Baghdad, 08 June 2016 - The current humanitarian emergency in Iraq has resulted in the displacement of more than 3.2 million people in the country. Those affected are frequently settled in temporary locations with high population densities, inadequate food and shelter, unsafe water, poor sanitation and lack of infrastructure. These circumstances have increased the risk of transmission of communicable diseases and other conditions, and could lead to increased levels of mortality. Diseases with the potential to become an epidemic can be a major cause of morbidity and mortality during emergencies.
In 2013, WHO successfully established an early warning alert and response network (EWARN) in various camps to monitor communicable diseases trends and to early detect and promptly respond to epidemics.
Iraq’s current financial crisis has deteriorated and disrupted the public health surveillance system to the extent that it may no longer be adequately able to meet the surveillance information needs of this humanitarian emergency, including the ability to report timely with high-quality data and respond appropriately.
With the support of donors like the EU Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO) and the USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), WHO, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, plans to expand and strengthen the EWARN system outside of the camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Currently, 128 sites within camps are reporting electronically to the system. WHO has plans to further strengthen the existing surveillance system in fixed primary health care centres which are catering for IDPs in the host community. The expansion will be in two phases covering a minimum of 35 potential primary health care centres in the governorates hosting IDPs (Sulaymaniyah, Dohuk, Erbil, Diyala, Ninawa, Salahuddin and Anbar), reaching 170 sites by the end of June in order to be prepared to early detect and respond promptly to epidemics, such as cholera, measles, pertussis and polio, among affected populations. EWARN is an adjunct, not a substitute, for the national disease surveillance system, and once the acute emergency phase is over, it should be reintegrated into the national surveillance system.
WHO thanks all donors who are facilitating this process and supporting surveillance activities in the country. To support the expansion of the EWARN sites, support the operational activities of the alerts, outbreak investigation, respond to epidemics and monitor the surveillance and response activities at the field levels. About US$ 2.8 million are required to maintain all these activities.
Related links
Early warning and response network bulletins
For more information please contact:
Ms Rosane Lopes, Communications Officer
World Health Organization
Iraq Country Office
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+964 7809 288 614
Ms Ajyal Sultany
Communications Officer
World Health Organization
Iraq Country Office
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Mobile: +964 7510 101 469
Baghdad, 08 June 2016 - The current humanitarian emergency in Iraq has resulted in the displacement of more than 3.2 million people in the country. Those affected are frequently settled in temporary locations with high population densities, inadequate food and shelter, unsafe water, poor sanitation and lack of infrastructure. These circumstances have increased the risk of transmission of communicable diseases and other conditions, and could lead to increased levels of mortality. Diseases with the potential to become an epidemic can be a major cause of morbidity and mortality during emergencies.
In 2013, WHO successfully established an early warning alert and response network (EWARN) in various camps to monitor communicable diseases trends and to early detect and promptly respond to epidemics.
Iraq’s current financial crisis has deteriorated and disrupted the public health surveillance system to the extent that it may no longer be adequately able to meet the surveillance information needs of this humanitarian emergency, including the ability to report timely with high-quality data and respond appropriately.
With the support of donors like the EU Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO) and the USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), WHO, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, plans to expand and strengthen the EWARN system outside of the camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Currently, 128 sites within camps are reporting electronically to the system. WHO has plans to further strengthen the existing surveillance system in fixed primary health care centres which are catering for IDPs in the host community. The expansion will be in two phases covering a minimum of 35 potential primary health care centres in the governorates hosting IDPs (Sulaymaniyah, Dohuk, Erbil, Diyala, Ninawa, Salahuddin and Anbar), reaching 170 sites by the end of June in order to be prepared to early detect and respond promptly to epidemics, such as cholera, measles, pertussis and polio, among affected populations. EWARN is an adjunct, not a substitute, for the national disease surveillance system, and once the acute emergency phase is over, it should be reintegrated into the national surveillance system.
WHO thanks all donors who are facilitating this process and supporting surveillance activities in the country. To support the expansion of the EWARN sites, support the operational activities of the alerts, outbreak investigation, respond to epidemics and monitor the surveillance and response activities at the field levels. About US$ 2.8 million are required to maintain all these activities.
Related links
Early warning and response network bulletins
For more information please contact:
Ms Rosane Lopes, Communications Officer
World Health Organization
Iraq Country Office
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+964 7809 288 614
Ms Ajyal Sultany
Communications Officer
World Health Organization
Iraq Country Office
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Mobile: +964 7510 101 469
