Through the Health Emergencies Department (PHE), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) supports countries in the implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction initiatives to protect the lives of patients and health workers, shield health equipment and supplies from disasters, and ensure that the health services continue operating effectively during and after emergencies and disasters in order to save lives, reduce disabilities, and enable the health sector to fulfill its continuing responsibilities.
The major action lines of the PHE's Disaster Risk Reduction unit are the Implementation of the Plan of Action on Disaster Risk Reduction 2016-2021, the implementation of the Regional Safe Hospitals initiative, the promotion and implementation of climate-smart mitigation and adaptation measures for health facilities, and the development and implementation of emergency risk reduction and management strategies for internally displaced populations(IDP), individuals with disabilities and countries in condition of high vulnerability.
Key Programs
Safe Hospitals
A safe hospital is a facility whose services remain accessible and functioning at maximum capacity and within the same infrastructure immediately following a natural disaster. Access resources. The Safe Hospitals program aims to develop national policies and regulations on making hospitals safe from disasters, protect the lives of the occupants of a hospital or health facility, protect the economic investment as well as the functionality of both new facilities and those identified as priorities within the health services network and compile, organize and monitor the implementation of policies and national and international regulations on safe hospitals. Learn more and access key resources, including the Hospital Safety Index.
Smart Hospitals
The Smart Hospitals initiative improves health facilities' resilience strengthening structural and operational aspects and providing green technologies allowing them to continue running during emergencies and disasters.
Learn how the initiative has already shown its cost-effectiveness and resilience to disasters, explore the dashboard with interventions performed in Caribbean countries and access the Smart Toolkit with instruments that guide healthcare facilities in the process of linking their structural and operational safety with green interventions, at a reasonable cost-to-benefit ratio and become Smart.
Health Emergency and Disaster Resilient Hospitals Tools +
These tools are part of the Countries Preparedness Toolbox, and are grouped in module 3 which includes resources created by PAHO to develop and strengthen resilience in hospitals focused on health emergencies and disasters. (Available in Spanish)
Evidence Aid and PAHO Collection on Resilient Health Systems
PAHO/WHO and Evidence Aid created an Evidence Aid collection relevant to the development of resilient health systems in the context of disasters and other health emergencies. Access this collection of summaries for relevant systematic reviews will support preparedness, response and recovery, thereby sustaining and protecting public health gains.
Courses
Do you work in risk management? Register for the Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (GERESD) virtual course
This course provides information and training in the process of risk management in health emergencies and disasters, to improve the skills, abilities and knowledge of health professionals, which, in turn, will contribute to a more effective management of health emergencies and disasters.
Self-paced
Language: Spanish
PAHO's Virtual Campus
Upcoming events
Webinar “Analysis of the Seismic Risk in Urban Settings and Preparedness of the Health Sector”
This meeting is the first of the Webinar Series on “Strengthening the Health Sector in the Event of a Major Earthquake in Cities and Urban Settings”, and seeks to review the health impact of a major earthquake in urban environments (capital cities), as well as to exchange of experiences and knowledge with experts in disaster management and public health emergencies to promote the review, updating and strengthening of the preparedness and readiness plans of the national emergency programs of the ministries of health in the region in the face of seismic risk.
Tuesday, 24 October (10:00 am - 1:00 pm EDT)
Languages: Simultaneous interpretation Spanish/English will be provided.
Networks
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The Indigenous Knowledge and Disaster Risk Reduction Network collaborates with Indigenous peoples and disaster risk management professionals to promote coordination and engagement.
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The network focuses on collecting, producing, maintaining and sharing information to advance DRR with an emphasis on health and resilience in Indigenous communities in the Americas and Caribbean.
- PAHO's Department of Health Emergencies and the Department of Family, Gender and Life Course are taking the lead on issues related to the health of Indigenous peoples. Together, these departments are working to address the vulnerabilities and capacities of Indigenous populations to protect and improve their health before, during and after disasters.
The Disaster Risk and Disabilities Inclusive Management Network for Latin America and the Caribbean promotes the inclusion and full participation of people with disabilities and their families in all phases of disaster risk management.
Climate Change and Health
Health is and will be affected by the changing climate through direct impacts (heat waves, droughts, heavy storms, and sea-level rise), and indirect impacts (vector-borne and airways diseases, food and water insecurity, undernutrition, and forced displacements).
Visit PAHO's site on Climate Change and Health
