The leading role of expert safety knowledge in supporting the mission of caring for patients during man-made and natural disasters: state of emergency medicine in Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Ukraine
Abstract Preparedness to endure extreme situations such as natural disasters or military conflicts is not commonplace in healthcare training programs. Moreover, multidisciplinary teams in health services rarely (if ever) include experts in security. However, when emergency situations occur, prevaili...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-03-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-024-00609-1 |
| _version_ | 1797275998926929920 |
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| author | Ralph C. Miles Vivian I. Avelino-Silva Wilfred Odoke Jan van den Hombergh Fernanda F. Fonseca Mengistu GebreMichael Yaroslava Lopatina Win Oo Adele Schwartz Benzaken |
| author_facet | Ralph C. Miles Vivian I. Avelino-Silva Wilfred Odoke Jan van den Hombergh Fernanda F. Fonseca Mengistu GebreMichael Yaroslava Lopatina Win Oo Adele Schwartz Benzaken |
| author_sort | Ralph C. Miles |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Preparedness to endure extreme situations such as natural disasters or military conflicts is not commonplace in healthcare training programs. Moreover, multidisciplinary teams in health services rarely (if ever) include experts in security. However, when emergency situations occur, prevailing healthcare demands do not cease to exist, and unexpected demands often surge due to the shortage of other services and supplies or as a consequence of the emergency condition itself. With services in 45 countries, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has operated in several conflict zones, facing broad and challenging security demands. Since 2017 AHF has implemented the Global Department of Safety and Security (GDSS), a dedicated intelligence and safety program that had a key role in the security monitoring, preparedness, and defense responses, assisting staff members and clients during recent conflicts. In this manuscript, we describe the experience of AHF’s GDSS in three recent military conflicts in Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Ukraine, and provide insights into steps that can be taken to assure staff safety and support the mission of caring for patients throughout catastrophic events. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:22:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-87bd023a0c4a46b9ab06da6ec7b51d35 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1865-1380 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:22:01Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-87bd023a0c4a46b9ab06da6ec7b51d352024-03-05T17:35:50ZengBMCInternational Journal of Emergency Medicine1865-13802024-03-011711810.1186/s12245-024-00609-1The leading role of expert safety knowledge in supporting the mission of caring for patients during man-made and natural disasters: state of emergency medicine in Ethiopia, Myanmar, and UkraineRalph C. Miles0Vivian I. Avelino-Silva1Wilfred Odoke2Jan van den Hombergh3Fernanda F. Fonseca4Mengistu GebreMichael5Yaroslava Lopatina6Win Oo7Adele Schwartz Benzaken8Aids Healthcare Foundation Global ProgramAids Healthcare Foundation Global ProgramAids Healthcare Foundation Global ProgramAids Healthcare Foundation Global ProgramAids Healthcare Foundation Global ProgramAids Healthcare Foundation EthiopiaAids Healthcare Foundation UkraineAids Healthcare Foundation MyanmarAids Healthcare Foundation Global ProgramAbstract Preparedness to endure extreme situations such as natural disasters or military conflicts is not commonplace in healthcare training programs. Moreover, multidisciplinary teams in health services rarely (if ever) include experts in security. However, when emergency situations occur, prevailing healthcare demands do not cease to exist, and unexpected demands often surge due to the shortage of other services and supplies or as a consequence of the emergency condition itself. With services in 45 countries, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has operated in several conflict zones, facing broad and challenging security demands. Since 2017 AHF has implemented the Global Department of Safety and Security (GDSS), a dedicated intelligence and safety program that had a key role in the security monitoring, preparedness, and defense responses, assisting staff members and clients during recent conflicts. In this manuscript, we describe the experience of AHF’s GDSS in three recent military conflicts in Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Ukraine, and provide insights into steps that can be taken to assure staff safety and support the mission of caring for patients throughout catastrophic events.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-024-00609-1Disaster PlanningSecurity measuresCivil DefenseHealth Care Facilities, Manpower, and services |
| spellingShingle | Ralph C. Miles Vivian I. Avelino-Silva Wilfred Odoke Jan van den Hombergh Fernanda F. Fonseca Mengistu GebreMichael Yaroslava Lopatina Win Oo Adele Schwartz Benzaken The leading role of expert safety knowledge in supporting the mission of caring for patients during man-made and natural disasters: state of emergency medicine in Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Ukraine International Journal of Emergency Medicine Disaster Planning Security measures Civil Defense Health Care Facilities, Manpower, and services |
| title | The leading role of expert safety knowledge in supporting the mission of caring for patients during man-made and natural disasters: state of emergency medicine in Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Ukraine |
| title_full | The leading role of expert safety knowledge in supporting the mission of caring for patients during man-made and natural disasters: state of emergency medicine in Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Ukraine |
| title_fullStr | The leading role of expert safety knowledge in supporting the mission of caring for patients during man-made and natural disasters: state of emergency medicine in Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Ukraine |
| title_full_unstemmed | The leading role of expert safety knowledge in supporting the mission of caring for patients during man-made and natural disasters: state of emergency medicine in Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Ukraine |
| title_short | The leading role of expert safety knowledge in supporting the mission of caring for patients during man-made and natural disasters: state of emergency medicine in Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Ukraine |
| title_sort | leading role of expert safety knowledge in supporting the mission of caring for patients during man made and natural disasters state of emergency medicine in ethiopia myanmar and ukraine |
| topic | Disaster Planning Security measures Civil Defense Health Care Facilities, Manpower, and services |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-024-00609-1 |
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