Organización del Sector Salud en los planes de Defensa Civil

Abstract

The author presents the most important issues concerning the organization of Health Care during disasters as follow:
— Health Sector must be a part of the Civil Defense of a country.
— Civil Defense must be in charge of the planning and coordination of alI institution (public and private) participating and not an independent Organization.
— Each country calls the Civil Defense with different names: Civil Defense, Civil Pro section, Emergency Office, etc.
— Planning and Activities must be done according to levels: national, regional and local.
— The Health Sector was a pioneer in facing disasters in an organized and successful way (bubonic fever, yellow lever, smallpox, cholera, etc.).
— Health status of the world population is in an instable balance with the environment: the least change in this one cause an effect in health.
— When a disaster is produced, the aid wiIl be more difficult and costly when the Level of health is low.
— Facing preventable disasters, prevention has the first priority. For impreventable situation, the activities will be focussed on preventions the consequences and being ready to help.
— The worse natural disaster is the earthquake, impredictable at present, violent and destroyer of buildings.
— One must be prepared to extreme urgent, immediate and mediate actions.
— The extreme urgence for health is to save lifes.
— The catastrophes are the epidemic out- breaks of violence, then health units daily facing emergencies are better prepared to face them.
— Medical and surgical care of emergencies must be an obligation of public services and hospitals.
— The inmediate actions are focussed in the recuperation of the environmental hygiene: water, servage; prevention of epidemic outbreaks, and medical care, psychiatric care included.
— Population affected must be employed and paid from the beginning to prevent psychological impact and getting used to recive free help.
— Mediate actions are related to national planning of reconstruction.
— International aid must be programmed and directed to population according to their needs.