Effects of tropical cyclone Freddy on the social determinants of health: the narrative review of the experience in Malawi
Malawi—one of the low-income countries in Africa—has witnessed a series of flood-related disasters in many years. The recent tropical cyclone Freddy (TCF) has indispensable effects on the unequal distribution of the social determinants of health with tendencies for increased disease outbreaks across...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2024-07-01
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| Series: | BMJ Public Health |
| Online Access: | https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000512.full |
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| author | Joseph Okeibunor Otim Patrick Cossy Ramadan Ishata Nannie Conteh Abdou Salam Gueye Jayne Byakika-Tusiime Annie Chauma-Mwale Ebenezer Obi Daniel Dick Chamla Fiona Braka Neema Kimambo Rusibamayila Chol Thabo Yur Emmanuel Maurice Ochien Mathew Kagoli |
| author_facet | Joseph Okeibunor Otim Patrick Cossy Ramadan Ishata Nannie Conteh Abdou Salam Gueye Jayne Byakika-Tusiime Annie Chauma-Mwale Ebenezer Obi Daniel Dick Chamla Fiona Braka Neema Kimambo Rusibamayila Chol Thabo Yur Emmanuel Maurice Ochien Mathew Kagoli |
| author_sort | Joseph Okeibunor |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Malawi—one of the low-income countries in Africa—has witnessed a series of flood-related disasters in many years. The recent tropical cyclone Freddy (TCF) has indispensable effects on the unequal distribution of the social determinants of health with tendencies for increased disease outbreaks across the districts of the country. This narrative study aimed at unravelling the consequences of the TCF and its possible relationship with the already existing cholera epidemic in the fourteen affected districts. Additionally, it aimed to document the immediate humanitarian responses in the acute phase of the disaster. We identified, used and extracted information and data from relevant documents available from the government records, WHO and other multiagency documents, which were summarised along with the humanitarian actions and the associated implications of the entire event. Areas of TCF’s main effects included health, shelter, education, nutrition, water sanitation and hygiene, agriculture and livelihood, transport and logistics including food security. The notable immediate humanitarian responses are donations, camp creation for accommodations, emergency life-saving response and essential healthcare services. Nsanje and Chikwawa districts experienced an increase in cholera cases and deaths post-TCF. The highest proportion of the disaster-impacted and intervention beneficiaries were women and children. The effects of the TCF on the social determinants of health in the affected districts and the associated negative impacts should be considered by the government and disaster management experts in evidence-based policy-making towards disaster risk reduction in the flood-prone districts using an all-hazard approach. This step might be useful in improving the vulnerable population’s standard of living and achievement of related Sustainable Development Goals in Malawi. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f88a2b7962004cc896ee5cb5c4f3846d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2753-4294 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-07-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-f88a2b7962004cc896ee5cb5c4f3846d2025-01-28T17:50:15ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Public Health2753-42942024-07-012110.1136/bmjph-2023-000512Effects of tropical cyclone Freddy on the social determinants of health: the narrative review of the experience in MalawiJoseph Okeibunor0Otim Patrick Cossy Ramadan1Ishata Nannie Conteh2Abdou Salam Gueye3Jayne Byakika-Tusiime4Annie Chauma-Mwale5Ebenezer Obi Daniel6Dick Chamla7Fiona Braka8Neema Kimambo Rusibamayila9Chol Thabo Yur10Emmanuel Maurice Ochien11Mathew Kagoli126 Department of Sociology/Anthropology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, NigeriaEmergency Preparedness and Response, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, CongoEmergency Preparedness and Response Programme, World Health Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, CongoEmergency Preparedness and Response, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, CongoEmergency Preparedness and Response Programme, World Health Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, CongoPublic Health Institute of Malawi, Lilongwe, MalawiEmergency Preparedness and Response, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Nairobi, Nairobi, KenyaEmergency Preparedness and Response, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, CongoEmergency Preparedness and Response, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, CongoWorld Health Organization Country Office, Lilongwe, MalawiNairobi Hub Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme, World Health Organization, Nairobi, KenyaWorld Health Organization Country Office, Lilongwe, MalawiMinistry of Health, Lilongwe, MalawiMalawi—one of the low-income countries in Africa—has witnessed a series of flood-related disasters in many years. The recent tropical cyclone Freddy (TCF) has indispensable effects on the unequal distribution of the social determinants of health with tendencies for increased disease outbreaks across the districts of the country. This narrative study aimed at unravelling the consequences of the TCF and its possible relationship with the already existing cholera epidemic in the fourteen affected districts. Additionally, it aimed to document the immediate humanitarian responses in the acute phase of the disaster. We identified, used and extracted information and data from relevant documents available from the government records, WHO and other multiagency documents, which were summarised along with the humanitarian actions and the associated implications of the entire event. Areas of TCF’s main effects included health, shelter, education, nutrition, water sanitation and hygiene, agriculture and livelihood, transport and logistics including food security. The notable immediate humanitarian responses are donations, camp creation for accommodations, emergency life-saving response and essential healthcare services. Nsanje and Chikwawa districts experienced an increase in cholera cases and deaths post-TCF. The highest proportion of the disaster-impacted and intervention beneficiaries were women and children. The effects of the TCF on the social determinants of health in the affected districts and the associated negative impacts should be considered by the government and disaster management experts in evidence-based policy-making towards disaster risk reduction in the flood-prone districts using an all-hazard approach. This step might be useful in improving the vulnerable population’s standard of living and achievement of related Sustainable Development Goals in Malawi.https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000512.full |
| spellingShingle | Joseph Okeibunor Otim Patrick Cossy Ramadan Ishata Nannie Conteh Abdou Salam Gueye Jayne Byakika-Tusiime Annie Chauma-Mwale Ebenezer Obi Daniel Dick Chamla Fiona Braka Neema Kimambo Rusibamayila Chol Thabo Yur Emmanuel Maurice Ochien Mathew Kagoli Effects of tropical cyclone Freddy on the social determinants of health: the narrative review of the experience in Malawi BMJ Public Health |
| title | Effects of tropical cyclone Freddy on the social determinants of health: the narrative review of the experience in Malawi |
| title_full | Effects of tropical cyclone Freddy on the social determinants of health: the narrative review of the experience in Malawi |
| title_fullStr | Effects of tropical cyclone Freddy on the social determinants of health: the narrative review of the experience in Malawi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of tropical cyclone Freddy on the social determinants of health: the narrative review of the experience in Malawi |
| title_short | Effects of tropical cyclone Freddy on the social determinants of health: the narrative review of the experience in Malawi |
| title_sort | effects of tropical cyclone freddy on the social determinants of health the narrative review of the experience in malawi |
| url | https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000512.full |
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