Officials of government ministries and agencies gathered in Hanoi on May 18 fora conference on how to coordinate their work to improve the emergency responsecapacity of Vietnam.
The conference was sponsored by the Asia DisasterPreparedness Centre (ADPC), the US Agency for International Development (USAID)and the American Red Cross.
Participants said that Vietnam has over therecent past been hit more frequently and severely by natural calamities, whichcause enormous damage in human lives and assets.
In addition, theglobalisation process has given rise to the possibility of diseases beingtransmitted faster, including the deadly bird flu H5N1 and the type A/H1N1flu.
They said concerted measures to improve the general capacity toprepare for and respond to disasters are extremely needed and must becommunity-based. They include training to improve the public awareness;organising volunteers’ groups for disaster-prevention and search-and-rescue atlocalities; setting up early warning systems and stepping up disasterrehearsals.
The meeting drew participation of officials from theMinistries of Defence, Public Security, Agriculture and Rural Development,Health, Education and Training and Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, aswell as representatives from the national steering committees on prevention andcontrol of flood and storm, and human influenza pandemic; the national committeefor Search and Rescue and the National Administration of Hydrography andMeterology.
The Vietnam Red Cross (VRC) has been selected to join theADPC’s programme on improving the emergency response capacity phase III from2009-2014.
VRC Vice President cum Secretary General Doan Van Thai saidthis is a good opportunity for the local red cross society to improve itsresponse activities, which is one of the major content in the VRC’s strategyuntil 2015 and a vision to 2020./.
The conference was sponsored by the Asia DisasterPreparedness Centre (ADPC), the US Agency for International Development (USAID)and the American Red Cross.
Participants said that Vietnam has over therecent past been hit more frequently and severely by natural calamities, whichcause enormous damage in human lives and assets.
In addition, theglobalisation process has given rise to the possibility of diseases beingtransmitted faster, including the deadly bird flu H5N1 and the type A/H1N1flu.
They said concerted measures to improve the general capacity toprepare for and respond to disasters are extremely needed and must becommunity-based. They include training to improve the public awareness;organising volunteers’ groups for disaster-prevention and search-and-rescue atlocalities; setting up early warning systems and stepping up disasterrehearsals.
The meeting drew participation of officials from theMinistries of Defence, Public Security, Agriculture and Rural Development,Health, Education and Training and Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, aswell as representatives from the national steering committees on prevention andcontrol of flood and storm, and human influenza pandemic; the national committeefor Search and Rescue and the National Administration of Hydrography andMeterology.
The Vietnam Red Cross (VRC) has been selected to join theADPC’s programme on improving the emergency response capacity phase III from2009-2014.
VRC Vice President cum Secretary General Doan Van Thai saidthis is a good opportunity for the local red cross society to improve itsresponse activities, which is one of the major content in the VRC’s strategyuntil 2015 and a vision to 2020./.
