PRECONFERENCE COTE ON

DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Jan. 21, 2010, Ahmadabad

Dr. Anil K. SrivastavaPresident- AIOTA, Executive Chairman ACOT & Editor, IJOT

Head of OT Services, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, C.S.M. Medical University, Lucknow

PREAMBLE

It was all quiet on the waterfront on the Sunday morning

after Christmas in 2004 at Kanyakumari, the famous

Marina Beach in Chennai and elsewhere on the Kerala

coast and Andaman Nicober Islands. There was the

excitement of a holyday with an offbeat mood with swarms

of people on the sea front: children playing cricket and

man and women on their morning work at the Marina.

Elsewhere, fishermen were putting out to sea for the day’s

catch. Then all on a sudden, a curious thing happened.

The holidaymakers at Kanyakumari were awestruck when

the sea receded from the shores. The horrifying Indian

Ocean Tsunami waves of 26th Dec. 2004 engulfed

massive no. of lives and properties worth billions in

coastal regions of Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala,

Pondicherry and Andaman & Nicobar Island in India.

The damages in all respect were many times higher in

Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. It led to cries, chaos,

havoc, floating bodies, and screams for help.

It was the most severe disaster in recent history that has

happened in Southeast Asia and affected many people.

Similarly the killer Earthquake in Bhuj and Kucch in

2001 and again on Oct 8, 2005 in J & K region in

India and Pakistan killed many thousands and grossly

damaged properties and infrastructure in affected areas.

Haiti quake: Tens of thousands feared dead, millions

homeless

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake that rocked the tiny & poor

country of Haiti struck a week back at 4:53 pm on

Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010, devastating the capital city of

Port-au-Prince, which is between the Caribbean Sea and

the Atlantic Ocean.

“Parliament has collapsed. The tax office has collapsed.

Schools have collapsed. Hospitals, main prison have

collapsed,” Thousands of people may have died.

Officials feared thousands -- perhaps more than

100,000, but another official said that figure could

climb to 500,000, but there was no firm count.

People running past rubble of a damaged building after a powerful earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Tuesday, 12th Jan. 2010.

LAST 5 KILLER EARTHQUAKES

Country Year Magnitude Killed

China (Sichaun) May 2008 7.9 90,000

Peru Aug 2007 8.0 500

Indonesia May 2006 6.4 5,750

Kashmir Aug 2005 7.7 75,000

Indonesia March 2005 8.6 1,500

Disaster Risks in India

The United Nations said in a report released on June

15. 2009, that People in China, India and Indonesia

are among those at an "extreme" risk of dying in a

natural disaster.

World Disasters Report 2006 informs: around 58% of

the total numbers of people killed in natural disasters

during 1996-2005 were from countries of South East

Region. In this decade, Asia had the highest no. of

natural disasters (1273) and technological disasters

(1387) - this comprises 44% of all disasters that occurred

across the world during this time period.

Bangladesh is most threatened by cyclones. People in

China, Colombia, India, Indonesia and Myanmar were at the

highest risk of dying from earthquakes. Indians are most in

danger from floods also. India, on account of its

geographical position, climate and geological setting, is the

worst-affected theatre of disaster in the South Asian region.

With climate change expected to increase the severity and

frequency of natural calamities, India one of the 10 nations

most affected by such catastrophes.

The Statistics Are Alarming:

22 States of the country are disaster-prone.

68 per cent of the cultivable area is vulnerable to drought.

58.6 per cent of India is prone to earthquakes of moderate

to very high intensity. The fragile Himalayan mountain

ranges are extremely vulnerable to earthquakes (and

landslides and avalanches). Western and central India is

equally unsafe.

over 40 million hectares (12 per cent of land) is prone to

floods and river erosion;

of the 7,516 km long coastline, close to 5,700 km is

prone to cyclones and tsunamis

Vulnerability to disasters/ emergencies of Chemical,

Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) origin also

exists

expanding population, urbanization and industrialization,

development within high-risk zones, environmental

degradation and climate change heightened

vulnerabilities to disaster risks

World Disaster Report 2006 also informs that Bahrain and

a number of Gulf States face a very low risk of death from

disasters. However Denmark, Estonia, Finland and

Latvia were also among "the safest places on earth

from sudden" disasters.

