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Landry M.1,2, Raman S.3, Sheppard P.4
1Duke University, Doctor of Physical Therapy Division, Durham, United States, 2Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, United States, 3Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), Durham, United States, 4London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
Background: The number of natural disasters appears to be rising at an alarming rate. It has been reported that there was a three fold increase in global disasters between 2000 and 2009, as compared to 1980 and 1989. The most recent major event occurred in Nepal, a small land-locked country nestled between two of the world's largest growing economies.
Purpose: There are specific actions that can be taken by the rehabilitation sector in the area of disaster preparedness and disasters response to minimize the impact of natural disasters on short and long-term disability. In this presentation, we articulate some of the actions that were taken by the disability and rehabilitation sector in preparation for a natural disaster, as well as actions that were taken after the earthquake to address rehabilitation needs.
Methods: Experiential learning from the authors direct and collective action in sudden-onset and conflict zones for the past 20 years, combined with a scoping review of the literature from 2006 to 2016.
Results: There is very little literature upon which to develop evidence informed guidelines for emergency rehabilitation response. However, lessons learned combined with recently published guidelines provide a new avenue upon which to justify and advocate for first line involvement. We found that there were two main categories of action, with a number of sub themes. First theme, (Before Disaster) Disaster Preparedness to Minimize the Impact on Disability, which included sub themes of develop and implement standardized earthquake preparedness planning and response protocols, establish a registry that can support post disaster planning and infrastructure, and map rehabilitation providers and services. The second main themes was to (During Disaster) develop capacity in emergency response within the rehabilitation sector mitigates disability in the immediate Emergency Response, and where sub-themes include direct treatment of injuries, facilitating early discharge and ensuring effective discharge planning from hospital, and coordinating and advocating within the clusters structure for needs PWD.
Conclusion(s): Using the concept of Building Back Better, the following were a series of suggestions to create a better, safer and more accessible environment for PWDs in the post disasters phase:
1) Leverage the post earthquake situation to improve the lives of people with disabilities
2) Build inclusive and participatory policies and action plan
3) Sharing of lessons learned
Implications: Moving forward, the lessons learned from Nepal must to used to build back better for that nation, and to share these experiences on what worked well to implement strategies to reduce the effect of natural disasters on existing population of PWD, and to be more prepared and effective in minimizing the effects on long-term disabilities. The number of globally natural disasters is forecasted to increase, therefore it our collective responsibility to be better prepared to minimize and mitigate the risk, and to act with speed and precision once disasters strikes
because it surely will.
Funding acknowledgements: No funding.
Topic: Disaster management
Ethics approval: No ethics approval required.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
