ArticleTitle

Disasters complicate the management of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) by disrupting access to and delivery of health care, including medicines. Following Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in November 2013, much of the health infrastructure was destroyed and health service delivery was severely affected. This left many people with NCDs vulnerable as medicines were destroyed or washed away, food was scarce, and access to medicines and drugs and quality health care was difficult.

Use of the WHO Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions after Typhoon Haiyan

The key areas for PEN implementation included using the PEN approach to restore service delivery and management in primary health care facilities in Region 8, training health workers on PEN implementation and providing required materials and PEN implementation tools. Monitoring visits that included supportive supervision were also conducted in primary health care facilities in six provinces in Region 8. These assessed the use of the PEN protocols, availability of PEN implementation tools and whether the implementation targets for Region 8 had been met.

Guidelines and training for maternal and newborn care post-Haiyan

In any disaster-affected population, it is estimated that 3% of the total population will be pregnant, 3.5% will be lactating women and 15% will be adolescents. After Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in November 2013 it was estimated that there would be 95 270 pregnant women within the affected areas and 480 000 pregnancies in the year following. The disruption of access to reproductive health care after Haiyan meant that prenatal care, birth attendance, postpartum care and family planning services were urgently required as part of the response.