The 30 odd types of disasters, which have been

experienced in the past in India, have been categorized as

under:

WATER AND CLIMITE RELATED HAZARDS (Floods

and Drainage Management / Droughts / Cyclones / Tsunami / Tornadoes

/ Hurricanes / Hailstorms / Cloudburst / Snow Avalanches / Heat & Cold

Waves / Thunder and lightning)

GEOLOGICALLY RELATED HAZARDS (Earthquakes /

Landslides / Mud glows / Sea Erosion / Dam Bursts & Dam Failures /

Mine Fires)

CHEMICAL, INDUSTRIAL & NUCLEAR RELATED

DISASTERS

ACCIDENT RELATED DISASTERS (Road, Rail and other

Transportation Accidents including waterways-Boat Capsizing/ Mine

Flooding/Major Building Collapse/Serial Bomb Blasts/Festival related

Disasters/ Electrical Disasters & Fires/Forest Fires/ Urban Fires/Mine

Flooding/ Oil Spill/ Village Fires)

BIOLOGICALLY RELATED DISASTERS (Biological

Disasters/ Epidemics/Cattle and Bird Epidemics/Pest Attacks/Food

Poisoning)

Earthquakes in India

Indian Ocean Tsunami

26 Dec., 2004

Marina Beach after Tsunami

Tsunami in Thailand

Sudden crashing of a giant wave against the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, situated

at the southern tip of Kanyakumari.

15TH May, 2003. The fire broke out in three coaches of the Golden Temple Express, which was travelling from Bombay (Mumbai) to the holy Sikh city of Amritsar. At least 38 people have died in a fire on an express train in India's northern Punjab state

Mumbai flooding after

2006 deluge

Disaster Management in Respect to Occupational

Therapy: The Background

2004 Tsunami was a driving force for WFOT and OT’s in

India, in advancing efforts to support and build capacity

among occupational therapists - in Asia and beyond- to

effectively engage in disaster work. WFOT undertook a

situational analysis within the affected countries in this

region in March 2005 to inform a strategic response, locally

and internationally.

Based on the outcome of the situational analyses of

Tsunami affected countries carried out by a WFOT

Team , a 5 day Regional Action Planning and Capacities

Building Workshop was organized by WFOT in close

collaboration with WHO and other international NGOs ,

at Mount Lavinia, Colombo in Sri Lanka from 11-16 Dec.

2005 which was attended by 25 participants, including

Tsunami affected countries – India, Sri Lanka,

Indonesia and Thailand.

Post Tsunami Action Planning and Capacity Building

Regional Workshop aimed to empower occupational

therapists to alleviate the sufferings of disaster survivors. A

strong need was felt for OTs to shift their knowledge and

unique skills into a new context of OT in CBR and

community development in disaster situations, and in

coordination and liaison with NGOs and Government. It

was also hoped that this initiative might contribute to a

rejuvenation of the profession in India.

A holistic approach to disaster management is required in

planning for prevention, reduction, mitigation, and

preparedness and thereafter response planning, goes a

long way to reduce the loss of life and property and

minimizing the after-effects due to disasters.

It is estimated that the rehabilitation needs of 80% of

people with disabilities, in India, could be satisfied at the

community level. This calls for an urgent need to draft

policy guidelines for inclusion of occupational therapy at

grass root level. However appropriate training,

counseling and employment of OT’s for working in

community in disaster situations or in general, still

remains a challenge.

That was the reason that AIOTA accepted to become a

part of the regional team and achieved success in

generating cooperation from WHO in form of financial

assistance for sending its 4 member team to participate in

the Regional Workshop at Sri Lanka in Dec 2005 for

supporting this unique development of the profession

of Occupational Therapy in this subcontinent.

