Field Epidemiology Department
Collecting information to guide field action
When facing humanitarian emergency situations, MSF team approach is sometimes difficult, due to large population, insufficient infrastructures and local means, insecurity, epidemics, etc... Then they need to get information, in order to adjust the deployment of means in the field.The role of the Field Epidemiology Department is to collect such information.
Investigations in emergency situation
In emergency health and operational situations, the Department assesses population state of health, through several indicators.
2010: Increasing activity
In 2010, 28 trials were carried out:
- Surveys on mortality rates, malnutrition prevalence or vaccine coverage levels;
- Investigations on epidemics;
- Interventions following natural disasters, especially in Haiti and Pakistan. In Haiti, focus was put on surgery and on cross-section data harmonization.
These trials were performed within the framework of major interventions: post-earthquake surgery in Haiti, measles epidemic in Malawi, and cholera outbreak in Haiti.
MSF Volunteer Training Sessions
The Field Epidemiology Department organizes training sessions on :
- Intervention modes;
- Program result measurement
