New Delhi: The World Health Organisation (WHO) today asked South East Asian nations to invest in emergency preparedness measures to effectively respond to natural disasters, infectious diseases and radiological disasters in the future.
WHO also urged the countries to scale-up their emergency management capabilities, expedite efforts to prepare for epidemics and make health facilities safe and functional during disasters.
"The region is prone to disasters. Every disaster is a reminder of the need for better risk reduction and preparedness, an essential public health function that needs to be prioritized," Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia said at 68th regional committee meeting being held at Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste.
A WHO statement said that countries need to accelerate compliance to the International Health Regulations (2005) by building capacities to detect report and respond to public health events.
The South-East Asia Region has witnessed a series of major public health emergencies over the years including the outbreaks of SARS and Avian Influenza, the 2004 tsunami, earthquakes, cyclones, floods and flash floods.
"The earthquake in Nepal demonstrated the effectiveness of emergency preparedness. The hospitals in Kathmandu, that had been retrofitted and its manpower trained in contingency planning and mass casualty management as part of Nepal's emergency preparedness measures, withstood the earthquakes on April 25 and May 12 and continued to function and provide health care to the affected population," Singh said.
WHO in South-East Asia continues to prioritize emergency preparedness to minimize health impact of disasters and outbreaks, the statement added.
The countries signed the 'Dili Declaration' which also urged governments and UN agencies to accelerate tobacco control in the region which accounts for over one-third of the world's tobacco use.
WHO also urged the countries to scale-up their emergency management capabilities, expedite efforts to prepare for epidemics and make health facilities safe and functional during disasters.
"The region is prone to disasters. Every disaster is a reminder of the need for better risk reduction and preparedness, an essential public health function that needs to be prioritized," Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia said at 68th regional committee meeting being held at Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste.
A WHO statement said that countries need to accelerate compliance to the International Health Regulations (2005) by building capacities to detect report and respond to public health events.
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The South-East Asia Region has witnessed a series of major public health emergencies over the years including the outbreaks of SARS and Avian Influenza, the 2004 tsunami, earthquakes, cyclones, floods and flash floods.
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"The earthquake in Nepal demonstrated the effectiveness of emergency preparedness. The hospitals in Kathmandu, that had been retrofitted and its manpower trained in contingency planning and mass casualty management as part of Nepal's emergency preparedness measures, withstood the earthquakes on April 25 and May 12 and continued to function and provide health care to the affected population," Singh said.
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WHO in South-East Asia continues to prioritize emergency preparedness to minimize health impact of disasters and outbreaks, the statement added.
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The countries signed the 'Dili Declaration' which also urged governments and UN agencies to accelerate tobacco control in the region which accounts for over one-third of the world's tobacco use.
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