Following were the participants:

Dr. Anil K. SrivastavaPresident, AIOTA –Team Leader

Dr. M. Mathanraj David Chennai

Dr. P. RamakrishnanChennai

Dr R. K. Goel Lucknow: from a National level N.G.O.

In response to the challenges faced by OTs in

addressing the scale of need arising from disasters,

coupled with the limited numbers of OTs and their

access to appropriate resources, workshop

participants adopted the motto: “Work Smart with

Heart”. This captures the essence of how OT

intends to move forward in progressing regional and

national plans and proposals in Disaster

Management.

The Indian presentation in the Regional Workshop

stressed that:

“It is the uniqueness of each emergency that is

crucially important to bear in mind for planning strategy

for preparedness.”

“The planning and outcome of the workshop should

be for disasters in general in place of Tsunami only to

provide it a broader platform for intervention.”

“The after-effects of disasters including physical,

social, psychological and economical and thereafter

rehabilitation and relief services are identical to be

addressed with.”

Until now globally O.T.’s have limited engagement in

types of disasters. Although they have capabilities

and potentialities to have a significant long term role

to offer in helping the traumatized societies rebuild

and return to meaningful occupations.

AIOTA emphatically emphasized on the lack of awareness of

OT and thus limitations in OT involvement in disasters. It

informed that OTs have been responding through their work

within government services and in some cases, with local

NGOs. Mostly it has been reactive and therapy oriented:

Building OT understanding and capacity regarding all aspects

of disaster management will help overcome many limitations,

while language, cultural and contextual knowledge means a

focus on equipping locally based OTs with disaster

management skills

The WFOT project on DPR was designed in two

phases:

1.The Regional Workshop followed with

2.Subsequent National Workshops in Disaster

Preparedness and Response (D.P.& R.) in Tusanami

affected countries : India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and

Indonesia.

It also aimed to inform this cutting edge

development to other parts of the world and

build a foundation in disaster response to

Occupational Therapy. Significantly no other

international health care profession has achieved

this outcome till date in care of disaster survivors.

National Occupational Therapy E-Group Workshop

on

Disaster Preparedness and Response

Since due to the reasons beyond control the National OT

Workshop on DPR scheduled from 3-7 July at New Delhi

could not be held, the AIOTA and WFOT Presidents and

officials in consultation with Regional DPR Team, decided

to organize it as an E- Workshop by using the

innovative mode of using the electronic media –the

Internet: an entirely new approach for such an event

of international significance.

The National OT E-Workshop on DPR commenced from

18th September, 2006 with voluntarily registered 16

participants, and concluded on 23rd Dec. 06.

As a first time experience for all concerned, and given the

vagaries of electronic communication across continents,

time zones and interspersed with national holidays, the

E-Group proceeded surprisingly well.

Resource Facilitators for National OT E- Workshop on DPR

WFOT President, Kit SinclairHong Kong

WFOT Consultant

Kerry Thomas

(Australia)

British Delegate and

WFOT Executive,

now V.P .Finance Samantha

Shann (U.K.)

President AIOTA, Dr Anil K.

Srivastava ( India )

Following were the 16 participants:

1. Dr Mrs Z.D.Ferzandi,

Coordinator Participant

2. Dr. Indira R. Kenkre

3. Dr. Rajani Kelkar

4. Dr. Jyothika Bijlani

5. Dr. Anuradha Pai

6. Dr. Shailaja Jaywant

7. Dr. Shashi Oberai

8. Dr. Satish Maslekar

9. Dr. Veena Slaich

10.Dr. Anita Gupta

11.Dr. Krunal Desai

12.Dr. Poorva Shinde

13.Dr. Kalpana Kadu

14.Dr. Odette Gomes

15.Dr. Mahesh Kawle

16.Dr. Pankaj Bajpai

E-Workshop: The Purpose and Objectives:

The key purpose of this Action Learning –

Action Planning E-Workshop on DP&R

was: to build capacity of OTs to respond to

emergency situations, now and in the future and in

doing so to also advance the role of the profession

in general community based and occupational

approaches to work.

