Lessons in logistics from Somalia

By February 1981 the refugee relief operation in Somalia was close to breakdown. The Governor of Somalia and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) contracted the agency CARE to manage the logistics of the operation. By August 1981 over 99 % of food received at Mogadishu was reaching the camps. Here we describe this apparent success, and attempt to diagnose the contributing factors. Chief among these are dynamic leadership, 'systems' management, adaptability of personnel, the use of professional Indian food monitors in the camps, and the support given by the Government. The chief qualification on the success of the operation has been the continued dependency on expatriate expertise.
General conclusions are offered relating to the management of logistics in relief operations. The most important conclusion is that there is a prime need for logistics to be centralized in a single organization at the start of major emergencies. We point to the current inadequacy in an international relief system which fails to ensure this, and suggest that a new or existing part of the United Nations family be given a 'brief for in-country logistics' to become a UN Emergency Logistics Office.     

Information systems and needs assessment in natural disasters: An approach for better disaster relief management

The paper addresses the issue of information in disasters relief. It begins by establishing the need for planning and systematic organization in disaster action, in order to produce a long term effect on the vulnerability levels of communities. Information is introduced as a key element in any phase of disaster management. The different informational needs are described by phases; information types and possible sources are briefly described. The organizational network of information collection is presented and the immediate need for research in this field is emphasized.     

Practical experience with the management of a cholera outbreak in a refugee cAMP in eastern Sudan, 1985

From May to November 1985 most refugee camps in Eastern Sudan were affected by cholera. This article summarizes the experience from the refugee camp Wad Sherife with the emphasis on the practical aspects of management of cholera in a refugee context. Paramedical personnel from the refugee community were used to a great extent both in curative and preventive measures. The home visitors played an important role in the early detection of the cases and in trying to prevent the spread of cholera in the camp. A total of 1793 cases were admitted during a three month period. The results show a case fatality rate of 1.8%. A significantly higher number of women were affected in the age group 15–44. As seen in other refugee camps in Eastern Sudan, there was a relatively high intravenous fluid consumption with an average of about 6 litres in adults.     

Does nutritional surveillance have a role to play in early warning of food crisis and in the management of relief operations?*

A major area of investment in data collection in developing countries has been that of nutritional surveillance and monitoring. From recent debate it is clear that there is currently no consensus on the potential role of nutritional status as an early warning indicator. The author presents a synthesis of the broad spectrum of views on the role nutritional surveillance could or should have in early warning. Conceptual problems and technical difficulties are reviewed in the light of recent experiences in Africa and Asia. The author raises a number of issues for future discussion in this ongoing debate.