Editorial
The Cluster Leadership Approach:
Coordinating the External Response to Disasters

Coordinating external assistance following large-scale disasters is the responsibility of the government of an affected country. In an ideal world, the national disaster management authority (the Civil Protection system, the national emergency commission or some other institution) or a Ministry (Foreign Affairs or Health, for example) would be well prepared to take charge of major disasters that result in a massive influx of assistance from outside. But in the real world, are they in charge? (More)

Is this hospital safe?

Planning for a safe hospital begins with the site selection, taking into account vulnerability in terms of accessibility, the terrain and hazards. (More)

Health Disaster Response Team for the Americas

Preparations are well underway to ensure that the PAHO/WHO Health Disaster Response Team is ready for deployment to any PAHO Member State affected by an emergency or disaster.  Last February, 35 regional health experts—from PAHO/WHO technical programs and nationals with experience in assessing health sector damage and needs—met in San Jose, Costa Rica to review the team’s manual of procedures, update and streamline internal administrative procedures to increase flexibility in emergency situations and to encourage cooperation among team members. (More)

The Challenge in Disaster Reduction for the Water and Sanitation Sector: Improving Quality of Life by Reducing Vulnerability

This new joint publication (PAHO, UNICEF, the ISDR and the IFRC) was introduced at the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico in March to draw attention to the importance of ensuring that water and sanitation systems remain fully operational in the aftermath of natural disasters. (More)

Read PAHO’s Annual Report on Disaster Reduction

PAHO’s 2005 Annual Report on disaster preparedness, mitigation and response is now on the web. (More)

Water Sector Recognizes Risk Management as Key

This past March, at the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico, risk management was one of the themes around which priorities and strategies were defined to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (More)

LIDERES Course: a Platform for Inter-agency Cooperation

The LIDERES course—a high-level management course on health, disasters and development—is designed to provide the in-depth and updated knowledge necessary to lead risk reduction programs in Latin America and the Caribbean.  The latest course, the eighth since 2000, took place in Lima, Peru and was co-organized with Peru’s Ministry of Health, the Cayetano Heredia University, UNICEF, the IFRC and the Foundation for Integrated Risk Management. (More)

Colombia: Turning Emergencies into Opportunities

Unusual rainfall in February 2005 affected the Colombian department of Santander causing serious floods and landslides that resulted in death and destruction, in addition to blocked roads that delayed the arrival of aid. The presence of a PAHO/WHO field office in Santander, already working on issues of health and population displacement, made it possible to collaborate with local authorities to minimize the negative impact on health. (More)

Portable Labs Help Improve Water Quality in Guatemala

Within the framework of Guatemala’s national Water and Sanitation Emergency Plan, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance delivered portable laboratory equipment to nine of the departments affected by Tropical Storm Stan last October. The equipment will be used for water quality surveillance and control. (More)

Nevis Holds Training on Emergency Care

The Nevis Disaster Management Office (NDMO) and several other national agencies held a five-day workshop on Emergency Care and Treatment (ECAT) in Disasters. (More)

Following Back-to-Back Hurricanes in Grenada
Home for the Elderly Made More Disaster-Resistant

In 2004, Hurricane Ivan badly damaged the Richmond Home for the Elderly—the only one of its kind remaining in Grenada. In addition to geriatric patients, the Richmond Home houses handicapped and psychiatric patients that require constant medical care. (More)

Andean Countries Strengthen Strategies for Health Disaster Management

Countries in the Andean Region—Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela—are using pilot strategies to enhance disaster preparedness and mitigation and exchange knowledge and expertise, thus improving local level disaster response and coordination. (More)

Regional Preparedness Continues for Pandemic Influenza

Some 60 disaster experts from the health and agriculture sectors, Civil Protection agencies and Foreign Affairs Ministries in Central America and the Dominican Republic met to strengthen and accelerate country level preparedness for avian and pandemic influenza. (More)

Management of Dead Bodies after Disasters: A Field Manual for First Responders

Management of the dead is one of the most difficult aspects of disaster response and yet, care of the deceased is often overlooked in disaster planning. Compounding the situation is the absence of guidance for first responders, a fact that was recently highlighted following several large-scale disasters. (More)

Communicable Disease Control in Emergencies – A Field Manual

Communicable diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in emergencies. Populations affected by conflict or natural disaster are at a higher risk of these diseases due to displacement, crowded temporary settlements, collapsed health services, and water and food shortages. (More)

Peru Publishes Guide to Safe Hospitals

Recently, the topic of safe hospitals has become commonplace at national and international meetings, as health authorities and other experts stress the importance of safeguarding these key facilities from the devastating effects of disasters. The Ministry of Health of Peru, with support from PAHO and the Civil Defense, has published the first national guide in the Americas on the subject. (More)

CRID

The Regional Disaster Information Center (CRID)’s mission is to promote the development of a culture of prevention in Latin American and Caribbean countries through the compilation and dissemination of disaster-related information and the promotion of cooperative efforts to improve risk management in the Region. (More)