Proxy indicator for the physical availability and geographical accessibility of selected services relevant to the local context.
Numerator
The number of basic health units, i.e. all public and private health facilities, defined as a static facility (a designated building) or mobile clinics in which general health services are offered, in a defined administrative or health area, at a given point in time
Denominator
The total population for the same administrative or health area, at the same point in time
Disaggregation
administrative area; health area; health services; support/no support from humanitarian organisations;
Indicator used for response monitoring ?
Yes
Types
Baseline
Output
Threshold / Standard
Depending on services and country; Follow-up of trends
General guidance
Calculation: relevant services and package of services should be chosen according to the local context. Interpretation: This indicator is a snapshot of the situation at a certain period of time. At the pre-crisis phase, this indicator will indicate the baseline availability of health services. In the early phase after a crisis occurs, this indicator will show the consequences of the crisis (decrease/reduction in availability of health services) when compared to pre-crisis and the needs in term of support to health facilities. At later stages of crisis, trends in this indicator will allow to monitor the response in supporting health services. Limitation: this indicator measures the availability of health services but does not measure access to the service by the popualtion nor the quality of service and is therefore only a proxy for coverage. Quality of services (including trained staff and adequate supplies) should be further appraised.
Guidance on phases
There is a differing level of quality of data which can be collected at different phases of the emergency depending on the context, eg the data available and the systems for data collection in place before the crisis, the accessibility of the affected areas, the resources on the ground, etc...
Phase applicability
Pre-crisis/Baseline
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Guidance for pre-crisis/baseline
Census of health facilities and assessment of service availability should be available pre-crisis through the realisation of SARA or HeRAMS.
Data Sources
Numerator: assessment of service availability (e.g. SARA, HeRAMS); Denominator: census of health facilities; assessment of functionality of health facilities;
Comments
Health Resource Availability Mapping System HeRAMS (http://www.who.int/hac/global_health_cluster/guide/tools/en/)