Port-of-Spain, 21 November, 2024 (PAHO)- In an era where health emergencies and natural disasters are becoming more frequent and unpredictable, the need for robust disaster preparedness in healthcare facilities has never been greater. Recognizing this urgency, from November 19 to 21, 2024, the PAHO/WHO Trinidad and Tobago Office hosted a critical mission from Washington DC Headquarters, led by Alex Camacho, the Acting Unit Chief for Disaster Risk Reduction at the Health Emergencies Department. The mission aimed to bolster the emergency preparedness and disaster response capabilities of the Port of Spain General Hospital (POSGH) and the St. James Medical Complex (SJMC) in Trinidad.
The primary objective of this mission was to support the health emergencies and disaster response planning for these critical healthcare facilities. The mission focused on updating the hospitals' risk profiles, reviewing their current emergency response plans, and developing a prioritized intervention roadmap based on the findings.
This initiative involved the participation of key personnel from the Ministry of Health, including staff from Epidemiology, Emergency Risk Management, and Health Services, as well as hospital staff from the Emergency Committee, Epidemiology, Maintenance, and other relevant departments. Their involvement was essential in providing specific information related to previous emergencies, such as service disruptions, mortality rates, and hospital response capacities.
Over the course of three days, the mission included various activities designed to achieve its objectives. The first day involved opening remarks, presentations of country and hospital risk profiles, and a comprehensive site walk-through of critical hospital areas such as the ICU, NICU, Operating Theatre, Radiology, and Accident & Emergency (A&E). This was followed by a strategic risk assessment involving emergency committees and relevant staff.
The second day focused on similar activities at the SJMC, including a site walk-through and presentations on hospital response and evacuation plans. A significant portion of the day was dedicated to discussing good practices in hospital emergency response and developing a prioritized route map based on the hospital risk assessment findings.
The final day culminated in a review meeting where findings and priorities were presented by each hospital. The PAHO/WHO team then provided preliminary recommendations and a proposed action plan based on their observations. This session also included discussions on next steps, timelines for revisions, and follow-up support from PAHO/WHO.
The success of this mission was largely driven by the active engagement of key hospital staff responsible for planning and responding to health emergencies and disasters. Their expertise and on-the-ground insights were instrumental in aligning the mission's objectives with the hospitals' unique needs and challenges. The presence of decision-makers and essential personnel ensured that the strategies developed were practical, actionable, and tailored to enhance the hospitals' readiness for future crises.
