title: Conducting rapid health needs assessments in the cluster era: experience from the Pakistan flood.
abstract: Due to its unprecedented scale, the Pakistan flood disaster tested the limits of disaster management and coordination. Under the leadership of the World Health Organization, the Global Health Cluster system for coordinating activities improved collaboration and efficiency in conducting rapid needs assessments. However, the involvement of non-Cluster members was lacking, and information on existing service provision was not collected adequately. The present rapid health needs assessment process under the Cluster system will be discussed, using the recent floods in Pakistan as an example.
authors: Health Protection Agency, London, UK. oadar1@yahoo.com
authors: Osman A
authors: OA
authors: Dar
authors: Mishal S
authors: MS
authors: Khan
authors: Virginia
authors: V
authors: Murray
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004190:Disasters; D055868:Floods; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006292:Health Priorities / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007390:International Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D007391:International Cooperation; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010154:Pakistan; D040841:Resource Allocation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D013997:Time Factors; D014944:World Health Organization