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Unit of study_
GLOH5124: Responding to Public Health Emergencies
2026 unit information
When disaster strikes, be it a flood, bushfires, war, famine, earthquake, disease outbreak, or other calamity, health systems have to rapidly adapt. Health professionals are often confronted by an array of novel challenges, from identifying and responding to unfamiliar sources of morbidity and mortality, to trying to attend to regular health concerns in the absence of usual resources and infrastructure. Even if the area a health system operates in is not directly affected by the disaster, those that staff it may find themselves having to rapidly scale up activities to cater to the needs of displaced populations. In this unit of study we examine what it means to respond to public health emergencies, both at home and abroad. The unit has a strong focus on praxis, drawing on real-world examples from a variety of experts working in the field and with a 4-day hands-on intensive at the end of the course. The unit of study also has a strong critical element, as we examine the social and political drivers of different kinds of disaster and the various philosophical and legal frameworks underpinning different modes of public health emergency response.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Medicine and Health
| Study level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Public Health |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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MIPH5124 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. demonstrate an understanding of the key health and related issues in humanitarian emergencies
- LO2. recognise priority public health issues that arise in emergency situations and displaced populations
- LO3. develop responses to health issues arising in humanitarian emergency situations
- LO4. demonstrate an understanding of the role of aid agencies and health workers in emergency situations
- LO5. recognise the potential health impacts of forced migration.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 2b 2026
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Block mode | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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