Environmental Health Management in Primary Health Care During Disasters
Chapter from the book:
Sümer,
E.
H.
&
Nur,
N.
(eds.)
2026.
Environmental Health in Disasters: A Conceptual Framework, Health Services Management, and Multidisciplinary Approaches.
Synopsis
In disasters and other extraordinary situations, environmental health services are an important component of primary healthcare services and play a critical role in preventing communicable diseases. After disasters, disruptions in water supply, shelter, sanitation, food safety, and waste management increase health risks; therefore, environmental risks must be rapidly assessed and managed. In this process, primary healthcare services ensure field coordination and support the continuity of preventive health services.
Priority environmental health interventions include safe water supply, food hygiene, sanitation, solid waste management, and vector control. Safe water provision involves chlorination, infrastructure repair, and the use of alternative water sources. In food safety, maintaining the cold chain, hygienic food preparation, and removal of contaminated products are essential. Sanitation services, including the establishment of temporary toilets, provision of hand hygiene facilities, and proper waste management, help reduce the spread of infectious diseases. Regular collection and safe disposal of solid waste reduce environmental pollution, while vector control in temporary settlement areas lowers disease risks.Debris management, proper handling of the deceased, and occupational health and safety practices are also important for both public and environmental health. In addition, early detection, monitoring, and protective measures against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats are key components of disaster management.
Environmental health services in disasters require a multisectoral approach. Primary healthcare services contribute to the protection of public health through their role in disaster management and response.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ergün Haldun Sümer- Naim Nur; Serkan Çelikgün- İmran Şahin Düz- Sanem Nemmezi Karaca- Naim Nur- Nagehan Ekici Koşaroğlu- Nurcan Bağlam- İrem Akova- Şahin Yıldırım- İbrahim Furkan Sarkım- Zeynep Sümer- Yaşam Deniz- Nuriye Dinç- Yeltekin Demirel- Emre Sarı- Elif Alıcı Bıyık- Veysel Kenan Çelik- Yusuf Kenan Tekin- İlhan Korkmaz- Gülaçan Tekin- Ergün Sümer- Gülay Yıldırım- Sema Merve Sümer- Ferdağ Yıldırım