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A Brief Report on WHD
Events 2009
The World Health Day (WHD)
theme for 2009 was “health facilities in
emergencies”, focusing on the resilience and safety of health facilities and the
health workers, who are involved in the treatment of those affected by
emergencies.
To
commemorate WHD this year, WHO advocated a series of best practices, that can
be implemented in any health resource setting, to make hospitals safe during
emergencies. This can be addressed from three aspects, i.e.
 Structural Aspect: Modern
engineering and architectural methods should be used for resilient
construction, so that the health facilities would not collapse disaster like
earthquake or cyclone.
Nonstructural Aspect: Lifeline support like water,
electricity must be backed up, equipment and supplies must be well
secured.
Functional Aspect: Safe health
facilities must have contingency plans and well trained health manpower to
deal with health consequences of disasters.
On
the occasion of WHD this year a series of activities like curtain
raiser program, seminars, slide shows, demonstration show, and mass
awareness, were carried out in India, with the support and
participation from WHO India Country Office.
Awareness
Campaign at AIIMS Trauma Center
An awareness campaign on the WHD 2009
theme was held at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Trauma
Centre on 20 March 2009. Seventy
technical staff and 27 doctors were reached in the campaign organized at the
Centre. The country’s premier institute
disseminated WHD message in the trainings they organized in other educational
institutions and hospitals across the country. The campaign was organised in collaboration
with Health Fitness trust with WHO support
Workshop on
“Strengthening the Post Disaster Disease Surveillance”
A two day workshop on “Strengthening
Post-Disaster Disease Surveillance” was organized by the National Institute
of Disaster Management (NIDM) on 23-24 March 2009. The key objectives of the
workshop were to
- document the lessons learnt from the disease
surveillance initiatives, following disasters in various states of India, and
- develop strategies to enhance the effectiveness
of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project.
as the primary national level stakeholders, the participants
included key officials from the Emergency Medical Relief Division; the
National Institute of Communicable Diseases;
Vector Control Research Centre of the Department of Health Research;
NIDM; Public Health Foundation of India; and WHO. Over 15 participants consisting of
state/district surveillance officers from disaster affected states (Andaman
and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu &
Kashmir, Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Tamil Nadu, and West
Bengal) and Tamil Nadu Tsunami Resource Centre (TNTRC) attended
the workshop.
Seminar on Disaster Management
A seminar on disaster management was organized for the students of Delhi University
at Ramjas College, on 24 March, which focused on
the safety of health facilities and the readiness of health workers, who
treat those affected by emergencies.
The personnel of the Parachute Regiment Commando,
representatives of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the
Delhi Disaster Management Cell, and the St John Ambulance Brigade, Delhi, trained the
participants in “Life saving in emergencies”. A team of Rapid Action Force-CRPF also
helped create awareness.
Curtain Raiser
Presentations and slide shows were made at the curtain raiser program todemonstrate
to the students on how lives can be saved in critical situations and
emergencies such as terrorist attacks and people being taken as hostages,
fire, earthquake as well as the psycho-social care needed after disasters. A street play was
also organized on the theme. The event
was organised in collaboration with Health Fitness
trust with WHO support.
Prasar
Bharati Radio Discussion
Director, Trauma Centre, AIIMS and the National
Professional Officer, (Sustainable Development and Healthy Environment &
Health Action in Crisis), WHO-India Country Office, participated in a
one-hour Prasar Bharati Broadcast on “Uthea Achhe Swasthya ke Sath” (Wake up
with a good health) on 6 April 2009.
The programme was on the theme of WHD 2009. The questions, raised by the listeners to the
panel, were mainly on disaster and health issues and answers were provided.
Mass
Awareness Event
School and college students,
personnel of the Rapid Action Force -CRPF, Indo-Tibetan
Border Police (ITBP), Border
Security Force, police and army, National Cadet Corps,
Scouts and representatives of
NGOs, St. John
Ambulance participated in the mass
awareness events.
The following events were organized on 7 April
2007 in collaboration with the Health Fitness Trust, supported by WHO:
 Theme Run with message ‘Save life in
Emergencies’ :More than 2000 Runners from Rapid Action Force
(RAF) team, School Children, NGOs, Resident Welfare Associations, National
Cadet Crops (NCC) and Scouts participated in the Theme Run. Representatives
from NDMA, RAF, CRPF, as well as Inspector General
of Police, and President of World Council of Arya Samaj flagged off the Theme
Run.ThePublic Health Administrator and several officials of
WHO-India Country office also attended the event.
Demonstration Show: Rapid Action Force
demonstrated drill and showcased their security equipments.
The cultural show was organised by the
children and the Zeal Dance Troupe, which was very much appreciated.
WHD
celebration by Teaching Institutes and Hospitals
Apart from Delhi,
WHD was also observed by many teaching institutes and hospitals across the
country. The Military Hospital (LOC in
Field in Eastren Theater); Terna
Medical College & Hospital,
Navi-Mumbai, Maharastra; K. J. Somaiya Medical College & Research
Centre, Mumbai, Maharastra; Indian Institute for Health Training, Kolkata,
West Bengal; and Gun & Shell Factory Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal are
notable examples of the same.
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