[HOT] Ebola in Conakry, Guinea

[Rod Bera]

Hi Russ,

Thank you for your answer. I agree there is always a way to improve the 
quality of geometry and basic tagging (building=yes).

But I feel this crisis has something specific: no destruction of 
infrastructure (which is quite limited on the heath side btw), virulent 
epidemic (80%ish mortality within a week) threatening a 1.5M city.

Here the main needs are more (imo) on accurate and comprehensive tagging 
(dispensaries, hospitals, other relevant infrastructures, facilities, 
and amenities), which requires on-field knowledge, and response time 
(the slightest delay in action can yield thousands of extra 
contaminations...)

Another potentially important element to account for is restriction of 
movement and quarantines, which can complicate the gathering of needed 
information (except for medical NGOs on-site, e.g.  MSF. Needless to say 
they'll have more urgent tasks to complete than mapping/tagging).

Ultimately the question is about how HOT can contribute on this kind of 
crisis (and should HOT do so after all, if we find out we can't make a 
noticeable difference)?

regards,

Rod


On 24/03/14 12:51, Russell Deffner wrote:
> Rod,
>
> If there is a way we can provide aid, then yes!  I am not familiar with
> either the area or the disease, so not much help there; but - typically we
> might assist the local mapping community (if there is one) with remotely
> tracing the area from available imagery.  If there isn't a local community,
> HOT can discuss and potentially provide a remote coordinator - to get HOT
> coordinators on the ground typically requires a partner organization to
> contact us (info at hotopenstreetmap.org) for assistance.
>
> If you are from the area/concerned for personal interest, I would first ask
> if you know the quality of the map data in the area and if there is any OSM
> community there/how best to reach out; then we can work out specifics -
> really we just need to know our efforts are actually needed (i.e. people in
> need of aid will receive benefit from whatever we do).
>
> Thank you,
> =Russ
>
> Russell Deffner
> Russell.Deffner at hotosm.org
> The Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team
> http://hot.openstreetmap.org/
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rod Bera [mailto:rod at goarem.org]
> Sent: Monday, March 24, 2014 5:43 AM
> To: hot at openstreetmap.org
> Subject: [HOT] Ebola in Conakry, Guinea
>
> Hi all,
>
> Is there a way we can assist on this one?
> The virus has now reached Conakry. As far as I recall it's the first
> time the disease finds its way to such a populated area...
>
> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/22/ebola-guinea_n_5014500.html
>
> Rod
>
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>
>


-- 
Rod Béra,  MCF Géomatique                /   Lecturer, Geomatics
            et SIG pour l'Environnement  /    and Environmental GIS
Agrocampus-Ouest|65 r.Saint-Brieuc|CS84215|35042 Rennes cedex|France
+33 (0) 223 48 5553 - roderic.bera at agrocampus-ouest.fr