WORLD HEALTH DAY: Make hospitals safe in emergencies 06 April 2009

Salient Features World Health Day 2009 focuses on the safety of health facilities and the readiness of health workers who treat those affected by emergencies. Health centers and staff are critical lifelines for vulnerable people in disasters - treating injuries, preventing illnesses and caring for people's health needs. They are cornerstones for primary health care in communities – meeting everyday needs, such as safe childbirth services, immunizations and chronic disease care that must continue in emergencies

World Health Day 2009 focuses on the safety of health facilities and the readiness of health workers who treat those affected by emergencies.

Health centers and staff are critical lifelines for vulnerable people in disasters - treating injuries, preventing illnesses and caring for people's health needs.

They are cornerstones for primary health care in communities – meeting everyday needs, such as safe childbirth services, immunizations and chronic disease care that must continue in emergencies

How emergencies threaten health facilities and delivery of care Apart from their effects on people, emergencies can pose huge threats to hospitals, clinics and other health facilities. Structural and infrastructural damage may be devastating exactly at the time when health facilities are most needed. Health workers have been killed in collapsing hospitals . Despite international laws, health facilities continue to be targeted or used for military and terrorist operations in conflicts.

Apart from their effects on people, emergencies can pose huge threats to hospitals, clinics and other health facilities.

Structural and infrastructural damage may be devastating exactly at the time when health facilities are most needed.

Health workers have been killed in collapsing hospitals .

Despite international laws, health facilities continue to be targeted or used for military and terrorist operations in conflicts.

Why keep health facilities safe? Save lives, protect health During emergencies, health facilities play a vital role. They: provide emergency care to the injured (e.g. surgery and blood transfusions) and to the critically ill – as in outbreaks of communicable disease; deliver longer-term health care before and after an emergency. People need long-term nursing and medical care, maternal and child health services, rehabilitation of injuries, management of chronic diseases, and psychosocial support long after the emergency is over; provide immunization services to prevent outbreaks of communicable diseases such as measles that lead to the needless deaths of more children; and Protect investment Safeguard social stability

Save lives, protect health

During emergencies, health facilities play a vital role. They:

provide emergency care to the injured (e.g. surgery and blood transfusions) and to the critically ill – as in outbreaks of communicable disease;

deliver longer-term health care before and after an emergency. People need long-term nursing and medical care, maternal and child health services, rehabilitation of injuries, management of chronic diseases, and psychosocial support long after the emergency is over;

provide immunization services to prevent outbreaks of communicable diseases such as measles that lead to the needless deaths of more children; and

Protect investment

Safeguard social stability

This means: ensuring the structural resilience of health structures with existing technologies; keeping the equipment and supplies of these health facilities intact should an emergency happen; improving the preparedness and risk reduction capacity of health workers; and ; involving communities in this effort. Safe health facilities are those that are accessible and function at maximum capacity immediately after a disaster event. health facilities, large or small, urban or rural, are the focus of this work.

ensuring the structural resilience of health structures with existing technologies;

keeping the equipment and supplies of these health facilities intact should an emergency happen;

improving the preparedness and risk reduction capacity of health workers; and ;

involving communities in this effort.

Safe health facilities are those that are accessible and function at maximum capacity immediately after a disaster event. health facilities, large or small, urban or rural, are the focus of this work.

EMRI Training to hospital staff / Mock drills Training to public at large Measures like: Strategic placement of ambulances / AVLT Triaging patients before shifting them to hospital Pre hospital care enroute to reduce Emergency medical officers load in emergency rooms Maintaining dynamic database of hospitals in-terms of competency and capability Focus on preventing potential emergencies Dynamic relocation of ambulances and manpower

Training to hospital staff / Mock drills

Training to public at large

Measures like:

Strategic placement of ambulances / AVLT

Triaging patients before shifting them to hospital

Pre hospital care enroute to reduce Emergency medical officers load in emergency rooms

Maintaining dynamic database of hospitals in-terms of competency and capability

Focus on preventing potential emergencies

Dynamic relocation of ambulances and manpower

EMRI: First responder training TRAINING MODULES Introduction to EMRI Medical Emergencies Trauma Emergencies Environmental Emergencies Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation Basic Bandaging and Splinting Ambulance Demonstration Examination Feedback Expression

TRAINING MODULES

Introduction to EMRI

Medical Emergencies

Trauma Emergencies

Environmental Emergencies

Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation

Basic Bandaging and Splinting

Ambulance Demonstration

Examination

Feedback Expression

Practical Training on Manikins

Ambulance Demonstration

Future: Working in co-ordination with Emergency medical services authority (EMS) Wider coordination with GSDMA (Gujarat state disaster management authority) Police and fire authority Application of newer technology: location based mobile access / wireless Pre Hospital thrombolysis

Working in co-ordination with Emergency medical services authority (EMS)

Wider coordination with GSDMA (Gujarat state disaster management authority)

Police and fire authority

Application of newer technology: location based mobile access / wireless

Pre Hospital thrombolysis