UN: Protect hospitals from natural disasters

The United Nations (UN) has called for greater protection for hospitals from natural disasters.

The UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction has dedicated its annual International Day for Disaster Reduction to the urgent need to make 'Hospitals Safe from Disasters.'

The UN claims the tragedies in the Asia and Pacific region in recent weeks underscore the urgent action that must be taken to better protect hospitals.

Hundreds of people were killed in an earthquake in Sumatra as well as a devastating typhoon in the Philippines.

A statement from the UN states: 'Large-scale human suffering is exacerbated when the very services that are most needed to save lives - hospitals, clinics and other health facilities - are counted among the casualties.'

Dozens of hospitals and heath facilities each year are affected by floods, hurricanes, cyclones, earthquakes and other natural hazards because safety measures were not integrated in their design, location or construction.

Margareta Wahlström, special representative of the UN secretary-general for Disaster Risk Reduction, said: 'Since the beginning of the campaign, much has been achieved to make hospitals safer but more investments are still needed to improve the functionality of hospital when disasters occur.'

According to a recent WHO survey, only 50 per cent of all countries' heath sectors have a budget allocation for risk reduction and emergency preparedness.

Ms Wahlström said no new hospitals should be built unless they can withstand the impact of natural hazards.

'Existing health facilities should also be assessed for their safety and action take to improve their safety and the level of their preparedness,' she added.

Several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have already assessed the safety of their health facilities and set priorities for making improvements.

The World Health Organisation claims it will continue working with governments to achieve the objectives of the campaign and assure that they remain a priority for governments together with financial institutions, private and non-government organizations, professional bodies, health institutions and workforce, and international agencies.