Advice for Humanitarian Aid Workers

Humanitarian aid workers are a valuable asset in developing countries; they deliver much-needed help to those in need and are often essential to ensure basic health levels. However, geographical areas where they are deployed often present high concentrations of potentially infectious human vectors (patients, healthcare workers, households of infected individuals, etc.…) and healthcare facilities where proper protection is often inadequate. These factors should be well addressed and mitigated before deployment. The institution that organizes the deployment should assist the aid workers in their own personal decision-making process by ensuring that their decision is fully considered and informed. Moreover, the organization should have a minimum set of operational standards in place to ensure the health and security of aid workers. Information on all possible risks, training, vaccination, and medical prophylaxis should be ensured. On-site training, availability of personal protective equipments in case of direct care of infected individuals, a pre-return in-country screening and assistance in case of injuries or blood/body fluid exposures should be provided. Finally, after deployment, aid workers should be advised to seek medical care and to inform their physicians of the recent travel and work, if they sustained injuries or infectious exposures or become ill after returning.