cicr brochure help eenvironmental health survival without water is impossible. the provision of an...

H.E.L.P.

A training coursefor the management of health interventions

in armed conflicts

CICR brochure Help EN web_CICR brochure Help E 04.12.13 16:07 Page1

International Committee of the Red CrossH.E.L.P. Courses19, avenue de la Paix1202 Geneva, SwitzerlandE-mail: [email protected]/helpcourse© ICRC, 2014


H.E.L.P. Courses


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The H.E.L.P. course:a multiculturaland multidisciplinary learningexperienceThe H.E.L.P. course was created in 1986 by the International Committee of the RedCross to upgrade professionalism inhumanitarian assistance programmesconducted in emergency situations.

These courses have been given in variousparts of Latin America, North America,Africa, Asia, Western and Eastern Europe.Since 1986, over 3000 health professionals and humanitarian aidworkers from the International Red Crossand Red Crescent Movement, UnitedNations agencies, NGOs, ministries of health, armed forces medical servicesand academic institutions have attendedthe course.

A joint effortThe course is organized in partnership withacademic institutions, WHO (World HealthOrganization), PAHO (Pan-AmericanHealth Organization), and National RedCross Societies. Our current academicpartners are:

In Ouidah, Benin:Institut régional de santé publique

In Baltimore, USA:Johns Hopkins University, BloombergSchool of Public Health and School ofMedicine

In Honolulu/Hawaii, USA:Center of Excellence in DisasterManagement and HumanitarianAssistance, University of Hawaii

In Geneva, Switzerland:University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicineand HUG (Hôpitaux UniversitairesGenevois)

In Cuernavaca, Mexico:Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica CruzRoja Mexicana

In Fukuoka, Japan:The Japanese Red Cross KyushoInternational University of Nursing

In Nairobi, Kenya:The Kenya Red Cross Society

In Beijing, China:Beida, School of Public HealthPeking University

In Doha, Qatar:The Qatar Red Crescent Society

In Cuba, La Habana:Centro Latino de Medicina de Desastres


GoalsThe first week focuses on public healthactivities and ethics. The second deals withcommunicable diseases and epidemiology.IHL and security are also covered duringweek 2. The purpose of the first week is to

provide the public health tools necessary for making appropriate decisions inemergency situations involving largepopulations.

During the course the participants areencouraged to share their fieldexperiences. The course prepares theground for common approaches to publichealth among humanitarian organizations,thus contributing to better programmecoordination in emergency operations. The main topics are: economic security and water and environment.

The second week focuses on communicable diseases, epidemiology.International Humanitarian Law and ethicsare also covered in week 2.

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Week 1

Health Emergenciesin Large Populations

Week 2

Health Emergenciesin Large Populations


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Health Emergencies in Large Populations – week 1

PlanningAn overview of the main steps of theplanning process provides the participantswith common terminology.

Topics include:

• identification of health problems;

• identification of constraints;

• selection of priorities;

• determination of objectives and strategies;

• mobilization of resources;

• implementation of activities;

• evaluation of results.

This planning methodology is appliedthroughout the course.

Nutrition and economic securityMalnutrition, lack of income and lack ofeconomic security at household level areserious problems in emergency situations.An insufficient food supply and increasedpoverty create significant health risks.Proper planning for programmeimplementation, adequate surveillance and effective assessment of needs andconstraints are essential for a pragmaticand realistic assistance programme.

The course focuses on the following:

• nutritional evaluation, includingassessment of vitamin and micronutrientdeficiencies, sampling techniquesfor surveillance, data collection andanthropometrics measurements;

• household security evaluations andrapid rural assessment methods;

• methodical guidelines for planning,implementation and surveillanceof general and specific food-aidoperations and feeding centres.


Environmental healthSurvival without water is impossible.

The provision of an adequate supply of safe water is an absolute priority in any emergency action. Poor hygiene,overcrowding and pests are the main killers during emergencies.