The Outcomes of the E-Workshop:

Group members have increased understanding of

DP&R and the potential roles that OT can have in DP&R,

and increased knowledge, skills and confidence to

progress planning and engagement of Occupational

Therapy in DP&R.

A first Draft National Occupational Therapy DP&R

Plan Document is prepared from which future capacity

building and assistance can progress.

Draft Terms of Reference for a National OT DP&R

Task Force, a body authorized by AIOTA to take

forward further development, national endorsement

and implementation of the National Plan, and to

identify potential members for the Task Force.

THE NATIONAL OT PLAN ON DPR: The Highlights:

KEY OBJECTIVES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR OTs:

The establishment of a National OT Disaster

Management Task Force

Education and capacity building for OTs in all

aspects of disaster management.

Coordination with different disaster preparedness

and response agencies.

Mobilization of systems and resources (materials,

funds, volunteers, association structures and events

etc) to progress plan objectives and actions.

PURPOSE

To enable OTs to contribute to national DP&R

efforts in an effective and professional way… to

assist in the recovery of survivors of disasters

and to reduce the risks for those who are

especially vulnerable in disaster situations such

as people with disability

COMPONENTS OF PLAN AND ACTIONS INITIATED

Awareness Rising

To create awareness among OTs of the role of OT in

DP&R and especially to promote OT engagement at

the primary and grassroots levels by:

Including DPR as a subject in the OT curriculum

(direction has been issued to all OT Educational

Centers in India for implementation)

Arranging camps and making compulsory postings for

students for relief and rehabilitation work in community

before and after disaster (AIOTA Branches and few

of the OT Educational Centres are rendering

services to disaster survivors within the

community and also in institutions after referral).

Publishing related articles in the journals, periodicals

read routinely by OTs. (Articles. News, Letters and

information are appearing in AIOTA official

publication Indian Journal of OT and AIOTA

website www.aiota.org as and when received)

Policy, Procedures and Standards

As a new area of practice for OTs in India, there is a

need to develop policies and procedures to guide

OT’s in preparing for and responding to disaster

situations. (COTE arranged today on Disaster

Management in OT is specifically planned to guide

and prepare OT’s to respond to render their

expertise for disaster survivors whenever is

desired)

Coordination, Networking and Partnerships

After the policy planning there will be a need for publicity,

co-ordination with other disaster team members.

Evidence-Based Interventions

Liaison to be established with key research and educational

institutes to ensure that OT education in the field of DP&R is

based on evidence-based policy.

It would be achieved by critically evaluating what is

already done and to blend it with new knowledge so

that it can be implemented in a given situation.

It means placing more emphasis on integration and transfer

of research knowledge into practice to be used along with

judgment, training, needs of PWD and community members.

Capacity Building

Facilitating development of DP&R in OT undergraduate

and Post graduate programs.

Facilitating professional development in DP&R for OTs

who want to or may otherwise become engaged in DP&R.

Sharing national and international expertise, experience

and exchange programs with Key International

Organizations.

NATIONAL O.T. D.P. & R. TASK FORCE

1. PURPOSE OF THE DP& R TASK FORCE

To take overall responsibility for the development,

endorsement and implementation and evaluation of

DP&R involving OT’s in India, including preparedness,

emergency response and recovery programs. This will

include ensuring OTs work as a team in providing

immediate OT services for disaster stricken people and

people with disability, and maintaining proper follow-ups.

KEY TASKS

The main functions and responsibilities of the Interim Task

Force that has been constituted by AIOTA and that further

needs to be strengthened, are aimed to:

Coordinate OT National DP&R Plan development and

endorsement.

Coordinate development and endorsement of OT

Guidelines and Standards for engagement in DP&R.

Coordinate OT awareness raising and marketing

regarding OT and DP&R.

Develop plans for preparedness and response in

conjunction with Branch members and other key

stakeholders.

Coordinate OT education and professional

development regarding DP&R, including for existing OT

professionals and for Undergraduate and Postgraduate

students.

Develop partnerships between OT’s and other key

stakeholders (government, donors, local and

international NGOs, WFOT, etc).

