Health Disaster Management in the Americas2 |

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Health Disaster Management Health Disaster Management in the Americasin the Americas

Dr. Ciro R. Ugarte

Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief

Health Disaster Management in the Americas3 |

Health Disaster Management in the Americas…

Health Disaster Management in the Americas…

PAHO’s Directing Council established a Program on Emergencies and Disasters in

1976.ScopeScope

Technological and biological emergencies

“Natural”Disasters

“Complex”Disasters

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Disaster Management in the Americas…

Disaster Management in the Americas…

The program evolved after significant events: – Earthquake in Guatemala 1976– Earthquake in Mexico 1985– Hurricane Mitch 1998– Hurricane Season 2005– H1N1 pandemic 2009– Haiti earthquake 2010– Ebola 2014

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39 years of evolution in health disaster management

39 years of evolution in health disaster management

From mainly ad hoc response, to preparedness, to risk reduction

From working only with MoH (casualty management) to cooperate with key sectors (MoH, Civil Defense, Foreign Affairs, Public Works, Military, Legislative Bodies,…)

From building a group of specialist approach to a wider institutional engagement (cross cutting issue)

One of the Essential Public Health FunctionsFrom certain countries’ initiative to PAHO, WHO, and

United Nations Priority for Action

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Institutional StrengtheningInstitutional Strengthening

Support the institutionalization of health disaster programs (technical staff, funding, access to the decision-making level)

Promote inter-sectorial cooperation

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Publicationswww.paho.org/disasters

Publicationswww.paho.org/disasters

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PAHO main “clients”PAHO main “clients”

Reaching the population through:

National and health disaster coordinators

Focal points in Areas and Country Offices

Network of national and regional experts

Collaborating Centers

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National PartnersNational Partners

PAHO also works with other National Institutions:Disaster managementForeign AffairsEnvironmentNGOs and volunteersMilitaryEducation Industry/private sectorParliamentMass mediaOthers…

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PAHO’s main International partnersReaching the population with the collaboration of:

PAHO’s main International partnersReaching the population with the collaboration of:

Inter-governmental disaster related institutions– CDEMA – CEPREDENAC– CAPRADE– REHU

United Nations– OCHA– ISDR– WFP, UNICEF, WB, ECLAC, UNFPA, UNDP, UNHCR, IOM, OIE

Red Cross Movement: IFRC, ICRC, National Societies Inter-American System: OAS, IADB, PADF, IICA, IDB, Chair of

Preparedness and response Group of the IACNDR Inter-governmental Institutions: CARICOM, ACS, SICA, CAN,

MERCOSUR Partnership for Health: USAID/OFDA, DFATD, DFID, ECHO, AECID Others: CDC, SOUTHCOM, CETESB, YNHHS, UWI, WHITE

HELMETS, MSF,…

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Regional StrategyRegional Strategy

A more resilient health sector in the Americas targeting efficient and innovative approaches

“A health sector with adequate, nationally-led and sustained

capacity to ensure that member states are resilient enough to

protect the physical, mental and social wellbeing of their

communities and rapidly recover from disasters”.

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From Theory to Practice in the Health Sector

From Theory to Practice in the Health Sector

In theory, the health sector should be able to ensure that all health facilities are safe from disasters.

In practice, it is necessary to begin increasing the safety of those health services that are located in high risk areas and that provide essential life-saving health care services.

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PAHO-AMRO Strategic ApproachPAHO-AMRO Strategic Approach

PAHO’s strategy is to use internal and external evaluations to update norms, procedures, technical recommendations, and emergency tools when pertinent.

ADVOCACY

ALLIANCES -NWORK

POLICY

RESOURCE MOBILIZATIO

N

SURGE CAPACITY

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

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When resources are limited…When resources are limited…

Priority is given to actions with higher value for money and broader impact on countries’ disaster management capacity: Identifying and training experts in each Member State to trigger immediate response and provide continuous support to national and regional entities Leveraging national and international capacitiesFostering the alignment of partners’ work plans with regionally agreed health agendas and resolutions Fostering access to low-cost and high-efficient technologies among Member StateThe challenge is not only to assign and implement priorities but also to convey them to the higher political/decision levels and the financial sector.

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Current Priorities in the Americas:Current Priorities in the Americas:

1. Improved capacity of Member States to provide a timely and appropriate response to disasters, complex emergencies and other crises.

• A health sector ready to respond to emergencies and disasters.

• Effective implementation of response operations.

• Prompt recovery and rehabilitation needs assessments of national health systems affected by disasters.

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Current Priorities in the Americas:Current Priorities in the Americas:

2. Enhanced capacity of National Health Systems on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Risk Reduction.

• National health disaster programs functioning according to established criteria.

• Health services resilient and functioning after a disaster.

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Current Priorities in the Americas:Current Priorities in the Americas:

3. Increased effectiveness of PAHO and the Health Cluster in responding to disasters.

• Enhanced capacity of PAHO to support Member States in disasters.

• Enhanced capacity of the Health Cluster to respond to disasters.

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In house provisions: In house provisions: Current PAHO/WHO Directives and Norms (*)Current PAHO/WHO Directives and Norms (*):

– Disaster Task Force at PAHO HQ (composition, activation, and functions)

– Disaster Focal Points in Country Offices

– Emergency Fund

– Defined role and functions

– Regional response Team

– Special Emergency Procedures

– Emergency Operation Center

– Incident Management Mechanism

*intranet.paho.org

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Health Disaster Management Health Disaster Management in the Americasin the Americas

Dr. Ciro R. Ugarte

Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief

A Vision for the Inter-A Vision for the Inter-American Emergency American Emergency

Preparedness and Disaster Preparedness and Disaster ResponseResponse

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The Final GoalThe Final Goal

• To enhance national and international assistance to populations affected by emergencies and disasters by:

o strengthening and complementing the national response capacity

o improving the quality and appropriateness of external assistance

A Comprehensive ApproachA Comprehensive Approach

• Improving the Inter-American System’s response cannot be dissociated from strengthening the national response capacity.

• The national and the Inter-American response are both critical.

Complementarity Complementarity • A sophisticated humanitarian coordination

system already exists at the national, sub-regional and global level:

o Civil Protection and Emergency Committeeso CDEMA, CEPREDENAC, CAPRADE, REHU,…o UN System: ERC, OCHA, Clusters, CERF, … o NGOs, Red Cross Movement, Volunteer

Groups, …o OAS: IACNDR, Preparedness and Response

Group

What does What does Disaster Disaster

CoordinationCoordination entail? entail?

• Good information / Intelligence

• Good governance & accountability

• Professional expertise on-site