Disasters: Implications for public health and health care system

Abstract

Disasters are the tragedies of a natural or human-made hazard which poses a level of threat to life, health, property, or that negatively affects society or environment. The sources of disasters could be natural or human generated. Among the natural disasters affecting our environment include earthquake, volcanic eruption, flood tsunami, landslide, hurricanes/tropical cyclones/typhoons, lightening among others. Again, the human induced disasters plaguing the society include the following – terrorism, bombing, riots, protests, clashes, gas leakage and flaring. The impacts of disasters are numerous and devastating on both the health of the human populations and the vital infrastructure. Public health
therefore views disasters in terms of what the health care providers do to the human populations within the confines of preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters and emergencies. Many Governments and organiszations in the world have made attempts to ameliorate the suffering of humans who have been affected by disasters. This paper discusses the implications of disasters on public health and the health care system within the fundamental principles that guide the
practice of public health during disasters.