IDDR to focus on safety of hospitals

TODAY marks the International Day of Natural Disaster Reduction (IDDR) where countries throughout the world will celebrate with special emphasis on hospitals and public health facilities.
This year’s theme, “Hospitals safe from disasters” will focus on the physical safety on all major public hospitals throughout the world from the impacts of all forms of hazards culminating to disasters.
The IDDR is celebrated every second Wednesday of October to give the opportunity to all hospitals worldwide, including Papua New Guinea, to plan for or improve their standard operating procedures (SOPs) on how to keep their respective hospitals safe and sound from any forms of disaster and crisis.
Despite the fact that they are refuges and safe houses while nursing the most vulnerable people, the patients, the health centres and hospitals too need to be protected from potential hazards like fires.
The IDDR calls on all health centres, both private and public to respond to the safety needs of the most vulnerable hospitalised persons and all working staff towards the impacts of human and non-human disasters.
The theme of the day is a challenge for hospital management and provincial governments to look into the general safety of the physical structures, of water systems, working staff against communicable diseases and influenza, and of patients from impacts of fire and other naturally occurring disasters.
The PNG National Disaster Centre will be celebrating this day at the Holiday Inn in Port Moresby where a number of health officials are expected to attend.