All-Hazard Training

RDHS Office - Polonnaruwa15.05.2015

All-Hazard Response

Dr. Novil WijesekaraMedical Officer

Disaster Preparedness and Response DivisionMinistry of Health

Objectives

• Describe the relevance of all-hazard response with regards to health sector disaster response.

• Describe the response of curative health institutions in all-hazard response.

• Describe the response of preventive health institutions in all-hazard response.

All hazard preparedness

• Irrespective of the hazard type, the health sector may have to respond to – death - mortality– disease /injury - morbidity– displacement - disability

All-hazard response

• The health sector response is important in– Managing dead bodies in disasters– Providing emergency health care• Emergency surgical care – Mass casualty incident• Emergency medical care – Chemical accident causing

respiratory problems, epidemics

– Providing health services for displaced. • Curative, preventive, promotive and rehabilitative

Managing dead bodies in disasters

• Identification of dead bodies.

• Dead bodies do not pose additional health

risks than living persons do.

• Respect for the dead bodies.

• Support for the loved ones of the diseased.

Providing emergency health care

• Emergency surgical care

– Coordination with search and rescue teams

– Pre-hospital care

– Triage

– Primary Survey

– Secondary Survey

– Definitive management

Providing health services for the displaced

• Curative care

– Through existing health system as much as

possible

– Establishing field health facilities

– Mobile medical teams

– Supporting patients to access health facilities

Preventive health services

• Sexual and reproductive health

• Disease surveillance

• Psychosocial health

• Disease control

• Environmental health services in emergencies

Environmental health services

• Safety and security – cross cutting issue

• Shelter and Protection

• Food/Water supply

• Sanitation

• Solid waste management

• Liquid waste management

• Health education

Promotive health services

• Health promotion through community

participation

– Volunteers

• Mental health promotion through

psychosocial activities

Rehabilitative health services

• Physical rehabilitation

– For persons who are differently abled

• Psycho-social rehabilitation

• Rehabilitation of health facilities and systems

– “Build Back Better Smarter and Faster”

Summary

• In most disasters, the health sector response is aimed

at same objectives.

• Health sector should response timely and effectively to

the disasters that may emerge.

• Effective response is not only a humanitarian

imperative but also an investment in preventing future

burden to health system.

All-Hazard Preparedness

Dr. H.D.B. HerathNational Coordinator / Consultant Community Physician

Disaster Preparedness and Response DivisionMinistry of Health

Objectives

• Describe the relevance of all-hazard preparedness with regards to health sector disaster preparedness.

• Describe the importance of risk assessment in health sector disaster preparedness.

• Describe the importance of preparedness planning for health sector disaster preparedness.

• Describe the importance of testing health sector disaster preparedness.

Hazard-specific preparedness

• Preparedness aimed at specific hazards.– Flood preparedness plan– Drought preparedness plan– Mass casualty preparedness plan

All hazard preparedness

• Emergency preparedness requires attention not just to specific types of hazards but also to steps that increase preparedness for any type of hazard.

All hazard preparedness

• Irrespective of the hazard type, the health sector may have to respond to – death - mortality– disease /injury - morbidity– displacement - disability

All hazard preparedness

• Preparing to all hazards is more cost effective than preparing for individual hazards.

Risk assessment

• Risk of all possible hazards that could affect a health facility (internal hazards) or that could affect the community that the health facility serves (external hazards) is assessed.

Risk assessment

RiskHazard Vulnerability

Capacity=

X

Risk assessment

• Hazard– Type

– Frequency

– Magnitude

Risk assessment

• Vulnerability

– Physical

– Social

– Economical

– Psychological

Risk assessment

• Capacity

– Human resources

– Physical resources

– Systems

Preparedness Planning

• Disaster preparedness planning involves identifying– organizational resources– Determining roles and responsibilities, – developing policies and procedures and – planning activities

Preparedness Planning

• Planning emergency actions is a process; it is not a one-time event.

• The actual planning process is preliminary in nature and is performed in a state of uncertainty until an actual emergency or disaster occurs.

• After a disaster occurs, plans must be adapted to the actual situation

Preparedness Planning as a process

• Experience shows that plans created by an external person or by an isolated individual or agency are usually not valued and used.

• Therefore, a team approach is desirable.

Preparedness Planning as a process

• A team approach allows for diverse perspectives to be shared during the planning stage.

• It also helps ensure that the team has access to precise and complete information.

Communicating Preparedness Plans

• It is essential to communicate and coordinate plans with all stakeholders involved– Government organizations– Non-government organizations– Corporate sector– Community-based organizations– Community

Communicating Preparedness Plans

• Sharing preparedness plans will – improve planning, – reduce duplication of efforts, – make plans more realistic and – increase the overall effectiveness of disaster

response.

Preparedness Plan Components

• Management, organization and coordination• Assessment of probable needs• Activating population emergency notification

and disaster response systems• Emergency needs assessment• Communication between agencies• Resource mobilization and allocation• Sector components

Sector Components

– Rescue and medical assistance for the affected– Water and sanitation– Food and nutrition– Logistics and transport– Other domestic needs of the affected populations– Health and nutrition– Shelter– Search and reunification of families– Protection and security

Activities to ensure plan implementation

• Drill

• Simulation– Desktop simulations– Computer-based simulations

Summary

• All-hazard preparedness is specially relevant for health sector.

• All-hazard preparedness can be cost saving. • Time spent on preparedness planning can save

life, reduce disease and disability and improve quality of life.