Evaluation of MSF Reaction Assessment Collaboration Hub (REACH) Project

The  Hong  Kong  (HK)  section  of  Médecins  Sans  Frontières (MSF) started the REACH project in March 2017. The project was based on the experience gained in the region through the Emergency  Response  Support  Unit  (ERSU)  in  HK,  which  was set up in 2010 to monitor emergencies in Southeast Asia (SEA) and support MSF’s emergency response in the region. The unit    found    gathering    reliable,    timely,    and    actionable information   in   this   diverse   and   disaster-prone   region challenging. The  unit  wanted  to  improve  the  response  time after   emergency   alerts   and   to   streamline   data sharing activities. REACH) is an online platform that aims to support MSF’s  needs  for  improved  information  management  in emergencies   and   more   efficient   decision-making   during disasters. The primary purpose of the evaluation was to assess the value of   the   REACH   platform; support   learning   around   the conditions of the project, its design and implementation; and inform   decision-making   and   make   recommendations for similar projects in the future.