The course addresses:

• environmental conditions favouring theoccurrence and persistence of variouspathogens;

• basic methods for emergency watersupply, black water treatment, garbagedisposal, vector control, emergencyshelter and energy assistance.

Communicable disease controlControl of communicable diseases is a majorproblem in disaster situations, especiallywhere large concentrations of people areliving in precarious conditions of hygiene.

The course covers: • strategies for controlling the maincommunicable diseases (diarrhoealdiseases, malaria, cholera, tuberculosis,measles, tetanus, intestinal parasites,HIV/AIDS, etc.);

• integration of various fields of activitysuch as environmental health, healthpromotion, community participation,disease prevention and basic medicalcare, bearing in mind the constraints thatare part of any disaster situation.

Health care servicesDisasters are characterized by a heavydemand for curative care, which mayoverwhelm existing health services.But prevention of illness and injury is alsoa key component of primary health careservices in emergencies, and should beclosely integrated with curative services.Special consideration must be given tovulnerable groups such as women andchildren. Reproductive health andmanagement of childhood illnesses aremajor challenges during crisis situations.

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The course addresses:

• basic understanding of health caresystems;

• support for existing health care facilities;

• creation of new facilities such ashospitals, clinics, mobile teams;

• essential drug programmes and drugdonations;

• establishing child survival measures;

• reducing risks of maternal mortality;

• meeting reproductive health needs.

Mental healthThe humanitarian organizations havebecome increasingly aware of the mentalhealth needs which emerge among victimsof disasters. This is a problem that wasneglected for too long, and it is now a mustto address it in a professional manner.

Participants therefore learn:

• to define the basics of the concept of mental health;

• to recognize the basic characteristicsof mental health in individuals andcommunities;

• to know the differences between mentalhealth problems and mental diseases;

• to identify factors that affect mentalhealth and that give rise to mentalhealth problems in conflict situationsand among refugees and displacedpopulations, and to address priorityneeds;

• to identify the main resources forimplementation of emergency mentalhealth assistance programmes;

• to identify priority target groups for mental health assistance.

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Health information systemsand epidemiologyEpidemiology is an essential tool inany relief operation. In an emergencysituation the initial health assessment,the monitoring of assistance programmesand the evaluation of the impact of therelief operation must be documented by an effective health information system.

Basic epidemiological tools are reviewed:

• definition of epidemiological terms;

• selection of health indicators in emer-gency situations;

• methods of data collection in emergencies;

• data analysis;

• establishment of surveillance and healthinformation systems.

Health systemsHealth systems in emergencies encompassenvironmental engineering, food andhousehold economic security measures,primary health care, mental healthand curative and preventive secondaryhealth care services. These includecommunity-based services as well as the international relief response. All these components together form a comprehensive health system.

During the course special attention is givento examining the interaction between thesecomponents and identifying the keyelements needed to improve the function-ing of health systems in emergencysituations.

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Health Emergencies in Large Populations – week 2

Dilemmas faced by healthprofessionals in humanitarianoperationsHealth professionals have to make difficultchoices in armed conflicts.

Some examples:

• triage of the wounded;• deciding on the appropriate level of health care;

• providing assistance when there islimited control over its delivery;

• providing assistance in poor securitysituations;

• providing assistance in situations whereit may facilitate violation of fundamentalhuman rights;

• dealing with evidence of torture and mutilation used as means of punishment.

To help professionals take appropriatedecisions on such matters, the relevantinstruments in the fields of internationalhumanitarian law, human rights and healthethics are studied.

International humanitarian lawInternational humanitarian law (IHL)forms a major part of international law.It comprises the rules, which, in times ofarmed conflict, protect persons who arenot or no longer involved in the fighting,and restrict the methods and means ofwarfare employed.

The course focuses on:

• application of IHL in international andnon-international armed conflicts, andits applicability in new types of conflicts;

• identification of the main rules relatingto the protection of health;

• rules for the protection of healthprofessionals;

• the latest developments of IHL,specifically in the field of new weapons;

• the role of the ICRC in promoting and developing IHL;

• the use of the Red Cross/Red Crescentemblem.


