WHAT: This year’s World Health Day campaign focuses on the need to make hospitals safe in disasters. It has three important messages:

• All health facilities must be able to withstand the physical impact of disasters;
•  Critical health services must continue to function in all emergency situations; and
• Health workers must be trained and ready to deal with the special challenges these situations impose.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 7, 2009, 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: Pan American Health Organization Regional Headquarters (Room A), 525 23rd Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20037. PAHO is located just four blocks south of the Foggy Bottom/GW metro station. 

WHO:

• Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, Director, Pan American Health Organization
• Dr. Josef Reum, Interim Dean, School of Public Health and Health Services, The George Washington University
• RADM W. Craig Vanderwagen, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Panel Discussion 

Your Hospital: Will it be there when you need it most?
Milagros Kennett, Staff Architect, Risk Reduction Division, Mitigation Branch, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Health Facilities: What does it take to keep them up and running during emergencies?
Chris Van Gorder, CEO and President, Scripps Health

Our Health Workforce: Do they have the capacity to provide care during disasters?
Dr. Ruth Berggren, Director, Center for Medical Humanities & Ethics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio

Reception in PAHO lobby

WHAT ELSE:

• Safe Hospitals Expo April 6-7
  NGOs, professional associations, government agencies and PAHO technical units will showcase what they are doing to help protect hospitals in emergencies.

Links:

• World Health Day 2009 website
• PAHO Disasters and Humanitarian Assistance website

For more information please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Information Officer, Knowledge Management and Communication, tel (202) 974-3459, fax (202) 974-3143.