Protecting health after earthquakes: learning from a community-centred approach in Türkiye

June 12, 2026 - 05:42

In the hours and days after a major earthquake, the immediate devastation is clear: collapsed buildings, lost lives, and families torn apart. But the crisis does not end when the shaking stops. In the weeks and months that follow, new health risks silently emerge, compounding the trauma of displacement and loss. These dangers evolve over time, shifting from injuries and crush syndrome to outbreaks of infectious disease, mental health crises, and the collapse of routine medical care.

A recent approach in Turkey offers a powerful lesson in how to address these long-term threats. Rather than relying solely on top-down emergency response, local communities were placed at the center of the recovery. This meant training local health workers and volunteers to identify emerging risks, distribute basic supplies, and provide psychological first aid to neighbors. It also involved setting up temporary clinics in tents and repurposed buildings, ensuring that chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension were not neglected during the chaos.

The key insight is that communities themselves are the first and most enduring responders. They know the local geography, the social networks, and the cultural norms that outsiders might miss. By empowering these groups with resources and training, the response becomes faster, more adaptable, and more trusted. This model does not replace the work of hospitals or international aid agencies, but it fills critical gaps that often go unnoticed until it is too late.

As earthquakes continue to strike vulnerable regions, the lesson from Turkey is clear: protecting health after a disaster requires more than tents and medical supplies. It requires investing in the people who will be there long after the news cameras leave.