Health response to the earthquake in Haiti january 2010: lessons to be learned for the next massive sudden-onset disaster

The objective of this publication is to draw the lessons to be learned for improving the health response in future sudden-onset disasters. We know that massive earthquakes will occur again and some will devastate metropolitan areas or even the capital city, as was the case in Haiti. Haiti is the subject of this study, hopefully not the object, as Haiti has had her share of catastrophes.The scope of the book is limited to the health response, health being defined in its broad sense, not merely medical care or disease control. The review is confined to the immediate and early response in the first three months, the period during which most of the international assistance was mobilized and influences, for better or worse, rehabilitation and reconstruction. The publication focuses specially but not exclusively on those lessons that are of general interest, i.e., not specific to the special case of Haiti. The international community has much to learn from the response in Haiti where it has shown an ability to repeat its errors and shortcomings from past disasters. The methodology used for this study is common to most evaluations: in-depth review of reports, evaluations, studies, and peer-reviewed scientific publications; over 150 interviews, half of them carried out exclusively for this study and others for similar evaluations carried out by one of the three authors; circulation of the draft to all interviewees for factual validation and comments on the authors’ interpretation of the findings; and, finally, discussion with a review board convened by PAHO/WHO.

Desastres naturales y zonas de riesgo en Panamá: condiciones y opciones de prevención y mitigación / Natural Disasters in Panama and risky areas in Panama: prevention conditions

El documento recoge los resultados de la investigación sobre "Desastres Naturales y Zonas de Riesgo en Panamá: Condicionantes y Opciones de Prevención y Mitigación". Esta investigación se inscribe en un proyecto que sobre el tema promovió, en los países de la región centroamericana, la Secretaría General del Consejo Superior Universitario Centroamericano (CSUCA). La investigación señala que Panamá es, quizá, el país de la región donde ocurren con menor intensidad los fenómenos físicos. Sin embargo, en muchas oportunidades los efectos negativos que alguno de ellos producen, están asociados a prácticas de explotación económica que atentan contra el medio ambiente, el cual al ser destruido o modificado significativamente, se crean condiciones que magnifican sus impactos negativos. Se relacionan, también, estos efectos destructivos con un complejo conjunto de factores en el que se mezclan la falta de educación de la población acerca de los fenómenos físicos, la ausencia de una actitud tendiente a prevenir sus efectos y el incumplimiento de disposiciones legales pertinentes