[{"command":"add_css","data":[{"rel":"stylesheet","media":"all","href":"\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_bRDSFcvqxUhXHfRNLkxGqvcee5AkMd_VfM00zOk2HLI.css?delta=0\u0026language=en\u0026theme=ect_theme\u0026include=eJxLNkqJL8lIzU3VT8tMzUnRSc5JLC6u1M_LT0kFAIwhCi8"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"html","selector":"#ajax-container","data":"\n\n\n\n\u003Carticle class=\u0022node node--type-volunteer-training-man-chapter node--promoted node--view-mode-ajax\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022node__content\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022extra-header-block\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Ca class=\u0022mini-pdf-icon\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/epidemics.ifrc.org\/pdf\/65\u0022\u003E\n        \u003Cimg\n          src=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/ect_theme\/images\/svg\/pdf.svg\u0022\n          alt=\u0022pdf-download-icon\u0022\n          width=\u002224\u0022\n          height=\u002224\u0022\n        \u003E\n      \u003C\/a\u003E\n      \u003Ch1\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden\u0022\u003ESession 2.1. Understanding an epidemic\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/h1\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \n\n\n\n            \u003Cdiv class=\u0022clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-description field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBy the end of this session, you will be able to:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EAsk the right questions when you investigate and assess an epidemic.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EPart 2.1.1. Asking questions about an epidemic: the assessment\u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo be able to manage an epidemic and help affected people and communities, it is important to understand the specific situation. To respond effectively to an epidemic, we need to know certain things.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EVolunteers can play an important role in early detection of outbreaks because they have close links with the community and may notice unusual events or clusters of events that are not reported to the health authorities.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo understand an epidemic, we need to ask: What? Who? Where? When?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe box below lists some of the questions you might ask during an epidemic assessment. The list is not exhaustive. Can you think of other questions to add to it? Discuss these questions with your colleagues and facilitator.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhat disease is causing this epidemic?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nOn what scale is the epidemic?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nIn what ways is the epidemic spreading?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhat preventive and management measures are appropriate for this kind of epidemic?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhat can be done to reduce the spread of the disease?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhat do people know about the disease?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhat are their attitudes and preconceptions?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhat key messages and information have you been given about the disease?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhat rumours have you heard? \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWho?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWho is affected by the epidemic?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nHow many people are sick or dead?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWho in the community is most vulnerable to the epidemic?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWho in the community is most at risk?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWho is responding to the epidemic?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWho can we work with? \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhere?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhere is the epidemic occurring?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhere are other places under threat?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhere are our resources?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhere are the best places to work from?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhere can people obtain information?\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhen?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhen did the epidemic start?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhen was the epidemic confirmed?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\nWhen can we start working on the ground?\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnswering these and other relevant questions is one of the key things we must do when we respond to an epidemic in our communities.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen we ask such questions and report the answers, we are making what is called an \u003Cstrong\u003Eepidemic assessment\u003C\/strong\u003E. This is a very important step in the response to an epidemic. We will talk more about it when we discuss the epidemic response cycle in the next session.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022responsive-table\u0022\u003E\n\u003Ctable\u003E\n\u003Cthead\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\n\u003Cth\u003EAn epidemic assessment\u003C\/th\u003E\n\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/thead\u003E\n\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\n\u003Ctd\u003Egathers information on the nature, cause and scale of an epidemic, and on the community\u2019s knowledge and beliefs about it. It involves asking and answering questions, collecting and analysing information, and using and reporting the information to others, to ensure that the response to the epidemic is adequate and appropriate.\u003C\/td\u003E\n\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\n\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EPart 2.1.2. How do we find the answers?\u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe questions in the above list are asked and answered on several levels. Nationally, they are asked and answered in the Ministry of Health and in the headquarters of your Red Cross Red Crescent National Society. Locally, they will also be asked and answered in your local Red Cross Red Crescent branch. You will be asking and answering them in your community too. Altogether, the answers that are gathered will assist everyone to understand the epidemic better.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnswers are obtained from different sources, but mainly from members of communities affected by the epidemic. They know about their environment, their lives and their situation, probably better than anyone else. Community leaders, families and health workers are some of the best sources of the information you will need.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo make an effective assessment, you need to be in the affected community and speak directly to members of that community. Use the communication skills you have learned to collect accurate answers that will help you and others to respond to the epidemic properly.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022color:#2980b9;\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EParticipate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022color:#2980b9;\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETell your facilitators who you think should be asked the questions listed earlier. Those people may be health workers, village leaders, mothers - anyone you can talk to who you believe can provide useful information. Discuss different options with colleagues. You can ask several people the same questions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022color:#2980b9;\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EExercise \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022color:#2980b9;\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EYour facilitator has prepared a scenario of an epidemic. You are a member of an assessment team for the epidemic. Ask your facilitator a question as if you are doing the assessment and say to whom you would address that question. When you have finished asking the questions, look at the answers and decide what the epidemic disease might be. What might be the next steps for dealing with it?\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n      \n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/article\u003E\n","settings":null}]