Support the coordination and implementation of Pilot

Projects and other programmes and services in

relation to DP&R

In a Disaster/Emergency, to coordinate implementation

of appropriate Action Plans.

Develop and maintain an operational function

regarding administration, systems, capacity

development, and coordination at all levels.

Coordinate monitoring and evaluation, and reporting.

Facilitate sharing of information and learning, and

resource dissemination.

Members of the Task Force may require orientation

and training in order to success in a

Disaster/Emergency, to coordinate implementation of

appropriate Action Plans.

Task Force membership and determination of roles

will be endorsed by AIOTA in consultation with its

local branches.

The Interim National OT Task Force:

To respond to emergency situation an Interim National OT

Task force is being constituted in AIOTA. The need is for its

strengthening for the effective functioning for involvement of

OT’s therein.

President AIOTA – Coordinator

Group Leader: any one of the senior AIOTA member in

the affected area, may be designated as Group Leader

to take up the responsibility.

Branch Convenor of the affected area.

NTF Members –Active participants of E-Workshop

Associate Human resources – qualified OT’s in the

affected region ,

Undergraduate interns and Postgraduate OT

students from the particular/ nearby regions.

Potential Benefits of Involvement in DPR

“Occupational therapists are passionate and

committed professionals, and potentially have much

to contribute in facilitating the recovery of traumatized

people and communities. Generally however,

occupational therapists are not connected into formal

disaster response mechanisms. This is mainly

because OT’s have limited familiarity or connection

with disaster response coordination systems. Their

role is not widely recognized.”

The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable

people to participate successfully in the activities of

everyday life. They achieve this outcome by enabling

people to do things that will enhance their ability to live

meaningful lives or by modifying the environment to

better support participation. It enhances longer term

national capacity and self-reliance in disaster affected

countries, and beyond.

The significant benefits of involvement of OT’s in DPR

also include:

better equipped with local health professionals in their

ongoing efforts to rebuild their lives and livelihoods,

contributing to outcomes that can be sustained by local

service providers and systems

local Health Professional including OT’s, engaging

with disasters and reconstruction policy, planning and

coordination mechanism, contributing pertinent

expertise to the current response effort while laying

the foundation for more cohesive involvement and

response efforts in the event of future disasters

local occupational therapists and others become

more effectively able to participate in and progress

wider community, government and international

objectives for enabling ‘access for all’ to community

based rehabilitation and health care services,

contributing to the achievement of national, regional

and UN goals (eg. WHO, UNICEF, Human Rights and

Millennium Development Goals)

role in stronger networking and coordination between

local health professionals, government services and

projects, and national and international NGO

programs, providing for a more integrated, holistic

and yet rationalized and self-reliant service

framework

at a more practical level benefit include better quality

ongoing care and support for disaster affected

individuals and their families, particularly those with

psycho-social trauma and physical injuries, stronger

referral and follow-up systems between community

care, hospital and rehab centre programs; and more

disability and age friendly accessibility in private and

public buildings/spaces

Relationships between donors and occupational

therapy organizations (including WFOT and national

associations) established that lay the foundation for

ongoing partnerships for mutual benefit and the

benefit of communities into the future.

Practitioners become equally responsive to

psychological and psychiatric conditions as they are to

physical disorders. A special focus is built on the early

detection of stress, psychological distress and

psychiatric phenomena

Intra professional support that is essential is also

achieved.

Specific OT Roles: Post Disaster

Inclusion of OT’s in CBR-Post Disaster at grass root level

is not possible unless there is knowledge and

understanding of the local culture, the socio economic

background and the religious practices within the

community. The culture, the religion and family in India,

impel people to support and look after the weak and

disabled. Families provide an identity and sense of

security to its members irrespective of their ailments

and/or disability.

Caring and sharing is still a part of Indian

culture. An effective community therapy

program is very much dependent upon its

acceptance by the community. Realization of

need and involvement of community both are

key factors for acceptance.

