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Aid workers commonly bemoan that the experience of working in the field sits uneasily with the goals they've signed up to: visiting project sites in air-conditioned Land Cruisers while the intended beneficiaries walk barefoot through the heat, or checking emails from within gated compounds while surrounding communities have no running water. Spaces of Aid provides the first book-length analysis of what has colloquially been referred to as Aid Land. It explores in depth two high-profile case studies, the Aceh tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, in order to uncover a fascinating history of the objects and spaces that have become an endemic yet unexamined part of the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

[...]community-level actions were fundamental in restoring access to neighborhoods and, ultimately, saving lives. When compared with US states and territories, Puerto Rico has the highest prevalence rates of premature births,4 one of the highest incidence rates of HIV,5 and was the focal point of the Zika virus epidemic.6 The potential implications of the aftermath of Hurricane Maria are severe for public health, when one considers that Puerto Rico is also structurally underresourced. The possible implementation of further austerity measures on Puerto Rico's government budget raises even more concerns about the availability of local resources to address the health care challenges posed by the public health situation after Hurricane Maria. [...]the federal response to the emergency in Puerto Rico has been slow and limited. Correspondence should be sent to Carlos E. Rodríguez-Díaz, Associate Professor, Doctoral Program in Public Health with Specialty in Social Determinants of Health and the Center for Evaluation and Sociomedical Research, Graduate School ofPublic Health, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067 (e-mail: carlos.rodriguez64@upr.edu).

Population movements following disasters can cause important increases in morbidity and mortality. Without knowledge of the locations of affected people, relief assistance is compromised. No rapid and accurate method exists to track population movements after disasters. We used position data of subscriber identity module (SIM) cards from the largest mobile phone company in Haiti (Digicel) to estimate the magnitude and trends of population movements following the Haiti 2010 earthquake and cholera outbreak. Geographic positions of SIM cards were determined by the location of the mobile phone tower through which each SIM card connects when calling. We followed daily positions of SIM cards 42 days before the earthquake and 158 days after. To exclude inactivated SIM cards, we included only the 1.9 million SIM cards that made at least one call both pre-earthquake and during the last month of study. In Port-au-Prince there were 3.2 persons per included SIM card. We used this ratio to extrapolate from the number of moving SIM cards to the number of moving persons. Cholera outbreak analyses covered 8 days and tracked 138,560 SIM cards. An estimated 630,000 persons (197,484 Digicel SIM cards), present in Port-au-Prince on the day of the earthquake, had left 19 days post-earthquake. Estimated net outflow of people (outflow minus inflow) corresponded to 20% of the Port-au-Prince pre-earthquake population. Geographic distribution of population movements from Port-au-Prince corresponded well with results from a large retrospective, population-based UN survey. To demonstrate feasibility of rapid estimates and to identify areas at potentially increased risk of outbreaks, we produced reports on SIM card movements from a cholera outbreak area at its immediate onset and within 12 hours of receiving data. Results suggest that estimates of population movements during disasters and outbreaks can be delivered rapidly and with potentially high validity in areas with high mobile phone use.

Protracted humanitarian emergencies are forcing donors and agencies to rethink their approaches to response. Gary Humphreys reports.Protracted humanitarian emergencies are forcing donors and agencies to rethink their approaches to response. Gary Humphreys reports.

Compensating for the devastating impacts of heatwaves, hurricanes and floods after they occur is too slow. With climate risks accelerating, the world must predict who needs funds and when. Compensating for the devastating impacts of heatwaves, hurricanes and floods after they occur is too slow. With climate risks accelerating, the world must predict who needs funds and when. A silhouette of firefighters attempting to extinguish a raging forest fire

There is also an increased risk of a rise in malaria because receding flood waters provide more breeding space for mosquitoes. Other causes for worry are skin infections; measles; respiratory infections, such as pneumonia; and mental health disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. The immediate focus of aid agencies must still encompass rescue operations, providing safe drinking water, shelter, and food.

