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Health Disaster Management in the Americas

. Health Disaster Management in the Americas. Dr. Ciro R. Ugarte Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief. Health Disaster Management in the Americas…. PAHO’s Directing Council established a Program on Emergencies and Disasters in 1976. Scope. “Natural” Disasters. Technological and

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Health Disaster Management in the Americas

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  1. . . Health Disaster Management in the Americas Dr. Ciro R. Ugarte Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief

  2. Health Disaster Management in the Americas… PAHO’s Directing Council established a Program on Emergencies and Disasters in 1976. Scope “Natural” Disasters Technological and biological emergencies “Complex” Disasters

  3. Disaster Management in the Americas… • The program evolved after significant events: • Earthquake in Guatemala 1976 • Earthquake in Mexico 1985 • Hurricane Mitch 1998 • Hurricane Season 2005 • H1N1 pandemic 2009 • Haiti earthquake 2010 • Ebola 2014

  4. 39 years of evolution in health disaster management • From mainly ad hoc response, to preparedness, to risk reduction • From working only with MoH (casualty management) to cooperate with key sectors (MoH, Civil Defense, Foreign Affairs, Public Works, Military, Legislative Bodies,…) • From building a group of specialist approach to a wider institutional engagement (cross cutting issue) • One of the Essential Public Health Functions • From certain countries’ initiative to PAHO, WHO, and United Nations Priority for Action

  5. Institutional Strengthening • Support the institutionalization of health disaster programs (technical staff, funding, access to the decision-making level) • Promote inter-sectorial cooperation

  6. Publicationswww.paho.org/disasters

  7. PAHO main “clients” Reaching the population through: • National and health disaster coordinators • Focal points in Areas and Country Offices • Network of national and regional experts • Collaborating Centers

  8. National Partners PAHO also works with other National Institutions: • Disaster management • Foreign Affairs • Environment • NGOs and volunteers • Military • Education • Industry/private sector • Parliament • Mass media • Others…

  9. PAHO’s main International partnersReaching the population with the collaboration of: • Inter-governmental disaster related institutions • CDEMA • CEPREDENAC • CAPRADE • REHU • United Nations • OCHA • ISDR • WFP, UNICEF, WB, ECLAC, UNFPA, UNDP, UNHCR, IOM, OIE • Red Cross Movement: IFRC, ICRC, National Societies • Inter-American System: OAS, IADB, PADF, IICA, IDB, Chair of Preparedness and response Group of the IACNDR • Inter-governmental Institutions: CARICOM, ACS, SICA, CAN, MERCOSUR • Partnership for Health: USAID/OFDA, DFATD, DFID, ECHO, AECID • Others: CDC, SOUTHCOM, CETESB, YNHHS, UWI, WHITE HELMETS, MSF,…

  10. Regional Strategy A more resilient health sector in the Americas targeting efficient and innovative approaches “A health sector with adequate, nationally-led and sustained capacity to ensure that member states are resilient enough to protect the physical, mental and social wellbeing of their communities and rapidly recover from disasters.”

  11. From Theory to Practice in the Health Sector • In theory, the health sector should be able to ensure that all health facilities are safe from disasters. • In practice, it is necessary to begin increasing the safety of those health services that are located in high risk areas and that provide essential life-saving health care services.

  12. PAHO-AMRO Strategic Approach • PAHO’s strategy is to use internal and external evaluations to update norms, procedures, technical recommendations, and emergency tools when pertinent. POLICY ALLIANCES -NWORK SURGE CAPACITY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT ADVOCACY RESOURCE MOBILIZATION

  13. When resources are limited… Priority is given to actions with higher value for money and broader impact on countries’ disaster management capacity: • Identifying and training experts in each Member State to trigger immediate response and provide continuous support to national and regional entities • Leveraging national and international capacities • Fostering the alignment of partners’ work plans with regionally agreed health agendas and resolutions • Fostering access to low-cost and high-efficient technologies among Member State • The challenge is not only to assign and implement priorities but also to convey them to the higher political/decision levels and the financial sector.

  14. Current Priorities in the Americas: • Improved capacity of Member States to provide a timely and appropriate response to disasters, complex emergencies and other crises. • A health sector ready to respond to emergencies and disasters. • Effective implementation of response operations. • Prompt recovery and rehabilitation needs assessments of national health systems affected by disasters.

  15. Current Priorities in the Americas: • Enhanced capacity of National Health Systems on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Risk Reduction. • National health disaster programs functioning according to established criteria. • Health services resilient and functioning after a disaster.

  16. Current Priorities in the Americas: • Increased effectiveness of PAHO and the Health Cluster in responding to disasters. • Enhanced capacity of PAHO to support Member States in disasters. • Enhanced capacity of the Health Cluster to respond to disasters.

  17. In house provisions: • Current PAHO/WHO Directives and Norms (*): • Disaster Task Force at PAHO HQ (composition, activation, and functions) • Disaster Focal Points in Country Offices • Emergency Fund • Defined role and functions • Regional response Team • Special Emergency Procedures • Emergency Operation Center • Incident Management Mechanism *intranet.paho.org

  18. . . Health Disaster Management in the Americas Dr. Ciro R. Ugarte Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief

  19. A Vision for the Inter-American Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response

  20. The Final Goal • To enhance national and international assistance to populations affected by emergencies and disasters by: • strengthening and complementing the national response capacity • improving the quality and appropriateness of external assistance

  21. A Comprehensive Approach • Improving the Inter-American System’s response cannot be dissociated from strengthening the national response capacity. • The national and the Inter-American response are both critical.

  22. Complementarity • A sophisticated humanitarian coordination system already exists at the national, sub-regional and global level: • Civil Protection and Emergency Committees • CDEMA, CEPREDENAC, CAPRADE, REHU,… • UN System: ERC, OCHA, Clusters, CERF, … • NGOs, Red Cross Movement, Volunteer Groups, … • OAS: IACNDR, Preparedness and Response Group

  23. What does Disaster Coordination entail? • Good information / Intelligence • Good governance & accountability • Professional expertise on-site

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