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In South America, Andean Institutions
and Disaster Coordinators
Adopt Disaster Strategy, Call for Safe Hospitals
At the annual meeting
of ministers of health of the Andean countries (Bolivia, Chile,
Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela), delegates paid particular attention
to disaster issues, approving the content of a health sector
disaster preparedness and response strategic plan 2005-2010
and adopting the motto “safe hospitals in disaster situations”
as an Andean risk reduction policy. They emphasized the importance
of building new hospitals and health facilities with a level
of protection that ensures their functionality in disaster
situations and implementing the appropriate mitigation measures
to reduce risk to existing facilities.
The Plan grew out of
interagency work sessions (attended by representatives from
the offices of external relations and disasters in the ministries
of health; CAPRADE, the Andean Region Disaster Preparedness
and Response Committee; the IFRC; the Convenio Hipólito
Unánue and PAHO/WHO) which identified common needs,
developed a strategic plan and mechanisms to achieve results.
At a subsequent meeting, CAPRADE adopted the health sector
strategic plan as part of the Andean disaster reduction strategy.
This will provide a framework in which countries can conduct
joint exercises, support regional response teams for damage
and needs assessment, epidemiological surveillance, and more;
and strengthen disaster preparedness in the health sector.
Among the first steps
countries will take to strengthen the health sector to respond
to emergencies is to prepare or update their own health sector
plans and promote health service networks under the concept
of “safe hospitals.” The countries will also look
at developing knowledge, research, and information management
by promoting risk management training in educational institutions.
When the disaster coordinators from the ministries of health
of South American countries met, they took forward these commitments,
and presented an action plan for disaster preparedness and
response that closely followed the strategic guidelines developed
in both the Andean Region and those prepared by MERCOSUR.
Among the priority actions for 2005 are: preparing an inventory
of hospitals that have conducted vulnerability studies; conducting
an internal assessment of the safety of their health facilities;
stepping up training in the SUMA system and in health damage
and needs assessment; greater advocacy for incorporating risk
management in the curriculum of the region’s institutions
of higher learning. Other issues considered a priority were
mental health, prevention and protection against fires, chemical
emergencies and disaster communications. For more information
contact cgarzon@ecu.ops-oms.org.
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