Extent and the impact of disaster management - Case Study Example

Running Head: Problem Identification in the Healthcare Sector of Module Assignment 2 Introduction and Impact: It has been years since the world has been facing the alarming threat of global warming. With the ice caps melting we are all able to see the impact on global climate and the increased frequency of natural disasters. Hurricane Katrina, earthquake in Haiti, floods in Pakistan, recent tsunami in Japan followed by an earthquake and so forth. A total of 478, 100 people have been killed from 1995 to 2005, owing only to natural disasters and this is not where the impact ends.

More than 2.5 billion people have been affected by the natural disasters and a total of US$690 billion have been drowned in economic losses (United |Nations Environment Programme, 2005). Victims of Poor Disaster Management: The United Nations Environment Programme analyzed the trends in the frequency of natural disasters and figured that the occurrence of all natural disasters was on the increase. Floods in particular showed a rapid increase in frequency, followed by cyclones. The incidence of earthquakes has also increased; however, the increase in earthquakes is a lot less when compared to floods and cyclones (Bournay, 2005).

The most common reasons cited for the increase in natural disasters are an increase in industrialization, urbanization, global warming and an increase in the overall world population. The frequency of natural disasters has been more in the developing countries than the developed countries, 65% of the natural disasters from 1991 – 2005 occurred in developing countries (Kugelgen, 2010). The people most affected by these natural disasters are those who live along the coastal belts because they are the first ones to get hit by the tidal waves and often the worst sufferers of the tectonic activity as well.

Many of the people living around the coastal belts are fishermen and thus not very affluent. In most instances more than 50% of the population of the developing countries lives below the poverty line. Therefore, when on a normal day these people do not have enough food to feed their children, the problem of affording post disaster primary healthcare is out of question for them. Negative Consequences: Apart from the fact that the people affected by natural disasters lose their land, their home, their family and are emotionally and psychologically drained, the victims of natural disasters are prone to a facade of post-disaster diseases.

As I had previously mentioned in my first paper, the international community’s response to disaster management in most instances is of providing assistance in the initial post-disaster stage and then leaving the follow up at the hands of the inexperienced people of the developing countries by providing monetary assistance. Since the doctors and paramedic staff of a developing country is not as familiar with the advanced healthcare drug dosages and techniques, the consequences turn out to be more negative than intended.

As a result, long term private-Public partnerships are required for sustainable post-disaster healthcare management (Bhandari, 2010). Implications: The implications of poor disaster management are primarily for the governments of the countries most prone to natural disasters. Community Based Disaster Management should be focused on. When a country is so prone to disasters then disaster management should be given special importance and a portion of the financial budget must go into the development of disaster management projects.

The local doctors and paramedic staffs must seek proper training from the international paramedics who come during the initial post-disaster stages, so that proper follow-ups can be ensured. The role of international NGOs such as the Red Cross can be pivotal and must be recognized (Bhandari, 2010). Works Cited: Bhandari, D. M. (2010). Understanding Disaster Management in Practice With Reference to Nepal. Kathmandu,: Practical Action. Bournay, E. l. (2005). Trends in Natural Disasters. Environment and Poverty Times, Issue Number 3: Disaster Issue , p. 1. Kugelgen, R. v. (2010).

Enhancing Humanitarian Assistance in Regions of Natural Disasters. Environment Commission, pp. 1-5. Lubeck, Germany: MUNOL 2010. United Nations Environment Programme. (2005). Environmental Management and Disaster Reduction. World Conference on Disaster Reduction, 18-22 January, pp. 1-4. Kobe Japan,: United Nations Environment Programme.