Course syllabus for Health assistance in humanitarian crises

Hälsoinsatser i humanitära kriser

Essential data

Course code: 9K9011
Course name: Health assistance in humanitarian crises
Credits: 12
Form of Education: Contract education (credits)
Main field of study: Public Health in Disasters
Level: AV - Second cycle
Grading scale: Fail (U) or pass (G)
Department: Department of Global Public Health
Decided by: Utbildningsnämnden GPH
Decision date: 2026-02-06
Course syllabus valid from: Autumn semester 2026

Specific entry requirements

Board-certified health professionals and other health professionals with relevant background.

Outcomes

The course is aimed for healthcare professionals preparing to work in disasters, health crises and other contexts where resources are lacking. The course aims to provide the participants with concrete tools that enable them to participate humanitarian health assistance staff.

After the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

  • explain the humanitarian context and principles for humanitarian assistance
  • describe the main components of a health system
  • explain the global health situation and factors that determine variations and summarize strategies relevant for improving global health, focused on communicable and non-communicable diseases, sexual and reproductive health and child health.
  • describe important components of response in WASH, logistics and shelter from a health perspective

Skill and abilities

  • identify, interpret and summarize information related to the interrelationship between hazardous events, vulnerable populations and health outcome
  • plan for healthcare programs and response aiming for reduced morbidity and mortality, taking limited resources and contextual challenges into account
  • through simulation exercises, handle emergency situations related to mass casualty incidents, communicable diseases, pregnancy and obstetric complications.

Judgment and approach
Within humanitarian contexts, the student should be able to:

  • valuate and compare different health strategies aimed at maintaining people’s health during disasters and health crises
  • reflect on ethical dilemmas and challenges related to stakeholder collaboration in the planning and implementation of international humanitarian health interventions

Content

The course basis is the global health situation and determinants for health. It illustrates how context and different types of disasters affects public health. The course also gives insight in the humanitarian landscape, actors, structures as well as contextual and ethical challenges that may arise. The course highlights health strategies aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality, and provides concrete tools for planning and implementing humanitarian health assistance.

The course comprises a total of eight weeks (estimated to 12 credits), of combined campus- and distance-based learning.

The course focuses on humanitarian health assistance from the following core areas.

  • Global health, disasters, health crises and humanitarian health assistance
  • Communicable diseases, epidemic outbreaks
  • Sexual and reproductive health and child health
  • Injuries, non-communicable diseases and mental health
  • Coordination, planning and ethical dilemmas

Teaching methods

Interactive lectures, discussion seminars, case-based project assignments and clinical simulation exercises.

Examination

The course is examined through several project work assignments, individually or in groups. In work done in groups, the contribution of each group member will be examined. The assignments are examined orally and in writing. The participant receives the grade Passed (G) or Failed (U).

The course includes compulsory educational elements. To pass the course, participation in these is also required. The examiner assesses if, and in that case how, absence from compulsory educational elements can be compensated for. Before the participant has participated in the compulsory educational elements or compensated the absence in accordance with the examiner's instructions, the final course results will not be reported. Absence from a compulsory educational component may imply that the participant cannot compensate for the missed compulsory educational element until the next time the course is given.

**Limitation of number of occasions to write the exam
**The number of occasions to write the exam is regulated in the contract for executive education.

Transitional provisions

Kursen är en uppdragsutbildning och övergångsbestämmelser regleras i avtal.

Other directives

The course is an executive education, and transitional provisions are regulated in the contract.

Literature and other teaching aids

Mandatory literature

**Recommended literature **

  • Classification and minimum standards for foreign medical teams in sudden onset disasters, World Health Organization: Geneva, 2021, https://extranet.who.int/emt/content/guidelines-and-publications
  • Eriksson, Anneli, Estimating needs in disasters, University of Bergen, 2020, sidan 17-29
  • Cuesta, Gil, Improving the evidence base of health interventions in humanitarian crises, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2020, sidan 29 - 82