Establishing a Center for Public Health Training in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s International Emergency Refugee Health Branch (IERHB) announces the fiscal year (FY) 2013 availability of approximately $100,000 per year for the next five (5) years to promote the development of a cadre of skilled public health professionals who will focus on addressing the health concerns of populations affected by CHEs internationally by establishing a center for training in complex humanitarian emergencies. This FOA is designed to give CDC/IERHB a mechanism to achieve this goal by: 1. Creating a certificate program for public health graduate students in the US2. Developing a US based fellowship program for international candidates from CHE-affected countries3. Establishing a program to support international summer practicum experiences for graduate students in a US-based global health program.a. Statutory Authorities: This program is authorized under Sections “§307, §301(a), (c), and §317(k) (1) of the Public Health Service Act, and include the parallel citation to 42 U.S.C. § 242l, 247b (k) (1), and 42 U.S.C. § 241(a), (c), as amended.b. Problem Statement: In the last several decades the number of complex humanitarian emergencies has increased – and with it, the importance of public health resource allocation. CHEs cause serious disruption to society – whether it be a natural disaster or man-made. Natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes can cause catastrophic societal breakdowns and high mortality. There has been a marked increase in armed conflicts in the last half century. There were only 15 armed conflicts worldwide in 1950; this number has grown to at least 30 every year since 1978. It is estimated that more than 191 million people have died either directly or indirectly as a result of armed conflict in the 20th century. Armed conflict can be devastating to local populations – for example, 35-65% of all war-related injury and death involves non-combatants. A complex humanitarian emergency is a crisis in a country, region or society, often associated with a natural, man-made, or biological disaster where:• There is a breakdown of authority, which• Requires an international response that goes beyond the capacity of any single agency and/or the UN country program.

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