Combating ill-health and saving lives

Keeping people healthy during a humanitarian emergency is a major challenge. It is essential that communities do not succumb to life-threatening diseases which can make a bad situation worse. If left undiagnosed, diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria and tuberculosis can wreak havoc on vulnerable populations. It is therefore imperative that action is taken to bring local healthcare services back to speed as soon as possible in order to secure basic day-to-day healthcare.

The EU is aware of the health needs of populations suffering from natural and man-made crises. Annually, it provides some EUR 200 million to support humanitarian health operations across the world, amounting to approximately 30 % of all global spending on this one issue. The funding addresses a range of often interrelated needs, from treating malnutrition and injury to providing safe water supplies and immunisation programmes for children.

Working with its international partners, the EU’s first priority is to limit preventable deaths and disability which can stem from emergency situations. Support is provided in an unbiased way to those in greatest need.