Standardization of health relief items needed in the early phase of emergencies.

Concepts, ideas and advocacy for standardization of medical materials have been in existence for over a hundred years and until 1957 were the domain of the Red Cross Movement. Following the Second World War there emerged both national and international organizations concerned with standardization of medical materials. The Gulf War brought deficiencies in emergency relief to the attention of the United Nations System and one of the consequences of this was the decision to standardize all emergency relief items needed in the early phase of emergencies. Standardization of health relief items made up one part of this process.