New Publications July 2004

Other publications

Posted in New Publications July 2004

Public Health Response to Biological and Chemical Weapons
World Health Organization,
Second Edition
2003, 303 p.
ISBN 92 75 32485 9
This publication was written to guide countries on preparedness for and response to the deliberate use of biological and chemical weapons. The current publication updates a 1970 report that considered biological and chemical weapons at the technical and policy levels. It was intended not only for public health and medical authorities but also for those concerned with emergency response to the suspected or actual use of such weapons. This second edition is intended for much the same readership: government policymakers, public health authorities. On the web at www.who.int/ (click on Publications).

Logros en salud en Centroamérica: 5 años después de Mitch
(Success Stories in Health in Central America Five Years after Hurricane Mitch)
2003, 40 p. ISBN 92 75 32489 1
Spanish only, US$ 10
This publication documents the experiences, achievements and lessons learned during the implementation of a technical cooperation project to reduce vulnerability to disasters in the countries affected by Hurricane Mitch. The project was carried out by the health sector, many municipalities and a host of other actors in Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala and the publication illustrates how action and experience can be applied to improving health services and living conditions of populations at risk.

WHO-PAHO Guidelines for the Use of Foreign Field Hospitals in the Aftermath of Sudden-Impact Disasters
Results of an International Meeting
2003, 20 p.
US$ 10
At the WHO/PAHO-sponsored meeting, the pros and cons of the use of foreign field hospitals in the aftermath of natural disasters were discussed and draft Guidelines were examined and approved. The guidelines propose conditions that field hospitals and their staff should meet according to the length of time they will remain in a disaster-stricken country. They also outline issues that authorities in donor countries should consider before mobilizing a field hospital. A summary brochure, Field Hospitals in the Aftermath of Sudden-Impact Disasters. A Help or Hindrance?, was developed to promote their use by decision-makers.

Read, download or consult any of these information products on the Internet:
www.paho.org/disasters (click on Publications Catalog) - www.helid.desastres.net
For more information write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Now available on CD-ROMs

Posted in New Publications July 2004

The Role of Laboratories and Blood Banks in Disaster Situations
Instructional Material
2003 Edition
Technical training material that describes the role of laboratories and blood banks in disasters as well as measures to be taken to improve preparedness. The CD includes audiovisual instructional material for use in training courses and seminars and an annotated script to accompany the presentation.

Slide Series Now in Electronic Format
Instructional Material
US$ 25
For more than 20 years, PAHO produced slide sets for use as training aids in courses and workshops on disaster-related issues. Now, information that is deemed to be still relevant and of contemporary interest has been transferred to electronic format and is presented on CD-ROMs, which are easier to distribute and reproduce. The CDs contain images in high resolution .jpg format, appropriate for publications or for printing purposes, and in low resolution for presentations or web pages. A fact sheet is included in PDF format with the detailed description of the content.
Titles available on CD include: Management of Cadavers in Disasters; Hospital Drills for Disaster Situations; Mental Health Care in Disaster Situations; Hospital Security; Preparing Risk and Resource Maps; Bacteriological Analysis of Natural Water Supply Sources in Disaster Situations; the Earthquake in Mexico (1985).

Mitigación de desastres en sistemas de agua y saneamiento (Disaster Mitigation in Water Supply and Sanitation Systems)
Training Material
2003 Edition
Spanish only, US$ 25
Developed with the PAHO/WHO Pan-American Center for Sanitary Engineering and Environmental Sciences (CEPIS), the CD contains training materials on disaster mitigation in water supply and sanitation systems. The training material offers both theoretical and practical elements on risk assessment of these systems and presents the principal mitigation actions that can be taken to reduce the effects of the most frequently occurring types of disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean

Health Library for Disasters
(available in CDROM and on the Internet)
2003 Edition
(English, French and Spanish documents) US$ 30
The most comprehensive collection of information resources on public health and disasters and complex emergencies. The Library contains more than 500 full-text scientific and technical documents in English, Spanish and French and the principal disaster and emergency publications of a variety of agencies including PAHO, WHO, UNHCR, ISDR, IFRCS, ICRC, and several international NGOs. The CD and Internet versions both feature a user-friendly yet powerful search engine that helps locate information by subject, country, specific description, title, publishing organization, or any other key word. Documents are available in HTML format and some in PDF format as well. Visit this collection on the Internet at: www.helid.desastres.net or www.paho.org/disasters (click on Virtual Library).

Health facilities

Posted in New Publications July 2004

Guidelines for Vulnerability Reduction in the Design of New Health Facilities
2004, 106 p. ISBN 92 75 32500 6
US$ 18
This joint publication of PAHO/WHO, the WHO Collaborating Center on Disaster Mitigation at the University of Chile and the World Bank’s ProVention Consortium provides technical criteria for incorporating disaster mitigation into the planning and development stage of construction of new health facilities. The publication sets forth three levels of protection: life protection, infrastructure protection and operational or functional protection. It recommends that key or essential areas of a hospital be built with third-level protection in mind; as a whole, all new facilities should be built to meet the first level protection. International experience has shown that incorporating disaster mitigation measures to achieve the third level of protection in new hospitals does not raise the cost of construction more than 4%. This technical publication provides guidance for health managers, professionals and technical advisers who have to manage, design, build and inspect projects involving new hospitals, laboratories and blood banks.

