Across Africa, communities face increasing threats from natural disasters, disease outbreaks, conflict-induced displacement, and technological hazards. These emergencies disrupt essential services, compromise water and sanitation systems, create hazardous living conditions, and expose vulnerable populations to profound environmental health risks. AFREHO’s Emergency Response program ensures that environmental health is central to humanitarian action—from the first hours of a crisis through recovery and reconstruction.

Our approach recognizes that environmental health emergencies require specialized expertise that is often overlooked in traditional humanitarian response. We deploy environmental health professionals to assess risks, coordinate with humanitarian actors, and implement life-saving interventions: restoring safe water access, establishing sanitation facilities in displacement camps, managing hazardous waste, and controlling disease vectors. By embedding environmental health expertise within emergency response systems, we help prevent secondary crises and protect the dignity and well-being of affected populations.

Beyond immediate response, we work with communities and governments to strengthen preparedness for future emergencies. This includes developing contingency plans, pre-positioning supplies, training local responders, and building early warning systems that link environmental monitoring to public health alerts. We also support recovery efforts that “build back better”—creating more resilient water and sanitation infrastructure, restoring environmental services, and addressing underlying vulnerabilities that made communities susceptible to crisis.

Key Objectives

• Ensure environmental health is systematically integrated into emergency preparedness and response

• Deploy rapid environmental health assessments within 72 hours of major emergencies

• Provide life-saving WASH services to displaced and crisis-affected populations

• Prevent and control disease outbreaks through environmental health interventions

• Strengthen national and local capacity for environmental health emergency response

• Support resilient recovery that reduces future vulnerability

Emergency Response Services

Target Audience

• Communities affected by natural disasters, conflict, or disease outbreaks

• Displaced populations in camps and informal settlements

• Humanitarian organizations seeking environmental health expertise

• National disaster management agencies

• Local governments in disaster-prone areas

• Health facilities operating in emergency contexts

Expected Outcomes

• Environmental health integrated into national disaster preparedness plans in 10+ countries

• Rapid response capacity maintained for deployment within 72 hours

• 500,000+ crisis-affected people reached with life-saving WASH services

• Documented reduction in disease outbreaks linked to environmental health interventions

• Strengthened capacity of local responders in environmental health emergency management

• Recovery programs that build more resilient communities

Related SDGs