Editorial
Climate Change and Disaster Programs in the Health Sector

For decades, there has been endless discussion on climate change. For almost as long, the topic has also been surrounded by controversy caused by insufficient scientific evidence, conflicts of interest or simply, as the ostrich, burying our head in the sand. (More)

Interview - Dr. Mirta Roses Periago

This new section is launched with an interview with the Director of the Pan American Health Organization, Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, who sets forth the Organization’s vision and contribution in the area of emergencies and disasters. (More)

Strengthening Disaster Preparedness in Central America, the Dominican Republic and Haiti

With the financial support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, PAHO is launching a new project with the Ministries of Health of El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Haiti to improve the health sector’s capacity to respond to disasters. (More)

PAHO/WHO Renews Commitment to Disaster Reduction

Read PAHO/WHO’s strategic plan for 2008-12, which sets forth priorities in disaster preparedness, mitigation and risk reduction. (More)

Social Communication: An Essential Tool for Disaster Response Teams

Disasters are dynamic, and so is the need for information during all stages of emergencies. The numbers of dead, wounded, affected, shelter, food, water, security, health risks, recovery…so many questions in the midst of confusion and drama make it imperative for communicators to be part of the PAHO/WHO Disaster Response Team. (More)

International Agencies and NGOs Unite to Promote Good Donations

PAHO/WHO together with UNICEF, OCHA, Intermon Oxfam, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the World Food Program, have finished an initial draft of recommendations for humanitarian donations that seeks to raise awareness among donors, authorities and communications media about how to make and seek effective humanitarian donations in disaster situations. (More)

Guide for the Implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action

OCHA, in collaboration with the ISDR, has launched a guide for implementating the Hyogo Framework for Action, Priority 5. The document should aid governments, local authorities and others to develop and measure their capacity for response. (More)

BiVa-PaD Network, Information Centers for Prevention and Response to Disasters in Andean Countries

Four information centers are now functioning with virtual libraries in Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, located in the national risk management organizations. Each center has information services available on its web page: databases, full text documents, contact lists and news on risk management, emergencies and disasters. The BiVa-PaD Centers select, process and disseminate information, deal with users’ requests and promote work through a network of institutions which produce and use information. (More)

Wind Hazard Maps: Valuable for the Design and Construction of Safer Facilities

There is a underlying need for information on the hazard of winds, based on meteorological records and methodologies recognized by the scientific community. To meet this need, PAHO/WHO together with Applied Research Associates, an U.S. institute, and experts from the Caribbean, has created a tool which shows the hazards of winds in the Caribbean islands, the Caribbean coasts of Central America, South America and the Yucatán Peninsula, a wider area than that covered by existing maps. (More)

September Storms Pummel the Caribbean

Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and the Turks and Caicos recently suffered extensive hurricane damage. Storms Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike and Josephine pummeled the Caribbean between August and September, with strong winds and rains which gave rise to serious floods. Of the countries affected, Cuba and Haiti were the worst hit. Assistance and recovery efforts for the population will be extended over several months. (More)

The Hospital Safety Index: A New Tool to Assess Hospitals’ Ability to Function

The Hospital Safety Index represents important progress toward improvement of the safety of health facilities and their ability to function in emergencies or disasters. Thanks to the contribution of the Pan American Health Organization’s Disaster Mitigation Advisory Group (DiMAG) and input from other specialists in Latin America and the Caribbean, this new tool is a rapid and low-cost method of assessing hospital safety. (More)

PAHO/WHO Experts Share Experience with Chinese Authorities during Sichuan Earthquake

Following the earthquake of 12 May 2008 in Sichuan Province, the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China, through its Ministry of Health, asked the World Health Organization to share the experiences of other countries and regions regarding reconstruction of health services and to make feasible technical recommendations that would help to ensure the recovery of functioning medical services and the rebuilding of health facilities destroyed by the earthquake. (More)

Report on Disaster Management in El Salvador

The Humanitarian Policy Group has published the report: “El Salvador, a case study of a state affected by humanitarian action.” This document examines how the country took on responsibility for dealing with the humanitarian needs following three natural disasters which hit the country between 2001 and 2005 and how the response has evolved since then. (More)

WHO’s E-Atlas Helps Forecast the Magnitude of Disasters

The regional office of the World Health Organization for the Eastern Mediterranean presented the “E-Atlas of disaster risks for the Eastern Mediterranean region: Volume 1. Exposure to natural hazards.” The tool uses geographical information systems and disaster models to support decision-makers in reducing health risks among populations vulnerable to health emergencies or crises. (More)

ISDR Launches Book on Risk Management

The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) has published “Management of Disaster Risk Today. Global Contexts, Local Tools”. The publication, available on CD, Internet and in print, covers a number of topics including the objectives, priorities and principles of the Hyogo Framework for Action, the natural and social factors that threaten human and territorial security, climate change and its implications in Latin America, the Millennium Development Goals, and communication and public information. (More)

Manual for Organizing Emergency Operations Centers

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has published a guide for organizing emergency operations centers, based on the Management and Control of Emergency Operations (MACEO) system. (More)

CRID

Visit the CRID’s redesigned website to find out more about Safe Hospitals and to review a list of updated disaster terms. (More)