Protecting New Health Facilities from Natural Disasters: Guidelines for the Promotion of Disaster Mitigation
2003, 52 p. ISBN 92 75 32484 0
US$ 10
This publication is a companion piece to the Guidelines for Vulnerability Reduction in the Design of New Health Facilities. It provides an overview of the more comprehensive technical publication and includes recommendations on how to promote the adoption of disaster mitigation guidelines by national authorities, health planners and financing agencies. It also emphasizes the substantial social and economic benefits of applying mitigation measures to the design, planning and construction of health facilities to safeguard lives, infrastructure and the operations of critical services.

Material de capacitación para el Curso de Planeamiento Hospitalario para Desastres y el Taller de Formación de Instructores
(Hospital Planning for Disasters)
2004 Edition
Spanish only, US$ 25
This new CD-ROM contains the training material to deliver the course on Hospital Planning for Disasters and the material needed to conduct workshops to train trainers for the course. The Hospital Planning for Disasters Course outlines the methodology for developing and the content of a hospital disaster plan, which includes identifying risks, taking steps to reduce them and coping with internal and external disasters and emergency situations, taking into account both the hospital’s response capacity and its vulnerability to the risks identified.
The revised and updated version of the Hospital Planning for Disasters Course includes technical comments, recommendations and suggestions made by facilitators and participants in earlier courses in Latin America.

Disasters and Environment

Posted in New Publications July 2004

Gestión de residuos sólidos en situaciones de desastre
(Solid Waste Management in Disasters)
Environmental Health and Disasters Series, No. 1
2003, 102 p. ISBN 92 75 32467 0
Spanish only, US$ 15
This manual suggests criteria and basic actions for the proper management of solid waste in disaster situations. It was written for technical personnel in the sanitation sector, health professionals and other specialized experts who, in emergencies, work to restore basic community services and deal with health needs in shelters and temporary settlements. It includes case studies of solid waste management in disasters in Latin America.

Reducción del daño sísmico. Guía para las empresas de agua
(Reducing Seismic Damage. Guidelines for Water Companies)
Environmental Health and Disasters Series, No. 2
2003, 107 p. ISBN 92 75 32488 3
Spanish only, US$ 15
This publication offers valuable information for preventing potential earthquake damage to the components of a drinking water supply system. It includes a description of technical solutions that have been implemented when rebuilding damaged systems or to prevent damage in new infrastructure.
Both publications were developed in collaboration with the Pan-American Center for Sanitary Engineering and Environmental Sciences (CEPIS).

Disaster manuals and guidelines series

Posted in New Publications July 2004

Manual de evaluación de daños y necesidades en salud para situaciones de desastre
(Damage and Needs Assessment in the Health Sector in Disaster Situations)
Disaster Manuals and Guidelines Series, No. 4
2004 Edition, Spanish only, US$ 15
This manual provides a tool to assess damage and needs in the health sector following disasters. The methodology can be adjusted to local conditions and to different types of emergency situations. The main topics addressed include basic concepts of disaster management and the assessment of the situation in terms of epidemiological surveillance, basic sanitation and health infrastructure.

Management of Cadavers in Disaster Situations
Disaster Manuals and Guidelines Series, No.5
2004 Edition, US$ 18
Large-scale, devastating disasters, regardless of when or where they occur, often claim a large death toll. This new manual provides guidance on managing a large number of dead bodies in the aftermath of disasters. It intends to debunk myths or misconceptions regarding the handling, identification and final disposal of cadavers. It also argues against burial in common graves and mass cremation, emphasizing the need to preserve the identify of the dead and the importance of providing support to family members and relatives.

Protección de la salud mental en situaciones de desastres y emergencias
(Protecting Mental Health in Disaster and Emergency Situations)
Disaster Manuals and Guidelines Series, No. 1
2002, 107 p. ISBN 92 75 32421 2
Spanish only, US$ 18

Preparativos de salud para situaciones de desastres. Guía para el nivel local
(Health Preparedness for Disasters. Guide for the local level)
Disaster Manuals and Guidelines Series, No. 3
2003, 92 p.
ISBN 92 75 32446 8
Spanish only, US$ 15

CD Curso de autoinstrucción en prevención, preparación y respuesta. Desastres producidos por productos químicos
(Self-instruction Course: Preparedness and Response to Disaster caused by Chemical Ap)
Edición 2002
Bilingual version Spanish/Portuguese, US$ 25

Vigilancia epidemiológica sanitaria en situaciones de desastre. Guía para el nivel local
(Epidemiological Health Surveillance in Disasters. Guide for the local level)
Disaster Manuals and Guidelines Series, No. 2
2002, 56 p. ISBN 92 75 32409 3
Spanish only, US$ 15

Terremotos en El Salvador, 2001
Disaster Chronicles No. 11
2002, 222 p. ISBN 92 75 32410 7
Spanish only, US$ 20

Disaster Mitigation in Health Facilities
Technical and training material
2001 Edition, US $ 25
Available in English and Spanish, US $ 25

New Publications July 2004

Other publications

Now available on CD-ROMs

Health facilities

Disasters and Environment

Disaster manuals and guidelines series

Latest Issue

Past Issues