Promoting research for a better response to health emergencies and disasters
Health emergencies and disasters are growing in frequency and magnitude, with significant risks and consequences for many millions of people worldwide. In response, WHO set up the Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network (Health EDRM RN) in 2016 to promote global research collaboration to inform relevant policies and programmes.
Two recent publications depict activities of the Health EDRM RN, underscoring its role as a platform that facilitates the reciprocal flow of knowledge, information and evidence in Health EDRM between the global and local arenas.
The WHO Kobe Centre (WKC), in collaboration with the Japanese Association for Disaster Medicine, held a workshop in February 2020 with Japanese experts to discuss priority activities of the Health EDRM RN, including the promotion of operational research to address the needs of emergency- and disaster-exposed individuals and communities, and strengthening the research capacity of the Health EDRM community. The workshop generated significant inputs and advice from local experts for advancing the field of Health EDRM. This included the use of mixed-methods designs and standardized data collection for operational research in Health EDRM, and the active educational use of the WHO Guidance on Research Methods for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management to strengthen research capacity of the Health EDRM community.
At the global level, two Core Group Meetings of the Health EDRM RN were held on 17–18 October 2019 and 27 November 2020 to discuss the development of a Health EDRM RN research agenda to identify research priorities for the translation of findings into policy and practice. The meetings also focused on the establishment of WHO’s Health EDRM Knowledge Hub, an online platform to provide knowledge and information on Health EDRM. This is expected to be a key source of global hazard information, useful for policymakers, government officials, frontline workers, hospital administrators and practitioners at country level. Read the publication here.
WKC is the secretariat of the Health EDRM RN, ensuring that its activities are relevant at both global and local levels.