Briefing and Equipment

Consultants should be briefed both before and after arrival to the requesting country. The Pan American Health Organization should furnish the consultant the following information prior to departure:

(1) The general objectives of the visit
(2) The expected duration of the visit
(3) Names of contacts, especially of the officers in positions of responsibility and, whenever possible, names of entomologists, vector control specialists, civilian and military public health officials, and other potential sources of assistance within the country
(4) The status of the disaster and its relation to potential problems
(5) The types of supplies and equipment that the consultant should take (beyond those listed in Annex 11)
(6) A list of individuals who will supply logistic requirements, such as food, transportation, shelter and communication support
(7) A profile of the country containing information about geographic, climatic and demographic features, political and socioeconomic conditions, past communicable disease history and the public health infrastructure
(8) Current information concerning the following:

(a) The vector control staff
(b) Vector control equipment
(c) Insecticides and rodenticides
(d) Transportation and communication systems

(9) Information for purposes of communication, such as:

(a) The address, telephone, cable and telex number of the Pan American Health Organization office
(b) Names and addresses of hotels, especially if the consultant is to reside in an area that is not near an office of the Pan American Health Organization
(c) United Nations Development Program, other United Nations, and international or national agencies which operate in the country.

(10) Information regarding passport and visa requirements, appropriate currency, airline ticket, and excess accompanied luggage allowance.

The consultant can supplement this by reviewing information about diseases, vectors and geographical conditions of the country. Possible sources of such information are libraries, newspapers, United Nations country background reports, universities, area handbooks, other consultants' reports, and individuals with past experience of the conditions in the country. Local amateur radio operators who have contacts in the country can provide valuable additional information.

The Pan American Health Organization, other international agencies and bilateral aid programs handle arrangements for travel and local contacts. They will inform their officials within the country about the consultant's arrival and request arrangements be made to meet with the appropriate national authorities.

The local contact in the Pan American Health Organization should brief the consultant about the following:

(1) Government contacts who work in the areas of public health, agriculture, defense, and natural resources
(2) The current status of disaster and vector or rodent problems
(3) Past reports about vector and rodent-borne diseases, in the possession of the Pan American Health Organization or the national government
(4) Other assistance being provided by international agencies and organizations
(5) Nongovernmental contacts and/or other sources of information, including local pest control firms and aerial spray operators
(6) Any recent changes in government plans
(7) The political or economic implications of the disaster
(8) Road conditions and the availability of ground transportation for field work
(9) A sample of press reports about disaster conditions.