Save lives, make hospital safe in emergencies: framework for disaster preparedness in hospitals in Nigeria

Abstract

All over the world, it is becoming obvious that there is a need to make hospitals safe at times of disasters and emergencies, when the need for their services become even more urgently needed. This is one of the reasons why the World Health Organization chose “Save lives, make hospital safe in emergencies” as the theme of the 2009 World Health Day. The WHO intends that stakeholders become aware of the important role hospitals play in disasters and emergencies. This article is an extension of that purpose in that it is designed to give a synopsis of the current thinking regarding safe hospitals, and how the knowledge can be adapted to fit the Nigerian situation.