Citation

Aladhrai SA, Djalali A, Della Corte F, Alsabri M, El-Bakri NK, Ingrassia PL. Disaster Med. Public Health Prep. 2015; 9(4): 396-402.

Affiliation

Center for Research and Education in Emergency and Disaster Medicine - CRIMEDIM,Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro",Novara,Italy.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Publisher Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1017/dmp.2015.30

PMID

25877714

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Hospitals are expected to serve the medical needs of casualties in the face of a disaster or other crisis, including man-made conflicts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the 2011 Yemeni revolution on hospital disaster preparedness in the capital city of Sana'a.

METHODS: The study was conducted in September 2011 and 2013. For evaluation purposes, the hospital emergency response checklist published by the World Health Organization (WHO) was used. Additional information was also obtained to determine what steps were being taken by hospital authorities to improve hospital preparedness.

RESULTS: The study selected 11 hospitals. At the time of the first evaluation, 7 hospitals were rated "unacceptable" for level of preparedness and 4 were rated "insufficient," receiving a WHO checklist rating of 10 to 98. At the second evaluation, 5 hospitals were rated "unacceptable," 3 "insufficient," and 1 "effective," receiving a rating of 9 to 134.

CONCLUSIONS: Unfortunately, this study shows that between 2011 and 2013, no significant progress was made in hospital disaster preparedness in Sana'a. In a disaster-prone country like Yemen, the current situation calls for drastic improvement. Health system authorities must take responsibility for issuing strategic plans as well as standards, guidelines, and procedures to improve hospital disaster preparedness. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;0:1-7).

Language: en