BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, June 20:A three-day workshop on “Health and disaster management” kicked off here today with an objective of establishing disaster management unit in each of the five Development Regions of the country.

The workshop also aimed at creating awareness of the necessity of emergency preparedness and disaster management in each of the Regions and strengthening the coordination among different institutions meant to participate in inter-sectoral emergency committees, the organisers said.

According to them, they planned to extend the emergency preparedness programme in the whole country. The workshop included participants from the Eastern and Central Regions and the other similar workshop due to be held in Pokhara next week would include Western, Mid-Western and Far Western Regions, they said.

Disaster management in vitably inlcudes medical and general public health management, experts said at the inauguration of the workshop organised by Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD).

EDCD Director Dr M.B. Bista said that Nepal, which lies in seismically active zone, is a disaster prone country with 78 per cent of its land occupied by mountains and hills. “Besides earthquake, flood, landslide, fire, draught and epidemics are common types of disasters in Nepal.”

The disaster management programme could be successfully achieved by inter-sectoral coordination and hence the inter-sectoral workshop, he said. “Since health service delivery is of utmost importance in all disasters, we plan to ensure that Nepal will be well prepared to confront future emergency situations by facilitating the coordination among representatives from the health sector and other key institutions.”

At the function inaugurated by Health Service Department Director General Dr. B.D. Chataut, SEARO Technical Officer Dr. Eigil Sorensen and WHO Representative to Nepal Dr Klaus Wagner also threw light on the importance of the disaster management programme in providing immediate help to victims.