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RECOMMENDATIONS
Relating
to purpose/objectives of the trip:
Recommendations:
The following are top
priorities for the Maldives:
Improved disaster awareness and preparedness
with improved response capacity by the public and the medical sector
Decentralization of the disaster response
which is all currently centred in Male
Improved logistics, especially water
transport availablility for response in emergency
situations
Regional mutual aid agreements to facilitate
assistance from other countries for eg water
transport, ships with 50-100 persons carrying capacity, air transport of
responders, victims, aid etc
Emergency shelter on every inhabited island
with elevated storage of communications, other disaster response equipment,
and emergency kits
Reconstruction should ensure certain public
buildings may be multi-purpose eg health centres also able to be used for emergency shelters and
are strategically placed
Mitigation of critical infrastructure
(lifeline systems of communications, utilities, schools, health facilities,
govt buildings etc) and ensure back-up systems
exist for critical systems such as communications, transport etc
Preparedness training for all the health
sector personnel.
Recommendations for WHO:
Participation in all disaster preparedness
forums and meetings to ensure health system preparedness and needs are
adequately addressed. The Country
Emergency Profile needs to be developed with emphasis on preparedness for
future natural disasters and a national disaster mitigation plan
specifically addressing hydro-meteorological threats developed.
The computerizing medical logistics system
being developed needs to continue, involve all islands, and provide
training of local staff to maintain it.
Training of a cohort of future disaster
specialists at the Asia Disaster
Preparedness Center
or a similar institution.
A regular budget for emergency preparedness
and response activities in the Maldives
should be allocated with early attention to recommendations for incident
command systems in Male and peripherally.
As part of an immediate response:
 Stockpile
of emergency equipment kits and supplies (X 10) – stretchers, bandages etc for
treatment of mass casualties at regional and other possible centres.
Stockpile
of emergency drugs at regional level – for management of outbreaks.
Extra
water storage available at health care facilities. (X30) Current facilities
are reportedly inadequate and more secure supplies may be needed after
disasters
Mobile
emergency kits available medical responders (19 atolls) (eg Large suitcase style)
Emergency
kits – for community emergency shelters. (X 14) Containing first-aid kits,
torches and batteries, food etc)
It is suggested that the
German Red Cross be consulted regarding the contents of the first-aid and
other kits.
Promote/facilitate
interagency cooperation to foster community resilience in critical
areas.
Liaison
with German Red Cross regarding the implementation of the first-aid training. Michael Schwab from GRC (m.schwab@drk-bw.de) has
already done a feasibility assessment and will probably be returning during
the implementation phase of the Flash appeal to commence the first phase of
their training program for teachers and school children. This project should
complement the WHO activities and I suggest he is involved in the
implementation of this part of the disaster preparedness proposal.
Regular
meetings be held to coordinate health activities
and avoid duplication with other agencies’s
activities.
Emphasize
good planning and the quality of implementation rather than speed, so good
quality facilities and sustainable interventions occur, especially in
relation to siting and re-building of facilities
Environmental
concerns (preservation of the water lenses, safe disposal of waste etc) are
addressed at the planning stage for all implementations.
Note: EPI and communicable disease surveillance
recommendations should be addressed in the epidemiologists report and will
not be addressed here.
Constraints:
Unable to visit any of the affected islands, making
it difficult to obtain ground level insight into unmet needs and advise as
required.
More
detailed recommendations for the Maldives which WHO could
facilitate:
1.
Establish disaster management plans at all
levels of the health system.
2.
Conduct vulnerability assessments of hazard
prone areas to best site future development.
3.
Analyse past
hazard-induced building failures.
Establish technical recommendations on hazard resistant designs,
materials, and construction techniques.
Compile such recommendations in technical manuals.
4.
Standardize damage categorization schemes to
facilitate post-disaster damage surveys and allocation of financial
assistance.
5.
Establish regulations and laws to apply and
enforce hazard mitigation measures in new construction. Eg loan
guidelines for finance companies, building codes, and legal codes for
jurisdictions.
6.
Conduct training programs to upgrade skills
of local builders and other craftsmen in disaster mitigation
techniques. Train construction
supervisors in oversight responsibilities.
7.
Institutionalize grade school curricula on
disaster awareness and professional school curricula on disaster
management.
8.
Conduct community campaigns on disaster
awareness.
9.
Retrofit vulnerable public buildings.
10.
Earmark land for setting-up of new temporary
shelters in relief phase of a disaster.
11.
Design economical temporary shelters which
can be locally fabricated, quickly installed, and subsequently reused.
12.
Minimize waste production and educate the
community regarding this and conservation of water.
13.
Conduct research to find locally applicable
solutions to potential hazards to the reefs, waste disposal, water and safe
sanitation issues faced in this unique environment.
Persons
outside WHO contacted:
1. MOH staff
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MOH
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Hon Ms Aneesa Ahmed
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Director General of Health Services
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Dr Abdul Azeez Yoosuf
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Deputy Director of Health Services
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Dr Sheena Moosa
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Director of Public Health
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Ms A Rasheeda
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Deputy Director General
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Ibrahim Shaheem
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Director of Health Information Systems
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Afaal
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EPI Director
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Mohamed Shahid
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Health and Environmental Services
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Mr Ahmed Waheed
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2. National Security Service
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Major Nazim
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Major Shamaal
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3. Laboratory staff at Indira
Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH)
Mohamed
Saleem
4. Other UN agency representatives
UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, UNDAC
5. NGO representatives
IFRC, OXFAM, Save the Children
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