Standards › ASF Health Standards v10 › Standard 39
Standard 39
Humanitarian and Emergency Operations
Humanitarian and emergency operations: needs assessment before services start, exit and handover, protection from exploitation and abuse, mass-casualty planning, and staff security and wellbeing.
Before services start, the population’s health needs, the security situation, access, and the capacity of the local health system are assessed and documented.
Why it matters. Humanitarian teams that start services without knowing the health needs, the security situation and access often waste resources or put people at risk. An assessment before the start prevents that.
How the surveyor verifies this criterion
Sample. Review the pre-deployment assessments for 5 recent deployments.
1. Each deployment has a needs assessment covering health needs and the capacity of the local health system.
Method. Check each assessment for the health needs and local capacity recorded.
Evidence to show. Needs and capacity assessment record (HUM-FRM-001).
Pass when. Every deployment assessment covers health needs and local capacity.
2. The security situation and access are assessed before services start.
Method. Check each site assessment for the security and access findings.
Evidence to show. Site assessment before each deployment (MOB-POL-001, existing, reused).
Pass when. Every deployment has a security and access assessment before start.
3. Services start only after the assessment is signed off.
Method. Check each deployment for the sign-off date against the first service date.
Evidence to show. Site assessment record (MOB-FRM-001, existing, reused).
Pass when. No service started before the assessment was signed off.
Immediate fail (any one means the criterion is not met)
- A camp opened with no assessment of health needs and the nearest clinic unreachable.
Documents
E-learning
References
- Sphere Association. The Sphere Handbook: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response. Geneva: Sphere; 2018.
Each deployment has a written plan for how it will end, either by handing over to the local health system or by a defined time limit. The handover is planned before the service starts.
Why it matters. Humanitarian services are often meant to be temporary. Without a planned exit, the population is left without care when the team leaves. A written handover makes the end of the service safe.
How the surveyor verifies this criterion
Sample. Review the exit plans and handover records for 5 deployments that have ended or are ending.
1. Each deployment has a written exit plan, either handover or a defined time limit.
Method. Check each deployment for a written exit plan dated before the start.
Evidence to show. Closure and handover plan (FLD-PLN-003, existing, reused).
Pass when. Every deployment has a written exit plan.
2. The handover is agreed with the local health system and recorded.
Method. Check each handover for the agreement and the date.
Evidence to show. Deployment exit and handover policy (HUM-POL-002).
Pass when. Every handover is agreed and recorded.
3. Service continuity after exit is tracked.
Method. Check the handover tracking register for the follow-up of each handed-over service.
Evidence to show. Handover tracking register (HUM-REG-001).
Pass when. Every handed-over service has continuity tracked.
Immediate fail (any one means the criterion is not met)
- A deployment ended with no handover and the services stopped overnight.
Documents
E-learning
References
- Sphere Association. The Sphere Handbook: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response. Geneva: Sphere; 2018.
Staff and volunteers are trained in protection from sexual exploitation and abuse. Community engagement is in place. Safe referral pathways exist for people who disclose abuse or violence.
Why it matters. In humanitarian settings, people who depend on aid are vulnerable to sexual exploitation and abuse by those who should protect them. Training, reporting routes and a do-no-harm approach protect them.
How the surveyor verifies this criterion
Sample. Review training records for 15 staff and volunteers, community engagement records, and referral pathway records for the last 12 months.
1. Staff and volunteers are trained in protection from sexual exploitation and abuse.
Method. Check the training record for each staff member and volunteer.
Evidence to show. Protection and do-no-harm policy (HUM-POL-003).
Pass when. Every staff member and volunteer has training recorded.
2. Community engagement is in place and recorded.
Method. Check each engagement record for the community involvement.
Evidence to show. Protection and do-no-harm policy (HUM-POL-003).
Pass when. Every activity has community engagement recorded.
3. Safe referral pathways exist and are used.
Method. Check each referral for the pathway followed and the outcome.
Evidence to show. Referral and handover to social services (HMG-SOP-001, existing, reused).
Pass when. Every referral follows a safe pathway.
Immediate fail (any one means the criterion is not met)
- A volunteer engages in sexual exploitation of a beneficiary with no reporting route.
Documents
E-learning
References
- Inter-Agency Standing Committee (2019). Six Core Principles Relating to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. Geneva: IASC.
A surge and mass-casualty plan is written, covers triage and coordination with local authorities, and is tested on a defined schedule.
Why it matters. A sudden mass casualty event in a humanitarian setting can overwhelm the team in minutes. A written plan, with triage and coordination with local services, and a tested drill, is what makes the response work.
How the surveyor verifies this criterion
Sample. Review the mass-casualty plan and the rehearsal records for the last 12 months.
1. The plan covers triage and coordination with local authorities.
Method. Check the plan for the triage and coordination sections.
Evidence to show. Mass-casualty and utility failure plan (HOS-PLN-001, existing, reused).
Pass when. The plan covers triage and coordination.
2. The plan is tested on the defined schedule.
Method. Check the rehearsal record against the schedule.
Evidence to show. Rehearsal and drill record (HOS-REG-004, existing, reused).
Pass when. The plan was tested on schedule.
3. Surge triage and surge response are defined.
Method. Check the surge plans for the triage and response steps.
Evidence to show. Surge triage at peak patient volume (FLD-SOP-001, existing, reused).
Pass when. Surge triage and response are defined and tested.
Immediate fail (any one means the criterion is not met)
- A mass-casualty event occurs with no plan and no staff trained in triage.
Documents
No documents yet.
E-learning
References
- World Health Organization. Classification and minimum standards for emergency medical teams. Geneva: WHO; 2013.
Staff have a security plan, rotation schedule and access to psychosocial support. Incidents affecting staff are recorded and reviewed.
Why it matters. Staff working in emergencies face danger, stress and exhaustion. A security plan, rotation and psychosocial support keep them safe enough to keep working, and keep the service running.
How the surveyor verifies this criterion
Sample. Review staff security plans, rotation schedules and incident records for the last 12 months.
1. Each deployment has a staff security plan.
Method. Check each deployment for the security plan dated before the start.
Evidence to show. Staff security, rotation and psychosocial support (HUM-POL-004).
Pass when. Every deployment has a security plan.
2. Staff rotation is scheduled and kept.
Method. Check the rotation schedule against the actual rotations.
Evidence to show. Staff security, rotation and psychosocial support (HUM-POL-004).
Pass when. Rotation is scheduled and kept for every sampled staff member.
3. Each incident affecting staff is recorded and reviewed.
Method. Check the incident register for each entry and its review.
Evidence to show. Staff incident register (HUM-REG-002).
Pass when. Every incident is recorded and reviewed.
Immediate fail (any one means the criterion is not met)
- A staff member attacked on the route with no security plan and no follow-up support.
Documents
E-learning
References
- World Health Organization (2021). Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030: Towards Eliminating Avoidable Harm in Health Care. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789240032705
Additional resources: guidelines in the GMJ library
These guidelines are held in the GMJ guideline library (news.gmj.ge). WHO and PAHO are the issuing bodies; MSF guidelines are marked MSF.
- Technical recommendations for the configuration of a specialized Emergency Medical Team for the treatment of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI). Version 3.5 · PAHO · criteria: Whole standard
Configuration and operating standards for a deployable 30-bed field hospital for severe acute respiratory infection. COVID-19 context. - Recommendations for medical surge capacity and deployment of emergency medical teams · PAHO · criteria: Whole standard
Tiered response and emergency medical team deployment to expand capacity during surges. COVID-19 context.
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