ARTICLE - STOP 'TAKE-OVER' TENDENCY

MERLIN CALLS ON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO STOP 'TAKE-OVER' TENDENCY AND MODERNISE OUR APPROACH TO DISASTER RELIEF
(Medical News Today) - Source - Merlin

One year ago, Haiti's earthquake prompted one of the biggest relief efforts ever. Merlin's report 'Is Haiti's health system any better?' brings to light the unintended consequences of this international good will.

When aid agencies flocked to help, few made use of local doctors and nurses and the extensive health facilities in Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. All too often, incoming international medical teams worked independently of the Haitian health system. Having been at the forefront of saving lives in the initial aftermath, local health workers found themselves sidelined and undermined in the chaos:

"Everybody came... They installed themselves as they liked where they liked..." Local NGO Manager

Not only were their skills not effectively used, national health workers also missed out on potential learning opportunities from the many international clinicians. The sheer volume of aid agencies has inadvertently led to an in-country brain drain. Countless health workers have left their jobs for better paid positions with international NGOs, exacerbating the country's chronic shortage of health workers. The already fragile health system has been left struggling to cope.

'The international response to Haiti was incredible and saved thousands of lives. We have to build on this momentum and work together to ensure emergency responses not only save lives but help to leave behind a stronger health system. There is a collective responsibility for Haiti and the collective will is there to do things better.' Paula Sansom, Merlin Response Team Coordinator.

As the risk of more disasters on the scale of Haiti grows, Merlin is calling for more coordinated, collaborative emergency responses. All disasters create urgent health needs, and it is vital that the international humanitarian community supports 'high risk' countries to anticipate, prepare and respond to health crises. Integral to this is investment in national health workers, who must be at the heart of every relief effort, and can offer vital protection against the escalation of emergencies.

When Chile was hit with a massive earthquake one month after Haiti, its health workforce, infrastructure and robust disaster response plan were credited with ensuring that the death toll was not higher. Merlin is calling on international community to take heed of these lessons, and act now to prevent another Haiti.