In this Q&A, Dr Rabin shares his experience of leading the Provincial Health Cluster in the ongoing response to the West Nepal earthquake, how he benefitted from the WHO-supported Health Cluster Coordination training he undertook last August, and the role of effective coordination in meeting the humanitarian needs of affected people.
Could you describe how your team initially responded to the earthquake?
Following the earthquake that hit Nepal shortly before midnight on 3 November, our province-level Incident Command System (ICS) was activated. This was followed by the activation of the Provincial Health and Nutrition Cluster and Rapid Response Team. As the first responders, we played a very active role. Firstly, we assessed the damage caused by the earthquake, then we managed the initial treatment, and dispatched supplies to areas which were in need. Additionally, we played an important role in coordinating with relevant agencies, especially with the federal government and local governments to ensure an effective response.
Discussions between WHO Nepal staff and Dr Rabin Khadka, Director, Health Service Directorate, Karnali Province (left) on the response in earthquake-affected areas in Karnali Province, Nepal. Photo credit: WHO Nepal/B.Rai
There are 21 members in the Health and Nutrition Cluster, which includes UN agencies, such as WHO, and non-UN partners. As a provincial cluster lead, we led coordination with everyone, and I believe it has been fruitful. As mentioned earlier, a coordinating role was executed with all – the federal, provincial, district, and local levels.
In terms of response, we also need to assess public health conditions, or the potential of an outbreak, devise treatment plans if it occurs, and communicate new information and potential impacts, such as mental health issues and psychosocial support. We also played a significant role in rehabilitation and disease surveillance.
You participated in the Health Cluster Coordination training that was held in August 2023. Could you speak about how the training proved useful in the current response?
Yes, I, along with another colleague from the province, underwent the Health Cluster Coordination Training almost 4-5 months ago. WHO first provided us training through virtual classes, and later, we had an in-person training in Kathmandu. This training has been beneficial as it helped us with conducting essential situation analyses, making Initial Rapid Assessment (IRA) and Multi-cluster / sector Initial Rapid Needs Assessment (MIRA) reports, and helped us understand how to interpret and study these reports.
Through the training, we learned how to manage, coordinate, and tackle real-life scenarios. Using this as our foundation has made our work more manageable, and we've built upon it.
We now understand the importance of these first steps in a series of immediate actions. We also studied reports; learned about coordination roles with other agencies; and gained insights into the role of our health system, identifying gaps, and understanding how to seek help and coordinate responses.
As practiced in the simulation exercises in the trainings, we had the opportunity to implement our learning into practice in the earthquake response. The incident occurred shortly after this training, allowing us to implement the lessons promptly and respond to the damage as quickly as possible.
Recently, we also developed a multi-hazard contingency plan for this province.
Would you like to add anything else?
WHO Representative to Nepal, Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav (left), and Dr Rabin Khadka, Director, Health Service Directorate, Karnali Province (right) observing the earthquake response in Jajarkot District Hospital, Karnali Province, Nepal. Photo credit: WHO Nepal/B.Rai
Using the lessons learnt during the training has been instrumental in responding to the earthquake, and we've successfully tackled situations based on the knowledge gained and prior experience. Although only two people from the province have undergone this training, I believe it should be gradually extended to other individuals as well.
Note: This interview has been translated from Nepali into English and edited for clarity. You can view the full video below.