When responding to your peers, discuss how the organizations selected responded to the disasters. How do you think they could have improved their responses? For example, what organizations should have responded but did not, and how do you think the United States would have handled the disasters? Post # 1 "Hurricane Matthew struck Haiti on October 4, 2016, as a Category 4 hurricane. The combined effects of wind, coastal flooding and rain caused heavy flooding, landslides, and the destruction of a great deal of infrastructure, agricultural crops and natural ecosystems. In all, 546 people were killed, more than 175,500 people sought refuge in shelters, and about 1.4 million people required immediate humanitarian assistance.(n.d.)." Outside of the devastating destruction of the hurricane, the aftermath exacerbated the spread of cholera. Polluted water, sewage over flow, and the population relocated to living in close proximity contributed to the rapid spread of cholera. If left untreated cholera can be deadly. Proper sewage disposal and clean water is the best method to prevent the spread of this disease.  Roughly, 14,000 cases of cholera were reported after hurricane Matthew. The International Medical Corps provided aid in the treatment of cholera. "We also supported Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population’s (MSPP) oral cholera vaccination campaign, through which approximately 729,000 people were vaccinated. We provided operational support for the campaign, including payment and logistics for vaccinators, monitoring and evaluation capacity. In addition, we are operating seven mobile medical units focused on reaching remote and isolated communities, traveling by foot, canoe, and any means necessary to deliver health care and vital relief supplies.In addition to our Emergency Response Team’s Hurricane Matthew activities, our Haiti Country Team continues to implement ongoing health, nutrition, and WASH programs in Nord, Nord-este, Artibonite, and Ouest departments.(IMC, 2017)."  Other organization such as the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Military, the PanAmerican Health Organization, and the Center for Disease Control, sent medical supplies, clear water, and monetary funds to contributed to rebuilding the country. The United European Nations sent similar resources. All of the above organizations responses were appropriate. Sending medical supplies and medical professionals to aid in protecting the population of Haiti was effective in slowing the infection rates. The loss of hospitals were offset by the monetary and military support deployed. Four years later Haiti is still rebuilding from this devastating disaster. Rapidly Assessing the Impact of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2020, from https://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2017/10/20/rapidly-assessing-the-impact-of-hurricane-matthew-in-haiti Hurricane Matthew Haiti. (2017, July 27). Retrieved June 30, 2020, from https://internationa.

1. When responding to your peers, discuss how the organizations
selected responded to the disasters. How do you think they
could have improved their responses? For example, what
organizations should have responded but did not, and how do
you think the United States would have handled the disasters?
Post # 1
"Hurricane Matthew struck Haiti on October 4, 2016, as a
Category 4 hurricane. The combined effects of wind, coastal
flooding and rain caused heavy flooding, landslides, and the
destruction of a great deal of infrastructure, agricultural crops
and natural ecosystems. In all, 546 people were killed, more
than 175,500 people sought refuge in shelters, and about 1.4
million people required immediate humanitarian
assistance.(n.d.)." Outside of the devastating destruction of the
hurricane, the aftermath exacerbated the spread of cholera.
Polluted water, sewage over flow, and the population relocated
to living in close proximity contributed to the rapid spread of
cholera. If left untreated cholera can be deadly. Proper sewage
disposal and clean water is the best method to prevent the
spread of this disease.
Roughly, 14,000 cases of cholera were reported after hurricane
Matthew. The International Medical Corps provided aid in the
treatment of cholera. "We also supported Haiti’s Ministry of
Public Health and Population’s (MSPP) oral cholera vaccination
campaign, through which approximately 729,000 people were
vaccinated. We provided operational support for the campaign,
including payment and logistics for vaccinators, monitoring and
evaluation capacity. In addition, we are operating seven mobile
medical units focused on reaching remote and isolated
communities, traveling by foot, canoe, and any means necessary

2. to deliver health care and vital relief supplies.In addition to our
Emergency Response Team’s Hurricane Matthew activities, our
Haiti Country Team continues to implement ongoing health,
nutrition, and WASH programs in Nord, Nord-este, Artibonite,
and Ouest departments.(IMC, 2017)."
Other organization such as the Red Cross, the World Health
Organization, the U.S. Military, the PanAmerican Health
Organization, and the Center for Disease Control, sent medical
supplies, clear water, and monetary funds to contributed to
rebuilding the country. The United European Nations sent
similar resources. All of the above organizations responses were
appropriate. Sending medical supplies and medical
professionals to aid in protecting the population of Haiti was
effective in slowing the infection rates. The loss of hospitals
were offset by the monetary and military support deployed. Four
years later Haiti is still rebuilding from this devastating
disaster.
Rapidly Assessing the Impact of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti.
(n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2020, from
https://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2017/10/20/rapidly-
assessing-the-impact-of-hurricane-matthew-in-haiti
Hurricane Matthew Haiti. (2017, July 27). Retrieved June 30,
2020, from
https://internationalmedicalcorps.org/emergency-
response/hurricane-matthew-haiti/
Post # 2
The 2014 incident of West Africa’s Ebola epidemic prompted
the global public health community to engage in hard self-
reflection. The Ebola outbreaks in the Republic of the Congo

