On October 16th, 2018, the WHO Kobe Center organized a public open forum, "Global Action for Scientific Evidence Improvement in Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (H-EDRM) – Expected Contribution from Asia and Pacific Region," in cooperation with the Asia-Pacific Conference for Disaster Medicine at the Seaside Hotel Maiko Villa in Kobe city. The forum attracted a good turnout with approximately 200 people in attendance at the forum.
In the keynote speeches, Mr Jonathan Abrahams, Disaster Risk Management Focal Point, Country Health Emergency Preparedness and International Health Regulations (CPI) Department of WHO said “The DRM concept transforms emergency response work from reactive to proactive, from hazard based focus to vulnerability and capacity foci, and from a single agency approach towards a multisectoral approach. WHO is developing its Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (H-EDRM) Framework to encompass a comprehensive approach for H-EDRM”
Professor Virginia Murray, Head of Global Disaster Risk Reduction, Public Health England introduced recent progress of the WHO Thematic Platform for H-EDRM Research Network, and emphasized the value of this new network for the study and delivery of evidence that is needed to support the monitoring and evaluation of H-EDRM programs. The research network will also drive the development of innovative health data management systems for use on the ground following disasters.
Professor Emily Ying Yang Chan, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) said “Emergencies and disasters are known to have tremendous adverse impact on people’s lives and livelihood. Many research gaps exist and there is a special need for research to deliver and support evidence informed health emergency and disaster risk management (H-EDRM) at the global, national and local levels”. Professor Chan also called for strong research collaborations to strengthen this area of work.
In the following panel discussions, “Post-disaster health support system and data management system in Japan” and ”Post-disaster psychosocial management and research activity”, key areas of work in H-EDRM research were introduced by experts and a candid discussion followed.
Related links
Programme and Speakers
The 14th Asia-Pacific Disaster Medical Society Official Website: http://www.apcdm2018.org/index.html
Forum flyer "International Disaster Medical Prefectural Forum - Toward the World from Kobe / Hyogo": http://apcdm2018.org/data/program/hyogo_forum02.pdf