Health and human rights

The interrelation between health andhuman rights is widely reflected ininternational conventions and agreements.These include the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights, the UN Convention on theRights of the Child, and the UN GeneralAssembly Declaration on the Principlesof Medical Ethics relevant to the Role ofHealth Personnel in the Protection ofPrisoners and Detainees against Torture

and Other Cruel, Inhuman or DegradingTreatment or Punishment.

An overview is given of these major legalinstruments, with particular reference to:

• the “hard core” of the human rightsinstruments;

• the complementary roles of IHL and human rights law;

• the advantages of monitoring humanrights from the health perspective.

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Professional ethics and healthEthics should play a predominant role inthe development and implementation ofhealth policy, so as to ensure equity,gender sensitivity, and respect for funda-mental rights. Health policy should aim toempower people affected by disasters tobecome self-sufficient. An overview of themain ethical theories and approaches isgiven, and the main instruments governingethics in the health professions areconsidered.

The course includes:

• a review of the main resolutions of theWorld Medical Association (WMA);

• identification of the principal ethicalrules which are applicable in armedconflicts and dictate the behaviour of health professionals;

• consideration of the cultural values of victims and those of societies.

Responsibilities of healthprofessionals in armedconflictsThe work of health professionals involvesa wide range of responsibilities that gobeyond just treating the sick and wounded,preventing disease and maintaining health.

The course focuses on other responsibili-ties such as:

• preventing consequences of armed conflict which may have a major impacton health (e.g. the use of unlawfulmeans of warfare, forced populationdisplacements);

• identifying ethical dilemmas;

• making ethically correct decisions on health-related issues;

• protecting individuals from torture and mutilation;

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• restricting the development and use of certain weapons;

• monitoring the health status of populations living under economicsanctions;

• forging a link between health and peace.

Participants consider how they caninfluence health policies within their ownorganizations to ensure better respect forethical standards during relief activities.They also examine possible means ofcooperation with professionals from otherdisciplines, such as lawyers, so thatlessons learned from the health pers-pective can serve as the basis for thedevelopment of legal instruments.

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Teaching concepts and methodsThe course concentrates on concepts andapproaches which have proved to berelevant for humanitarian field activitiesduring emergency situations.

Various teaching methods, includinglectures, and group discussions are used.An important part of the course is reservedfor case studies, on a simulated caseduring week 1 and on actual situations during week 2.

Participants are invited to share theirpersonal experiences as well astheir cultural background.

Course dates, registration,fees and creditsFor course dates, registration fees andcredits, please refer to the specificinformation on the different courses.

Working languages The courses in Geneva, Doha, Fukuoka,Baltimore, Honolulu and Nairobi are givenin English.

The course in Beijing (China) is given inEnglish and Chinese (consecutive transla-tion into Chinese).

The course in Ouidah (Benin) is given inFrench.

The courses in Cuernavaca (Mexico)and La Habana (Cuba) are given in Spanish.

Participants A total of 129 different nationalities andover 20 different professions have beenrepresented in H.E.L.P. courses.

The course is intended first and foremostfor health professionals: doctors, nurses,nutritionists, environmental healthengineers, epidemiologists, public healthofficers and water and environment engineers.

Other professionals holding decision-making positions in assistance or emer-gency programmes are also most welcome.

Candidates working in countries affectedby war or natural disasters will be givenspecial consideration.

The target number of participants is 25.Certificates of attendance are issued to allparticipants at the end of the course.


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Up-to-date information can be found on the following Web pages:

www.icrc.org/helpcourse

www.jhsph.edu/refugee/training_education

www.coe-dmha.org/course_help.htm

www.insp.mx

www.jrckicn.ac.jp

www.irsp.bj.refer.org

www.kenyaredcross.org

or obtained by writing to one of the following e-mail addresses:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

For further information,please contact:

International Committee of the Red Cross

Assistance Division – H.E.L.P. Courses

19, avenue de la Paix

1202 Geneva

Switzerland

Email: [email protected]


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