3. was globally one of a kind. The Ebola epidemic hit West Africa
hard, showing the weaknesses in international institutions and
governments in responding to incidents like that. United States
played a major role in helping to control the outbreak, providing
financial assistance and mobilizing large number of U.S. staff
from different departments and agencies. This outbreak started
global efforts to build worldwide health security. The World
Health Organization (WHO) is the most important leader in
every response to a global public health emergency or any
disease outbreak (Josh Michaud Follow @joshmich on Twitter
and Jennifer Kates Follow @jenkatesdc on Twitter Published:
Aug 14 & 2018, 2018). In response to the epidemic, social
disruption threatened local, national, and international
economies, food security and social structures. The Ebola
Response Roadmap was launched in order to prevent
international spread by prohibiting travel of all cases or
contacts and exit screenings were conducted at airports,
seaports, and borders (Scott, Crawford-Browne, & Sanders,
2016).
The World Health Organization is appointed as the principal
international organization for overseeing global public health
emergency’s and disease outbreaks. The organization represents
the coordinating body for answering and providing technical
assistance, expertise, and other material provisions in
supporting the cause. According to Michaud and Kates (2018),
looking back the Ebola incident, The World Health
Organization was said to be slow and ineffective in its early
response and handling of the emerging outbreak. Some
contributing factors mentioned were; “outbreak budget response
that was reduced by 50% in two years, corresponding loss of
staff with relevant experience; little funding available on a
short term basis to support the cost of an unexpected, major
response operation; a bureaucratic structure that made rapid
coordination and decision making difficult and leadership
vacuum that caused delays in coordinating and directing

4. resources, people and organizations where and when they were
needed”.
“Public health emergencies are defined as much by their health
consequences as by their causes and precipitating events. A
situation becomes emergent when its health consequences have
the potential to overwhelm routine community capabilities to
address them.” (Nelson, Lurie, Wasserman, & Zakowski,
2007) In this definition, certain situations are the focus “whose
scale, timing, or unpredictability threatens to overwhelm routine
capabilities.” (Nelson, Lurie, Wasserman, & Zakowski,
2007) It includes the hazard techniques for preparedness as an
alternative instead of focusing on the immediate disaster.
Certain requirements are needed in public health emergency
preparedness, such as; prevention, mitigation, and recovery
activities, and everyone responsible for responding to these
incidents. In operational capabilities, the ability to respond and
carry out preparedness duties quickly and efficiently is key.
Involved are the infrastructure, the personnel, plans etc. Public
health emergency preparedness is constantly evolving. The need
for improvements along with frequent examination of plans
through simulation and execution of corrective actions.
Application of health enhancement and building of strong
communities should also be incorporated in public health
emergency preparedness.
Government agencies are not the only ones involved or
responsible for the nation’s preparedness. There are others such
as occupied and organized community residents, businesses,
nonprofit, and nongovernmental organizations. In any
emergency, sharing of first aid, search-and-rescue, and other
first response activities are provided by on-site-civilians before
the arrival of emergency response personnel. Serious
coordination is involved in every public health emergency
preparedness. Immense efforts, awareness, and training are

5. needed for everyone involved so the system works as intended.
References
Josh Michaud Follow @joshmich on Twitter and Jennifer Kates
Follow @jenkatesdc on Twitter Published: Aug 14, 2., & 2018,
M. (2018, November 13). The Latest Ebola Outbreaks: What
Has Changed in the International and U.S. Response Since
2014? Retrieved from
https://www.kff.org/global-health-policy/issue-brief/the-latest-
ebola-outbreak-what-has-changed-in-the-international-and-u-s-
response-since-2014/
Nelson, C., Lurie, N., Wasserman, J., & Zakowski, S. (2007,
April). Conceptualizing and defining public health emergency
preparedness. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1854988/
Scott, V., Crawford-Browne, S., & Sanders, D. (2016, May 17).
Critiquing the response to the Ebola epidemic through a Primary
Health Care Approach. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4869325/