During the IV Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, PAHO/WHO highlighted the importance of including an specific health approach in the preparation of a new global framework , to be used after 2015, for disaster risk reduction. The strengthening of the political commitment, a multi-hazard approach, collaboration among all sectors and the allocation of financial resources are, among others, key elements to reducing disaster risk in the health sector of the Americas.
The Global Platform is an international meeting that takes place in Geneva (Switzerland). It brings together government delegates, United Nations agencies, academic institutions and representatives from civil society to propose a new global framework for disaster risk reduction. More than 2500 people participated in the Platform, the last one before the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction that will be held in Japan in 2015.
During this meeting, there was a call to increase the efforts for the full implementation of the mechanisms and key actions agreed by the United Nations Member States in the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015. In addition, the Platform addressed the gaps and challenges for the creation of a post-2015 agenda in order to have communities safer from disasters.
Hospitals Safe from Disasters
At the opening of this fourth session of the Global Platform, Jan Eliasson, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, remarked that “[H]ospitals and other community structures must be resilient. It is not acceptable that so many people die in disasters because of shoddy building standards.”
Protecting hospitals and other critical infrastructure from disasters, not only limits the damage and physical and economic losses, but allows for the continued operation of essential services in affected communities.
In this regard, Ciro Ugarte, acting Manager of PAHO/WHO’s Emergency Preparedness Program, praised the efforts of the countries of the Americas in incorporating the Safe Hospitals initiative among its national priorities. However, Ugarte indicated that “these advances cannot hide the fact that there are still major challenges to meet.”
Today, at least 10% of the 17,600 hospitals in Latin America and the Caribbean have been assessed with the Hospital Safety Index, and action has been taken to improve those in the medium- and low-level categories of safety.
In the framework of this international meeting, PAHO/WHO is committed to a future with sustained and adequate capacity, led by countries, to help reduce the risk of disasters in the health sector in order to prevent damage to the infrastructure and the delivery of services, and to provide a timely and effective response to emergencies and disasters.
