Editorial
Rush to Action Before the Disaster!
A look at how money spent on costly post-disaster interventions might be better channeled to local capacity building

The earthquake in Bam, Iran in late December 2003 brought home, once again, the reality that most international search and rescue teams arrive too late to make a significant difference in terms of saving a number of lives following sudden-impact natural disasters. (More)

Benefits and Challenges of Distance Learning Debated at Regional Workshop

For more than 25 years, PAHO has supported disaster preparedness and mitigation training initiatives throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. This support has taken many forms—from complete or partial sponsorship of selected events, to providing trainers or content experts, to technical and training material. (More)

Field Hospitals Arrive in Iran
Following December Earthquake

When a major earthquake struck Bam, Iran last December, killing at least 30,000 persons, more than 10 field hospitals (defined as mobile, self-contained, self-sufficient health care facilities capable of rapid deployment to meet immediate emergency requirements for a specific period of time) were sent. (More)

New Journal Features Disaster Medicine

The International Journal of Disaster Medicine is an international journal devoted exclusively to the field of disaster medicine. (More)

OAS-led Committee to Hold Simulation of Terrorist Attack

The Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) is committed to strengthening hemispheric cooperation and to continuing to implement specific measures to prevent, combat and eliminate international terrorism. (More)

ISDR Looks at Information Systems and Disaster Risk

The Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction prepared a background paper for the World Summit on the Information Society, held in Geneva last December. (More)

WADEM to Host Emergency Medicine Community

The World Association of Disaster and Emergency Medicine will host the 3rd Pan-American Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine from 4-7 April 2004 in El Salvador. (More)

World Health Day 2004: Road Safety is no Accident

On April 7, 2004, hundreds of organizations will host events to help raise awareness about road traffic injuries, a serious public health problem with grave consequences and enormous costs to society. (More)

International Simulation Exercise in Colombia

More than 600 people participated in a drill—one of the largest in recent years—that took place in Bogota, Colombia. The objective was to strenghten local, national and international coordination and response in the face of an earthquake or a large-scale terrorist attack. (More)

Regional Meetings Will Identify Mitigation Agenda for the Americas

Ten years after the Yokohama Conference, held in 1995 at the mid-point of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, the international community has demonstrated some results through declarations and agreements. (More)

Strengthening Military-Civilian Cooperation in the Americas

The Armed Forces can play an important role in disaster situations. Their organization, discipline, personnel and resources can greatly benefit the affected population if their assets are used to support civilian institutions and authorities. (More)

Project to Enhance Emergency Surveillance System in Haiti

During the past several years, average life expectancy in Haiti has dropped to 49.6 at birth. Due to economic sanctions and the already pervasive state of poverty, the health status is expected to decline even further. (More)

Central America Five Years after Hurricane Mitch

Five years after Hurricane Mitch –one of the most devastating disasters to strike Central America in decades— the most affected countries have much to show in terms of reducing their vulnerability to disasters . (More)

Solid Waste Management in Disaster Situations

The first book in a series on Environmental Health and Disasters, is a guide that answers questionsbased on the experience of Latin America and the Caribbean. (More)

Protecting New Health Facilities from Natural Disasters

Technical knowledge and experience have taught us that it is possible to reduce to a minimum the risks and damage caused by disasters if preventive measures are incorporated early in the design, construction and maintenance of new health facilities. (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)