Emergency response

Responding to emergencies is part of ALIMA’s ongoing work. Our goal is to reduce mortality by providing assistance to populations in emergency situations. Our work is characterized by a rapid response in varied, high mortality settings.

Response to disease outbreaks

The scale and specificity of some outbreaks can require a rapid and massive intervention in order to limit mortality rates and reduce the speed of transmission. In these situations, ALIMA supports local health authorities to care for patients in their communities, in health centers or, for the most serious cases, in hospitals. The most frequent outbreaks ALIMA responds to are measles, cholera, viral hemorrhagic fevers (Ebola, Lassa, Rift Valley) and malaria.

Malnutrition 

Many factors such as armed conflicts, diarrheal diseases, respiratory diseases, food insecurity or natural disasters increase the likelihood of malnutrition. Populations suffering from acute food and nutrition crises are confronted with a very high mortality rate. In these situations, ALIMA sets up nutritional programs to provide outpatient health care and ready-to-use therapeutic foods to children. Intensive Therapeutic Nutritional Centers are also set up in hospitals to treat malnourished children as quickly as possible.

Armed conflicts

ALIMA provides initial medical and surgical care to people injured in armed conflicts, and psychosocial support to victims of violence. Armed conflicts often lead to population displacements, outbreaks and can severely reduce access to healthcare. ALIMA ensures that primary and secondary health services continue to function and care for patients.

Natural disasters

Sudden and large-scale natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods and droughts, systematically lead to the displacement of populations, but also to the collapse or disruption of health facilities. The result is a high risk of outbreaks, linked to deteriorating sanitary conditions and lack of basic necessities. Depending on the nature of the disaster, ALIMA can provide a wide range of medical assistance, from surgical care for the injured (in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake), to disease outbreaks (cholera, malaria), while still offering  primary health and prevention care to avoid the spread of contagious diseases.

Population displacements

Armed conflicts or natural disasters may force people to flee their homes to seek safety. In these conditions, families often arrive after several days of walking, without vital resources and without the means to resettle. The most vulnerable people (pregnant women, children) are highly exposed to the risks of disease, malnutrition or violence. In these situations, ALIMA provides emergency primary health care (consultations) and secondary health care (hospitalizations) to ensure that all populations have access to medical care.