Medical Readiness in Disaster Management

Disasters have affected more than 26 lakh people over the last decade. As environmental degradation and the pace of urbanization accelerate in the 21st Century, the nature, frequency and intensity of disasters are only set to increase. Protecting populations from disasters requires adoption of disaster resilience frameworks and resilient health systems to ensure continuity of care. Health system strengthening and medical preparedness are key for mitigating the effects of disasters, especially in lower and middle-income countries (LMIC). A culture of disaster and medical preparedness along with health system strengthening as promoted in India provides the opportunity to protect populations from future disasters.