Humanitarian Assistance in Disaster Situations : A Guide for Effective Aid

Humanitarian assistance operations can provide crucial help to benefit a country ravaged by disaster if they are based on an impartial assessment of real needs. However, a hurried and misguided response may only contribute to chaos. This new guide contains practical advice and recommendations for effective emergency assistance in disaster situations. Examples include: donors should not compete among themselves to satisfy the more visible needs of the affected country; it is more economical, appropriate and hygienic to buy new articles locally than to send used items; and that any assistance should complement, rather than duplicate, the measures used by the affected country.Pan American Health Organization Staff is the author of 'Humanitarian Assistance in Disaster Situations : A Guide for Effective Aid', published 2000 under ISBN 9789275123010 and ISBN 9275123012.