Specific OT Roles: Post Disaster may include but are not limited to-

1.Ensuring accessible environments post disaster at all stages of recovery ( eg. In displaced persons camps) and reconstruction ( in rebuilding homes and community facilities)

2.Organization of daily activities in displaced persons camps and surviving communities to include persons with disabilities, women, elderly and children

3.Liaison with/ and encouragement of community leaders and others to reorganize community supports and routines

4. Use of every day occupations including play and

sports to facilitate recovery

5. Assessment of mental health status of survivors for

depression and suicidal tendencies, with

subsequent counseling and occupation based

activities

6. Training of volunteers to carry out mental health

assessment and counseling, thus providing more

immediate services for greater numbers.

Disability and Disasters: Some Facts

60% of PWD are overlooked during disaster

situations; PWD and their relatives are even more

excluded in emergency situations than in ‘normal’

times

Women and children are 14 times more at risk than

men; the elderly are also at high risk; PWD are more

at risk

PWD suffer particularly high rates of mortality and

morbidity in disasters, while many more become

disabled as a result of disasters.

The Issues to be considered in Disaster

Management

A typical Disaster Management continuum comprises of

six elements i.e., Prevention, Mitigation and

Preparedness in pre-disaster phase, and Response,

Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in post-disaster

phase.

1. Large and overwhelming numbers of displaced

persons who may be highly mobile (including within

camp accommodation) and/or with whom it may be

difficult to register their needs.

2. Issues of immediate requirements for shelter, food,

water, and disease prevention/sanitation; and their

long term provision and sustainability.

The OT’s engaged in management of Disaster affected

should consider following issues in planning strategy:

3. Loss of income and sustainable means of living for

survivors -- affecting immediate and long term

survival, and responses to post-traumatic stress.

4. Psychosocial effects to survivors which include loss of

family and other supports – particularly affecting

vulnerable groups (e.g. the elderly, children, people

with disabilities).

5. Significant needs for psychological and mental health

care – including identification and referral, and

support for health-workers and systems and

organizations who may struggle to cope with the

demands in the early stages post-event.

6. Loss of, or effects to, local community services and

local health workers.

7. Difficulties in service delivery due to effects to

infrastructure and supplies – emergency medical, food

and water supplies, sanitation issues, destruction of

roads and access routes, transport and fuel availability,

health care buildings and facilities.

8. Common physical traumas caused by the event itself –

e.g. fractures, amputations, brain injury as well as the

needs of people with disabilities prior to the disaster.

9. Necessity to offer a coordinated approach between all

groups and organizations involved.

10.Building on existing local community coping

strategies.

11.Offering culturally and contextually appropriate

responses.

Mental Health Issues:

Persons affected by a disasters …are exposed to

extreme stress, immediately and over a period of years,

and are vulnerable to the development of serious mental

health problems and mental disorders. The early

intervention should include making effort in actively

engaging people in decision making, including about how

emergency care is to be provided, has shown to

markedly reduce the impact of trauma and promote

recovery (e.g. reduce psychosocial trauma and longer

term stress reactions).

It is important to consider the culture and socio-political

context - having people themselves be actively involved

in sorting out these things will improve the

appropriateness of the responses.

The National Vision on Disaster Management

On 23 December, 2005, the Government of India took a

defining step by enacting the Disaster Management Act,

2005, which envisaged the creation of the National

Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by the

Prime Minister, State Disaster Management Authorities

(SDMAs) headed by the Chief Ministers, and District

Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) headed by the

Collector or District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner as

the case may be, to spearhead and adopt a holistic and

integrated approach to DM.

The focus is: from the erstwhile relief-centric response to a

proactive prevention, mitigation and preparedness-driven

approach for conserving developmental gains and also to

minimize losses of life, livelihoods and property.

The Union Cabinet also approved the National Policy

on Disaster Management (NPDM) very recently on

Oct. 22nd, 2009.

It is prepared in tune with and in pursuance of the Disaster

Management Act, 2005 with a vision to build a safe and

disaster resilient India by developing a holistic, proactive,

multi-disaster oriented and technology driven strategy

through collective efforts of all Government Agencies and

Non-Governmental Organizations.

