Abstract

Over the years Oxfam has been involved in a wide variety of health-related projects. The Practical Health Guides draw on this experience to put forward ideas on best practice in the provision of health care and services in developing countries. Drawing on the experience of Oxfam staff in many different emergency situations, this text is a short, practical introduction to the provision of health care in emergencies. It provides a checklist of the information required to build up a rapid picture of the situation and of healthcare needs and describes the implementation of health care procedures and the necessary facilities, including information on feeding, preventive health care, clinical care and control of common diseases such as measles, diarrhoea and malaria. Issues arising from long term displacement and information about evaluation are also provided. Detailed information on aspects of health care such as nutrition, deficiency diseases, drugs, water and treatment protocols is given in the form of appendices.