HEALTH COORDINATION: A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE U.N. AND THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEMS Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization

Program on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief Pan American Health Organization

Pan American Health Organization PAHO established in 1902established in member governments35 member governments 3 participating European governments3 participating European governments

World Health Organization WHO created in 1946created in Member Countries190 Member Countries specialized UN agencyspecialized UN agency PAHO serves as Regional Office for the AmericasPAHO serves as Regional Office for the Americas

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. World Health Organization Constitution

Mandate of the Program Directing Council Resolution 1976 formulate a plan of action for different types of disastersformulate a plan of action for different types of disasters make and inventory of available resourcesmake and inventory of available resources prepare and disseminate manual and guidelinesprepare and disseminate manual and guidelines

Directing Council Resolution 1980 assist the health sector of Member Countries to develop disaster preparedness programs for natural and technological disasters of public health importanceassist the health sector of Member Countries to develop disaster preparedness programs for natural and technological disasters of public health importance

Directing Council Resolution 1987 allocate personnel and a budget in accordance with their vulnerabilityallocate personnel and a budget in accordance with their vulnerability attach the highest priority to the rapid and objective assessment of health needsattach the highest priority to the rapid and objective assessment of health needs Request Member Countries to:

PAHO Organizational Chart Governing Bodies Director/Deputy Director Assistant Director Health and Human Development Health Promotion and Protection Health Systems and Services Health and Environment Disease Prevention and Control Vaccines and Immunization Country Programs Subregional Initiatives Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief

Decentralization of Services PAHO Headquarters Washington, D.C. Caribbean Subregional Office Bridgetown, Barbados Documentation Center (CRID) & SUMA HQ in San Jose, Costa Rica South America Subregional Office Quito, Ecuador

Program Objectives Before a disaster After a disaster Prevention,mitigation,preparedness Coordination of international assistance

NATURALDISASTERS OTHERS VOLCANICERUPTIONS HURRICANES FLOODS EARTHQUAKESLANDSLIDES

TECHNOLOGICALDISASTERS OTHERS CHEMICALACCIDENTS EXPLOSIONS FIRES AIRCRAFTACCIDENTSRADIATIONACCIDENTS

“COMPLEX”DISASTERS REFUGEES/IDPs ARMEDCONFLICTS CIVILSTRIFE

Latin America and the Caribbean move from Ad Hoc Disaster Response to Prevention Disasters and Development Mitigation and Preparedness Preparedness and Response Response 1976Earthquake in Guatemala 1985Earthquake in Mexico 1999Mitch

A national network of: health disaster focal pointshealth disaster focal points –Ministries of Health –Social Security –PAHO/WHO focal points infocal points in –Foreign Affairs –United Nations –...

We need... Foreign AffairsForeign Affairs mass mediamass media armed forcesarmed forces industry/private sectorindustry/private sector NGOs and volunteersNGOs and volunteers parliamentsparliaments public opinion, schoolspublic opinion, schools

Coordination with Foreign Affairs national policy on external assistance (received or offered by the country)national policy on external assistance (received or offered by the country) mutual assistance agreements with other countriesmutual assistance agreements with other countries guidelines for diplomatic/consular personnelguidelines for diplomatic/consular personnel channel offers/requests for external assistancechannel offers/requests for external assistance call donors meetingscall donors meetings security of foreigners in he country or of nationals abroadsecurity of foreigners in he country or of nationals abroad Before a disaster: After a disaster:

Coordination with Legislative Bodies emphasis on sustainable developmentemphasis on sustainable development leading participation of economic/social development agencies and civilian institutionsleading participation of economic/social development agencies and civilian institutions Cooperation with Disaster or Health Parliamentary Commissions to promote legislation for disaster prevention, preparedness and response.

