Network Paper 52: Interpreting andUsing Mortality Datain HumanitarianEmergencies

Author(s)
Checchi, F and Roberts, L.
Publication language
English
Pages
41pp
Date published
01 Sep 2005
Type
Research, reports and studies
Keywords
Health, Research methodology
Organisations
ODI
Humanitarian emergencies are chaotic, continuously
evolving phenomena. Their magnitude and pace often
overwhelm the capacity of individual relief workers or
agencies to fully appreciate their true scope and evolution.
Sector-oriented relief organisations tend to focus on specific
perceived needs and may lack breadth of vision, just
as organisations with oversight roles, such as governments
or UN agencies, may sometimes lack sufficient depth. In
the face of evident injustice and suffering, it is difficult to
maintain objectivity. Depending on one’s perspective, it
may be professionally or emotionally more expedient to
convince oneself and others that the situation of affected
populations is either much better, or much worse, than it
really is.
 
The starting premise of this paper is that the primary, most
immediate goal of humanitarian relief is to prevent excess
morbidity and mortality. Similarly, any excess mortality
should lead to a reaction. In this respect, mortality is the
prime indicator by which to assess the impact of a crisis,
the magnitude of needs and the adequacy of the humanitarian
response.