A multidisciplinary team from Miami responded in the aftermath of hurricane Mitch and traveled at the request of Honduran officials to La Lima, located 18 km. from San Pedro Sula. The four-fold objectives were to (i) identify sites and determine needs for distributing donated medical and health supplies; (ii) train local health workers on the use of field diagnostic kits in the rapid detection of malaria, dengue, and leptospirosis; (iii) provide technical support to local health professions and (iv) train and provide health workers with preventive health educational tools. This included the use of a solar-powered projection system with slides taken of the local populations for health interventions during post disaster settings and proposed for local health promoters working with temporary school- based shelters. Many of the displaced families arrived from nearby rural communities. The Miami team in collaboration with local partners developed plans of action with short, medium and long-term objectives. A disaster of this magnitude identifies and magnifies all gaps within the system: political, economic social and medical. The devastation of Mitch required more than local governmental capacity. While most of the after -action conferences have highlighted improvements in national disaster plans, they have also emphasized the difficulty in meeting the needs at the community level. We propose a framework of action to build and reinforce public and private partnerships and build local capacity in disaster recovery.
Learning Objectives: 1.Develop a public/private framework of action in disaster recovery efforts 2.Describe methods in field training for rapid diagnositc test in post disasters settings 3.Identify strategies to engage international, national and local support in disaster recovery efforts
Keywords: Community-Based Partnership, Community Collaboration
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.