Humanitarian Health Action

First Needs Assessment Reporting Template


Reference values in health emergency

The following table of reference values aims at helping in the interpretation of the findings from the rapid health assessment and in drawing the conclusions and recommendations for the first sitrep. The values are presented according to the specific items of the sitrep template[1]


Sitrep item; indicator Reference values
2.3: age breakdown [2] 0-4 years 12.40%
5-9 years 11.70%
10-14 years 10.50%
15-19 years 9.50%
20-59 years 48.60%
pregnant 2.40%
3.1: CMR > 1 X 10,000 per day
> 2 x 10,000 per day : critical
3.1: under-5 mortality rate > 2 x 10,000 per day
> 4 x 10,000 per day: critical
3.1 Common causes of morbidity: expected attack rates in emergencies
ARI in children <5 10 % per month in cold weather
Diarrhoeal diseases in childern <5 50 % per month
Malaria, in non-immune population 50 % per month
3.1 Malnutrition: - individual level, total
Children 6-59.9 months <- 2Z scores WfH or 80%
- individual level, moderate
Children 6-59.9 moths <- 3Z to <2Z scores WfH or medien
- individual level, severe
Children 6-59.9 months <- 3Z to <2Z scores WfH or medien
- severity (aggregate level) for under-5 Serious: 10-14% below median or -2Z scores
Critical: => 15 % of global malnutrition
- growth faltering rate in under-5 30 % of monitored children
- low wight at birth (<2.5 kg) 7 % of live births
4.1 Water
- quantity 15 litres per person per day
- access 1 water point per 250 people
- distance no more than 500 meters
- quality no more than 10 faecal coliforms per 100 ml at the point of delivery
- storage for household: 2 water
- facilities 1 washing basin per 100
4.2 Excreta disposal
- access to toilets no more than 20 people per toilets no more than 50 metres from housing
toilets segregated by sex
4.3 Food
- food aid requirements 2,100 Kcals per person per 10-12% of total energy by protein
4.4 Shelter
- covered area 3.5-4.5 m2 per person
4.5 Soap
- availability 250 gr per person per month
4.6 Fuel for cooking
- availability 15 kg of firewood per household per day
6.1 Measles coverage
- coverage 90 % for 6m-12y

[1] A more complete list of reference values, as well as a discussion on their use and limitations, is given by the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response, the Sphere Project. Reference values for rapid health assessment are presented in the following WHO documents: Rapid Health Assessment Protocols for Emergencies and the Handbook for emergency Field Operations.

[2] The demographic profile can vary largely across populations; the following breakdown is from WFP, UNHCR and WHO. This average profile should be cross-checked with local estimates, if available.

Share