“The funds will be used for rapid response teams to support essential health services for the affected communities, and for strengthening health information management and surveillance, key for timely detection of disease outbreaks to facilitate appropriate response,” said Dr Rajesh Pandav, WHO Representative designate to Sri Lanka.
Cyclone Ditwah made landfall in Sri Lanka on 28 November, causing unprecedented flooding, landslides, and major infrastructure damage across the country. Multiple casualties, significant displacement, and severe disruption to essential services and livelihoods have been reported countrywide.
WHO funding, partly from WHO South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF), supports operational costs for mobilization and deployment of Rapid Response medical and public health teams which will deliver trauma/first aid on site, refer individuals for hospital care, attend to pregnant women, children, the elderly, among others.
The Rapid Response medical and public health teams will conduct medical stocktaking, and assess medical needs, water quality, sanitation, food safety, and environmental health risks.
As lead agency on health sector response, WHO is supporting a Joint Rapid Needs Assessment rolled out by national authorities and partners, to guide government-led response.
WHO teams have been working closely with the national authorities and partners since the disaster struck the country, for a coordinated response.
Continuity of essential services, strengthening surveillance for timely detection of any water or vector-borne disease outbreak, and mobilizing all possible resources remains central to WHO’s response, Dr Pandav said.
Sri Lanka has declared a state of emergency in the wake of the devastation caused by the cyclone affecting all 25 districts. The country has requested for international humanitarian and early recovery assistance and continued support of the United Nations Agencies and International Organizations for immediate disaster relief.
Sri Lanka has also requested for multi-sectoral international assistance in areas such as food security, livelihoods, agriculture, nutrition, education, water, sanitation, shelter, as well as early recovery and rehabilitation interventions.
“WHO remains fully committed to supporting the national response and safeguarding the health and wellbeing of all affected communities,” Dr Pandav said.
The South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) is the region’s unique funding mechanism to support life-saving interventions in the immediate aftermath of a health emergency.
