Health Bulletin 2009

Emergency Preparedness & Response (EPR) Program
Bangladesh is a low lying deltaic country in the Indian subcontinent with a land of 147, 570 sq.
km and 145 million inhabitants. Because of the geographical location, monsoonal influence and
the impact of climate change, Bangladesh has been experiencing varieties of natural calamities
such as cyclones, tornados, tidal surge, floods, flash floods, and land slide more frequently over
time. Though significant earthquakes did not take place since over 100 years, potential threats
of earthquakes and tsunamis are inevitable since the Asian fold crosses the eastern border of
the country. Bangladesh has also experienced human induced disasters like fire, infrastructure
collapse, water logging, road and river traffic accident, disease epidemics and various form of
pollution. These events result in loss of valuable lives including injury, increased number of
communicable diseases and huge economic loss, and thereby cause unbearable miseries to
the affected population. Although we have no control over disaster, if we have enough skilled
manpower, adequate logistics and appropriate policy at the right levels, then we can reduce the
adverse health impact of disaster to a greater extent.
Current Activities
1. Training/workshop on psychosocial support, mass casualty management, preparedness
and response in emergency, food & nutrition in emergency, vulnerability & capacity
assessment for hospital staff & health personnel in various tiers.
2. Orientation course for field staff on disaster mitigation and for disaster focal points from
divisional & district levels.
3. Training on emergency health information management for statistical assistants,
emergency information management and emergency disease surveillance for medical
officers.
4. Joint simulation exercises with Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) at most
cyclone prone districts and training on search, rescue, evacuation and first aid during
preparedness following disaster in collaboration with BDRCS and community (multisectoral
approach).
5. Procurement of essential medicine, emergency response vehicle, equipments & other
logistics for emergency response including bleaching powder and water purification
tablets.
6. Consultative meetings on EHA bench marks, review & update of SOP, development of
an earthquake/infrastructure collapse response plan, action plan on information and
control regarding hospital preparedness plan for health sector.
7. Establishment of fully functional health sector disaster management institute
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