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The Haiti Humanitarian Response Course: A Novel Approach to Local Responder Training in International Humanitarian Response

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2020

Nirma D. Bustamante Open the ORCID record for Nirma D. Bustamante [Opens in a new window] ,
Shada A. Rouhani ,
Sean Kivlehan ,
Keegan A. Checkett ,
Kerling Israel ,
Sterman Toussaint  and
Stephanie Kayden
Nirma D. Bustamante*
Affiliation:
Division of Global Emergency Care and Humanitarian Studies, Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MassachusettsUSA
Shada A. Rouhani
Affiliation:
Division of Global Emergency Care and Humanitarian Studies, Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MassachusettsUSA Partners In Health, Boston, MassachusettsUSA
Sean Kivlehan
Affiliation:
Division of Global Emergency Care and Humanitarian Studies, Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MassachusettsUSA Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Cambridge, MassachusettsUSA
Keegan A. Checkett
Affiliation:
Partners In Health, Boston, MassachusettsUSA Section of Emergency Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IllinoisUSA
Kerling Israel
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Education, Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais, Mirebalais, Haiti
Sterman Toussaint
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Education, Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais, Mirebalais, Haiti
Stephanie Kayden
Affiliation:
Division of Global Emergency Care and Humanitarian Studies, Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MassachusettsUSA Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Cambridge, MassachusettsUSA
*
Correspondence: Nirma D. Bustamante, MD, MPH, 1565 Dekalb Ave, Unit 12, Atlanta, Georgia30307USA, E-mail: ndbustamantemd@gmail.com
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Abstract

Introduction:

Countries most affected by disasters are often those with limited local capacity to respond. When local capacity is overwhelmed, international humanitarian response often provides needs-based emergency response. Despite global progress in education and the development of international humanitarian response standards, access to training and integration of local actors in response mechanisms remains limited. In May 2017, the Haiti Humanitarian Response Course (HHRC) was implemented in Mirebalais, Haiti to increase local capacity and allow for effective future engagement with international humanitarian actors in a country prone to disasters.

Report:

In collaboration with the Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais’ (HUM; Mirebalais, Haiti) Department of Medical Education and Emergency Medicine (EM) residency program, four physicians from the Division of Global Emergency Care and Humanitarian Studies at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, Massachusetts USA) facilitated the course, which included 53 local physicians and staff. Following 15 hours of online pre-course preparation, through didactics and practical small-group exercises, the course focused on key components of international humanitarian response, minimum standards for effective response, and the roles of key response players. The course was free to participants and taught in English and French.

Discussion:

The HHRC reduced the barriers often faced by local actors who seek training in international humanitarian response by offering free training in their own community. It presents a novel approach to narrow critical gaps in training local populations in international humanitarian response, especially in environments prone to crises and disasters. This approach can help local responders better access international humanitarian response mechanisms when the local response capacity is exhausted or overwhelmed.

Conclusion:

The HHRC demonstrates a potential new model for humanitarian and disaster training and offers a model for similar programs in other disaster-prone countries. Ultimately, local capacity building could lead to more efficient resource utilization, improved knowledge sharing, and better disaster response.

Keywords

Haitiinternational humanitarian responselocal training
Type
Special Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 35 , Issue 2 , April 2020 , pp. 220 - 224
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2020

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