Local Emergency Health Plans:
Building Blocks for Disaster Reduction

The process of decentralization has long been a goal for the health sector in the Americas. Nicaragua has successfully applied this formula to disaster preparedness in the countries, creating local integrated health systems that have proved useful after hurricane Mitch and other disasters.(More)

Read More About Community Organization for Disasters

CRID, the Regional Disaster Information Center, has published a special issue of Biblio-des, the Center's selected bibliography series that focuses on local emergency health plans, the theme of this month's editorial. (More)

International Meeting
"Hospitals In Disasters: Handle With Care"

A meeting on hospitals in disasters will take place in El Salvador that will focus on disaster mitigation, evacuation and field hospitals. (More)

News about the LEADERS Course

Three new LEADERS courses are planned for the next year, including one in Portuguese and one outisde of the region of the Americas. LEADERS is an international course that focuses on the management aspects of disaster reduction. (More)

Paul Bell: Disaster Community Remembers a Leader and Friend

Paul Bell was a respected colleague to the humanitarian community worldwide. PAHO remembers this remarkable man who left a legacy of outstanding work and dedication to the disaster community . (More)

ALNAP Promotes Learning to Improve Practice

In an effort to improve performance and accountability after disasters, the Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action (ALNAP) has developed training modules to improve the practice and effective use of evaluations for disaster situations. (More)

2003 World Disaster Reduction Campaign: Turning the Tide on Disasters

The ISDR’s 2003 campaign, Turning the Tide on Disasters, aims at changing perceptions of hydrometeorological disasters such as floods and drought by involving as many sectors as possible in education and prevention activities. (More)

Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Advisory Group Created

Reducing damage to health facilities in the Caribbean is a priority. A Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Advisory Group (DiMAG) has been created with the purpose of advising Ministries of Health on standards and quality mechanisms for the construction or retrofitting of health facilties. (More)

Winds Of Change

The purpose of this meeting was to provide knowledge of hazards affecting hospital design and construction. The importance of enforcing building codes has been recognized as a means to reducing damage to health facilities as a result of hurricanes. (More)

Floods in Argentina Affect the Health Sector

Floods from late April through May in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina and surrounding areas resulted in damage to health systems and caused chronic emergency health and sanitary conditions. (More)

Health Library for Disasters
2003 Edition

The 2003 Edition of the Health Library for Disasters, a joint PAHO/WHO production, has just been published. More than 500 technical and scientific documents on disaster reduction and public health form the basis for this electronic collection. (More)

Selected Bibliography

The articles listed in this section may be of interest to health professionals and others responsible for disaster preparedness, mitigation and relief. (More)

Special Supplement
CRID: Bringing information closer to the needs of its users

The Regional Disaster Information Center has been active since 1990. Learn more about its services, products, activities and alliances that form part of a dynamic working environment that offers countless possibilities for its users. (More)