Global attention focused on making health facilities disaster-resilient

The Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015 was adopted at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan in January 2005. A key priority for action, adopted by the Conference, is to: “Integrate disaster risk reduction planning into the health sector; promote the goal of hospitals safe from disasters by ensuring that all new hospitals are built with a level of resilience that strengthens their capacity to remain functional in disaster situations and implement mitigation measures to reinforce existing health facilities, particularly those providing primary health care.” Given the critical importance of this issue, the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction selected the topic of hospitals safe from disasters as the theme of its two-year global awareness campaign for 2008–2009.  Learn more about the Hyogo Framework for Action (consult page 11 for the reference to ensuring the safety of health infrastructure).