Implementation of Control Strategies: Lessons of Experience and Challenges Faced
All countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have established programs and structures for disaster risk management within their ministries of health. Some lessons can be learned from this process:
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The occurrence of a major disaster in the country or its neighbor is the initial catalyst for health authorities to recognize that disasters represent public health risks that must be addressed in an institutionalized manner.
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Access to and support from the political level has determined the success or failure in coordinating the external and domestic health response.
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A multihazard program covering the entire health sector is most effective. Assigning responsibility for coordination and management among different technical departments according to the type of hazard (chemical or natural, for instance) does not work.
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A risk management program should cut across departments (medical care, epidemiology, water supply, sanitation, nutrition, and so forth) of the ministry of health and become sector wide.
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The synergy between normal development, preparedness, and disaster response activities should be recognized. Poor development practices increase vulnerability, whereas preparedness improves the attention to daily health challenges. Programs narrowly focused on operational response have generally failed.
In Asia, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center also has documented some interesting experiences (http://www.adpc.ait.ac.th/).
