Investigating the health and societal impacts of waterborne disease outbreaks in post-disaster contexts in Nepal

了解灾后水传播疾病的规模和后果，对于更好地管理对当地人民的潜在健康风险，以及改进今后的政策和决策，至关重要。有必要探讨灾后情况下如何发生水源性疾病暴发，以及此类事件对当地社区的影响程度。除非我们在数据生成、同化和科学分析方面作出相当大的努力，并找出当前做法中的主要差距，否则，我们在如何分析灾后局势方面，特别是在发展中国家，仍有很大的研究差距。作为我的研究项目的一部分，我计划在尼泊尔选定的两个地点调查灾后环境中的水源性疾病暴发。我将从各种来源收集定性和定量的数据和信息。我还将与当地社区和主要利益攸关方密切合作，以生成适合风险管理的数据和知识。将使用适当的数据分析方法和基于地理信息系统的绘图/建模工具对收集到的数据和信息进行系统分析。我还将研究政府当局、有关的非政府组织和卫生组织如何管理灾后疾病暴发。我相信，拟议的研究将在这一高度关键和要求极高的公共卫生风险和相关社会福祉领域产生新的知识。

Knowledge about the scale and consequences of waterborne diseases in post-disaster is vital for the better management of potential health risks to local people and for the purposes of improving policy and decision making in future. It is necessary to explore how waterborne disease outbreaks occur in post- disaster contexts and to what extent such events are affecting local communities. There is a substantial research gap in terms of how we analyse post-disaster situations, especially in developing countries, unless we put considerable efforts into data generation, assimilation and scientific analysis, as well as identifying key gaps in current practices. As part of my research project, I plan to investigate waterborne disease outbreaks in post-disaster contexts in two selected sites in Nepal. I will collect both qualitative and quantitative data and information from various sources. I will also closely work with local communities and key stakeholders to generate data and knowledge suitable for risks management. Collected data and information will be systematically analysed by using appropriate data analytical methods and GIS-based mapping/modelling tools. I will also examine how post-disaster disease outbreaks are being managed by government authorities, concerned NGOs and health organizations. The proposed research, I believe, will produce new knowledge in this highly critical and demanding area of public health risks and associated societal wellbeing.