Questions answered by rapid assessment
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Some specific questions to be answered by a rapid assessment include:
- How many people are affected?
- What is the likely evolution of the crisis? Will it get worse or are things improving?
- What is the health status of the affected population?
- What are immediate program priorities?
- Water
- Food
- Shelter
- Measles vaccination
- What resources are available?
- Coverage and quality of existing programmes
- What outbreaks may occur?
- Are there signs of current outbreaks?
- What outbreaks might be anticipated, such as measles, cholera, dysentery, meningitis?
- Other problems - security, logistics, environment, etc.
Therefore, rapid assessment is appropriate when any of these questions need answers so urgently that there is not sufficient time for a larger, more formal assessment, such as a survey or sophisticated qualitative investigation.