Introduction
Although
2005 will be remembered for a number of catastrophic disasters—Hurricane
Katrina in the United States, the aftermath of the tsunami and the earthquake
in south Asia—other destructive events also occurred in Latin
America and Caribbean. The year began with devastating floods in Guyana
which were followed by the most active hurricane season ever recorded
in the Americas. Later in the year, Tropical Storm Stan battered El
Salvador and Guatemala and the effects of this disaster still linger.
All of these events have presented opportunities for increasing preparedness
efforts in the Region and beyond.
This
report touches upon a broad spectrum of activities carried out by the
Pan American Health Organization’s Area on Emergency Preparedness
and Disaster Relief. The activities described are organized into four
chapters (expected results). These results were pursued through various
means, including capacity building and training, publications, collaboration
and expert technical consultations, partnerships and more.
Disaster preparedness activities are our core business. Emphasis is
focused on institutional strengthening—working with Ministries
of Health to confront present and future challenges, such as preparing
for the pandemic influenza, bioterrorism and biological, chemical and
radiological accidents, as well as the continuation of disaster programs
during times of political transition. Disaster preparedness has been
enhanced through training events, such as the continuing LEADERS and
Hospital Disaster Planning courses, as well as through the production
of a wide body of technical and scientific publications. PAHO/PED also
supports framework agreements to enhance collaboration among countries
and key implementing agencies. These endeavors have strengthened not
only preparedness but have increased awareness and response capacities
at both the ministerial and local level.
PAHO’s
contribution to disaster mitigation in the health sector has several
areas of focus. Advocacy and awareness efforts, such as those targeting
the “Safe Hospitals” initiative (based on a mandate from
the Second World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in Kobe, Japan
in early 2005), are key to building a critical mass of decision makers
who will carry forth plans to ensure that these critical facilities
remain functional in the aftermath of disasters. Individual countries
are also the focus of disaster mitigation activities. Many countries
have made progress toward reducing vulnerability. For example, at the
close of 2005, Peru adopted national building code legislation, calling
for standards in the construction and design of buildings, particularly
hospitals.
Looking
back, 2005 will be remembered as a year in which PAHO’s support
to disaster response was as intense in other regions of the world as
it was in the Americas. The sheer magnitude of the disasters in south
Asia overwhelmed WHO’s response capacity and staff from PAHO/WHO
helped in a number of ways, most notably by deploying a disaster manager
to head up the health cluster in both Banda Aceh (tsunami) and Islamabad
(earthquake). Non-PAHO disaster professionals from Member States were
also deployed to south Asia, allowing this Region to become an exporter
of technical cooperation and expertise. The Logistics Support System
(LSS) was used for the first time in Pakistan, where it was set up early
on. Many local professionals were trained to use the software and manage
the system.
In support
of disaster response, PAHO/WHO has created and/or strengthened a number
of internal mechanisms, including a Headquarters Disaster Task Force,
a special Task Force on Epidemic Alert and Response (EAR) to advise
the Organization on preparedness, readiness and response activities
to address the risk of an influenza pandemic and a regionwide Disaster
Response Team. The ad hoc emergency operations center that was set up
following Hurricane Katrina had a positive impact and the Organization
is studying how to establish a full-time health and crisis management
center.
PAHO’s
many years of experience (more than 100 years) and extensive network
of expert professionals are crucial assets in harnessing support for
national health disaster programs. PED’s relationships and partnerships
with both internal departments, such as the Department of Communicable
Diseases, and external agencies, such as UNICEF, help advance shared
goals. This collaboration not only facilitates a productive working
environment, but also helps to spread information on disaster preparedness
activities, such as preparedness for pandemic influenza, as well as
to expand the base of available expert resources through such groups
as the Regional Disaster Response Team.