In the devastation that follows a major disaster, there is a need for multiple sectors to unite and devote new resources to support the rebuilding of infrastructure, the provision of health and social services, the restoration of care delivery systems, and other critical recovery needs. In some cases, billions of dollars from public, private and charitable sources are invested to help communities recover. National rhetoric often characterizes these efforts as a \"return to normal.\" But for many American communities, pre-disaster conditions are far from optimal. Large segments of the U.S. population suffer from preventable health problems, experience inequitable access to services, and rely on overburdened health systems. A return to pre-event conditions in such cases may be short-sighted given the high costs - both economic and social - of poor health. Instead, it is important to understand that the disaster recovery process offers a series of unique and valuable opportunities to improve on the status quo. Capitalizing on these opportunities can advance the long-term health, resilience, and sustainability of communities - thereby better preparing them for future challenges. Healthy, Resilient, and Sustainable Communities After Disasters identifies and recommends recovery practices and novel programs most likely to impact overall community public health and contribute to resiliency for future incidents. This book makes the case that disaster recovery should be guided by a healthy community vision, where health considerations are integrated into all aspects of recovery planning before and after a disaster, and funding streams are leveraged in a coordinated manner and applied to health improvement priorities in order to meet human recovery needs and create healthy built and natural environments. The conceptual framework presented in Healthy, Resilient, and Sustainable Communities After Disasters lays the groundwork to achieve this goal and provides operational guidance for multiple sectors involved in community planning and disaster recovery. Healthy, Resilient, and Sustainable Communities After Disasters calls for actions at multiple levels to facilitate recovery strategies that optimize community health. With a shared healthy community vision, strategic planning that prioritizes health, and coordinated implementation, disaster recovery can result in a communities that are healthier, more livable places for current and future generations to grow and thrive - communities that are better prepared for future adversities.

Background Natural disasters and crises persistently affect human societies, often resulting in substantial loss of life and property. A major challenge during such events is the rapid and efficient distribution of relief goods to affected populations. This study aims to develop a Relief Goods Distribution Conceptual Framework (RGDCF) during disasters in Iran. Methods This study was conducted in four phases. In the first phase, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify challenges in the distribution of relief goods and strategies for improvement. The second phase involved semi-structured interviews with national experts and stakeholders to examine the characteristics and requirements of an appropriate distribution framework for relief goods. In the third phase, drawing on the findings from the previous phases and expert panel discussions, an initial RGDCF was developed. Finally, in the fourth phase, the Delphi technique was employed to validate the proposed framework. Results A review of 18 studies identified key challenges in the distribution of relief goods, including lack of coordination among responsible authorities, needs assessment problems, damage to infrastructure, financial challenges and management of public donations, lack of local community participation, weakness in disaster preparedness, and shortage of trained personnel. The RGDCF was developed, based on four core principles: pre-disaster preparedness, unified command and management, intersectoral coordination, and community engagement, with 15 operational requirements aimed at improving distribution efficiency and equity. The developed framework received an acceptable score in terms of its feasibility, alignment with higher-level documents, stakeholder acceptance, and flexibility. Conclusion The RGDCF offers a comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges in relief goods distribution, ensuring more efficient and equitable humanitarian response. Its feasibility, alignment with existing policies, and stakeholder acceptance highlight its potential for practical implementation, as well as providing a structured basis for monitoring, evaluating, and improving relief operations in disaster management.

Background After 7 years of increasing conflict and violence, the Syrian civil war now constitutes the largest displacement crisis in the world, with more than 6 million people who have been internally displaced. Among this already-vulnerable population group, women and children face significant challenges associated with lack of adequate access to maternal and child health (MCH) services, threatening their lives along with their immediate and long-term health outcomes. Discussion While several health and humanitarian aid organizations are working to improve the health and welfare of internally displaced Syrian women and children, there is an immediate need for local medical humanitarian interventions. Responding to this need, we describe the case study of the Brotherhood Medical Center (the “Center”), a local clinic that was initially established by private donors and later partnered with the Syrian Expatriate Medical Association to provide free MCH services to internally displaced Syrian women and children in the small Syrian border town of Atimah. Conclusions The Center provides a unique contribution to the Syrian health and humanitarian crisis by focusing on providing MCH services to a targeted vulnerable population locally and through an established clinic. Hence, the Center complements efforts by larger international, regional, and local organizations that also are attempting to alleviate the suffering of Syrians victimized by this ongoing civil war. However, the long-term success of organizations like the Center relies on many factors including strategic partnership building, adjusting to logistical difficulties, and seeking sustainable sources of funding. Importantly, the lessons learned by the Center should serve as important principles in the design of future medical humanitarian interventions working directly in conflict zones, and should emphasize the need for better international cooperation and coordination to support local initiatives that serve victims where and when they need it the most.

According to the global aid agency the International Rescue Committee (IRC), 20 countries on its Watchlist are home to 10% of the global population but account for 89% of those in need of aid, 80% of refugees and asylum seekers, and 76% of those internally displaced. Ashraf Shazly/AFP/Getty Images Hits to health services The economic effect of COVID-19 means that at least 20 million additional people are being pushed into extreme poverty, according to the UN's Global Humanitarian Overview (UNGHO). Persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, and environmental factors have driven the increase.