This course focuses on the role and functions of the Environmental Health Officer in the health system and in the community before, during and after disasters. It teaches how the Environmental Health Department will structure itself, organize its activities and work with other departments, sectors and communities to cope with and reduce the consequences of disasters.
It also teaches the guidelines for preparing Health Sector Disaster Management Plans and will outline methods of coordinating special technical programmes that cover every aspect of normal operations before a disaster occurs in order to reduce the magnitude of a disaster’s effects. This course consolidates materials covered during earlier semesters.