Assistance in Case of a Disaster

Disasters don’t respect national borders International Health Assistance

PAHO/WHO Cooperation in Disasters Coordinates international health assistanceCoordinates international health assistance Provides technical cooperation in the health fieldProvides technical cooperation in the health field emergency satellite communicationsemergency satellite communications

Coordinating International Health Assistance participates in the assessment of external health needsparticipates in the assessment of external health needs contributes to OCHA Situation Reports for health matters, medical care, water, nutrition, environmental health,...contributes to OCHA Situation Reports for health matters, medical care, water, nutrition, environmental health,... assumes responsibility for health aspects of UNDAC operations when mobilizedassumes responsibility for health aspects of UNDAC operations when mobilized informs donors of appropriateness of requests/offersinforms donors of appropriateness of requests/offers Cooperation in disasters PAHO/WHO

specially trained staff in PAHO country offices and regional centersspecially trained staff in PAHO country offices and regional centers experts from the regional disaster programsexperts from the regional disaster programs consultants from the Regionconsultants from the Region Cooperation in disasters National disaster coordinators are assisted in field assessments by:

PAHO/WHO Cooperation in Disasters coordinates international health assistancecoordinates international health assistance –Caribbean Response Team Provides technical cooperation in the health fieldProvides technical cooperation in the health field emergency satellite communicationsemergency satellite communications

PAHO/WHO Technical Cooperation emergency technical adviceemergency technical advice mobilization of resourcesmobilization of resources direct implementation as a last resortdirect implementation as a last resort return to development programs ASAPreturn to development programs ASAP Cooperation in disasters

PAHO/WHO Cooperation in Disasters coordinates international health assistancecoordinates international health assistance –Caribbean Response Team Provides technical cooperation in the health fieldProvides technical cooperation in the health field emergency satellite communicationsemergency satellite communications

Emergency Communications by Satellite five INMARSAT type A and one type C mobile satellite earth stations are prepositionedfive INMARSAT type A and one type C mobile satellite earth stations are prepositioned free use by the country for emergency international telecommunicationsfree use by the country for emergency international telecommunications Cooperation in disasters

INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE IN PERSPECTIVE... ASSISTANCE FROM WITHIN THE COUNTRY EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE (1-2%) BILATERAL MULTILATERAL NGOs

Organization of American States Inter American Committee for the Reduction of Natural Disasters OAS / IACNDR Established as a political forum to address the topic in the context of development.Established as a political forum to address the topic in the context of development. 3 Working Groups on:3 Working Groups on: – Emergency Preparedness and Response –Natural Disaster Reduction Financing – Vulnerability Assessment and Indexing

Centro de Coordinacion para la Prevencion de los Desastres Naturales en America Central CEPREDENAC Established in 1988 for strengthening the capacity of Central America to reduce the vulnerability of the population to disasters.Established in 1988 for strengthening the capacity of Central America to reduce the vulnerability of the population to disasters. Supports the development of scientific capability and the social dimensions of disaster prevention.Supports the development of scientific capability and the social dimensions of disaster prevention.

Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency CDERA Established in 1991 by CARICOM.Established in 1991 by CARICOM. Main function is to make an immediate and coordinated response to any disaster.Main function is to make an immediate and coordinated response to any disaster. Management of information.Management of information. Mitigation activities.Mitigation activities. Coordinating Disaster Relief.Coordinating Disaster Relief.

Bilateral Agencies Neighboring countries Canada USA United Kingdom Nordiccountries Netherlands France Japan

United Nations System UNDP WFP WHO/PAHO UNICEF UNFPA UNHCR U.N. Secretariat, departments, programs or fundsU.N. Secretariat, departments, programs or funds U.N. specialized agenciesU.N. specialized agencies OCHA

NGOs OXFAM MSF CARE CRS Local NGO PADF over 1,000 humanitarian NGOs are registeredover 1,000 humanitarian NGOs are registered in some countries over 250 are presentin some countries over 250 are present INTERACTIONMEMBERS

Red Cross National Societies IFRCS ICRC International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (international) - natural disastersInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (international) - natural disasters International Committee of the Red Cross (Swiss) - civil war and conflictsInternational Committee of the Red Cross (Swiss) - civil war and conflicts National SocietiesNational Societies

The Overview! PAHO/WHO European Union/ ECHO OAS SICA/ CEPREDENAC Convenio Hipólito Unánue (CHU) CDERA Canada USA United Kingdom Nordiccountries Netherlands France Japan DHA/UNDP WFP WHO/PAHO UNICEF UNFPA UNHCR OXFAM MSF CARE CRS Local NGO PADF Red Cross National Societies IFRCS ICRC