. Island council members from all the Kaafu Atoll islands and other atoll officials recently strengthened their ability to conduct drinking water safety planning during a course led by Assela Pathirana, IHE Delft Associate Professor in Water Infrastructure Asset Management.
News ·
Enhancing sanitation in Dutch asylum seeker centres: A collaborative initiative
A report by IHE Delft alumnus Kyaw Htoon, presented to the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), highlights challenges in sanitation within Dutch asylum seeker centres (AZCs).