This resource addresses the multi-faceted challenges of an international deployment of health professionals in response to public health emergencies. The first half of the handbook provides an overview of the international environment for responding to health emergencies, including the organisations, principles, frameworks, technologies and cultural values that shape the international health environment. The second half of the book provides practical advice to health professionals for staying healthy, coping with stress, and building trust amongst communities and peers. The book is designed so that a reader can quickly pick a topic of interest and gain an initial overview of the topic. 

This handbook was first conceived of during 2011 and was released during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 50 experts from more than 15 institutes and organizations contributed to this handbook with the goal of making their expertise available and encouraging cross-sectoral thinking during the pandemic. The handbook was published by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is a German federal government agency and research institute responsible for the investigation, monitoring, and prevention of infectious diseases. RKI is the largest public health institute in Germany and employs over 1000 people, including 450 scientists. The handbook is currently only available in English, and no further updates are expected to it.