Disasters and Emergencies
In the last decade, more than 2.6 billion people have been affected by natural phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, cyclones, heat waves, floods, or severe cold weather. These disasters lead to mass casualty (e.g., blunt trauma, crush-related injuries, drowning) that can overwhelm local medical resources and prevent them from delivering comprehensive and definitive medical care.
The WHO EESC program, together with its partners, has worked towards disaster preparedness and response by creating the WHO Disaster Management Guidelines: Emergency Surgical Care in Disaster Situations, a comprehensive manual that details management of common injuries encountered in disaster situations.
Related links:
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Mass casualty management fact sheet
pdf, 72kb -
Disaster Management Guidelines: Emergency Surgical Care in Disaster Situations
pdf, 3.68Mb -
WHO Mass Casualty Management Systems: Strategies and guidelines for building health sector capacity 2007
pdf, 295kb - Health Action in Crisis
The following materials relevant to a country's disaster situation should be taken from the IMEESC tool:
- Best practice protocols for Clinical Procedures Safety (disaster planning, trauma team responsibilities, hand hygiene, operating room, and anaesthesia check list, postoperative
- Management, application of cast and splints, cardiac life support, airway management),
- Needs assessment
- Essential Emergency Equipment List
- Details of anaesthesia, gunshot and landmine injuries in chapters 13, 14, 17 and 18, in SCDH