This will be achieved through a culture of prevention,

mitigation and preparedness to generate a prompt and

efficient response at the time of disasters. It will provide the

framework/roadmap for handling disasters in a holistic

manner.

The National Policy on Disaster Management

The Policy covers all aspects of disaster management

covering institutional, legal and financial arrangements;

disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness, techno-

legal regime; response, relief and rehabilitation;

reconstruction and recovery; capacity development;

knowledge management and research and development.

The NPDM addresses the concerns of all the sections of

the society including differently able persons, women,

children and other disadvantaged groups. In terms of

grant of relief and formulating measures for rehabilitation

of the affected persons due to disasters, the issue of

equity/inclusiveness has been accorded due

consideration.

The NPDM aims to bring in transparency and accountability

in all aspects of disaster management through involvement

of community, community based organizations, local bodies

and civil society.

The Policy represents merely the first step in the new

journey. It is an instrument that hopes to build the

overarching framework within which specific actions need to

be taken by various stakeholders including OT and health

professional at all levels.

India needs to make its Hospitals Disaster Resistant

According to WHO “Global Warming is increasing

every day, raising the chances of typhoons and

floods. In such a situation, the need is to have safer

hospitals with sufficient human resources to tackle

the surge of patients that would be impacted by

disaster.

In pursuance of it, WHO is spearheading the

campaign in disaster prone regions of S.E. Asia to

promote the concept of disaster- resilient health

facilities in its 11 member countries, including India.

The U.S. Agency for International Development

(USAID) is also committed to including people who

have physical and mental disabilities and those who

advocate and offer services on behalf of people with

disabilities. The commitment extends from the design

and implementation of USAID programming to

advocacy for and outreach to people with disabilities.

Future Plans in Respect to OT: AIOTA plans to

expend OT services if required in collaboration with WFOT

and other national and international agencies, for

expansion of OT services in DPR by:

Facilitating development of DP&R in OT

undergraduate and post graduate programs

Facilitating professional development in DP&R for

OTs who want to or may otherwise become engaged in

DP&R

Contributing to processes, to increase the number

of OTs available to work in DP&R and related

community based work roles

Mobilize access to learning-teaching materials and

resources in support of OT capacity building

Sharing national and international expertise,

experience and exchange programs

Sensitizing the key authorities in government, on

contribution of OT’s in DPR and involve them in the

planning/Implementing of the educative and

communicative program. Recommending to

Government for employment opportunities for OT’s

for community based roles

Propagating through media (Print, T.V., and Radio)

regarding achievements made by OT individuals and

groups from the field in DP&R related activities.

Natural disasters are often frightening and

difficult for us to understand, because we have

no control over, when and where they happen.

What we can control is how prepared we are as

professionals, communities and governments to

deal with the dangers that natural disasters

bring. The effects of disasters are made worse

by underdeveloped infrastructure and

widespread poverty in our country.

Tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes or any other

natural disaster can't be avoided, but with good

preparation and well-organized help after the

fact, it is possible to survive and go back to

normal life afterwards, with experience,

expertise and dedicated efforts of all concerned,

including we OT’s.

Acknowledgement

Inclusion of OT’s in Disaster Management is a brain child

of Kit Sinclair the immediate past President of WFOT. It

was her vision and the hard work and dedication that the

new area of OT practice has emerged. In support with

Kerry Thomas an OT and WFOT Consultant, she not

only organized Regional Workshop but the both also had

been the key persons in successful organization of

national workshops in Tsunami affected countries.

WFOT’s Disaster Preparedness & Response:

Information & Resource Package is document carrying

useful information, based on the report on Post Tsunami

situational analysis, outcomes of Regional and National

Workshops and useful linkage for further development of

this specific area. The encouragement and guidance

from Kit and Kerry to me in preparation for the COTE on

Disaster Management in OT is gratefully acknowledged.

My gratitude to AIOTA and ACOT EC for showing

confidence and faith on me for conducting the COTE on

an entirely new area of OT practice.

THANK YOU