What we do in Emergency Response?

What we do in Emergency Response?

What is SEARHEF Response Stream? 

Floods, landslides, cyclones, earthquakes, and droughts affect countries in the WHO South-East Asia Region (SEAR) every year. As a result, hundreds of human lives are lost, people injured, property damaged, and livelihoods disrupted. In addition, complex humanitarian emergencies and outbreaks of infectious diseases often affect the Region. Moreover, country health systems in the Region face challenging financial circumstances even during regular times to run basic operations. Therefore, the ability to mobilize resources swiftly in the aftermath of disasters and crises is critical in minimizing deaths and suffering. Nevertheless, much-needed assistance often reaches ground zero of the disaster or emergency when the opportunity to save lives and reduce suffering has almost passed.  

The Member States of SEAR have devised an innovative strategy to bridge the gap between emergency needs and the arrival of formal disaster relief funding within health systems by launching the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF). SEARHEF was established during the Sixtieth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia, held in Thimphu, Bhutan, in 2007. WHO contributes US$ one million per biennium to the SEARHEF. In addition, all 11 Member States in the Region have also agreed to contribute to further bolster the SEARHEF corpus. For example, the Government of Timor-Leste and the Royal Thai Government have made voluntary contributions of US$ 100,000 each to SEARHEF.  

SEARHEF activities are organized under two streams: Response and Preparedness. The SEARHEF Response Stream is expected to meet the immediate financial needs and fills critical gaps in an emergency. While complementing larger relief, long-term recovery, reconstruction, or rehabilitation work, SEARHEF has been a pioneer in the health emergency response in the Region.  

Some activities supported by the SEARHEF Response Stream include:  

  1. Conducting rapid assessments  

  2. Providing essential healthcare

  3. Supplying essential medicines 

  4. Augmenting emergency health staff  

  5. Enhancing health staff mobility and safety 

  6. Addressing critical health facility repairs  

  7. Ensuring the access to safe water 

  8. Preventing vector-borne diseases and other health hazards  

  9. Strengthening disease surveillance 

  10. Boosting health education campaigns 

  11. Promoting the mental health of survivors 

     

Who can obtain SEARHEF response funding?  

Member States of the Region can obtain SEARHEF funds within 24 hours under the following conditions:

  • A declaration of a state of emergency, 

  • An official request for external assistance by the national government, 

  • Appointment of a humanitarian coordinator for that emergency by the UN Secretary-General. 

How much does SEAREF disburse for an emergency?  

SEARHEF disburses a maximum of US$ 350 000 for a given emergency in two tranches of US$ 175 000. The receiving country needs to utilize the funds within the first three months of the response. 

How could SEAREF funding be used?  

The requesting Member State is empowered to identify the best ways and means of spending the SEARHEF funding to suit the local response needs of the emergency.