Challenges of Global Public Health Emergencies: Development of a Health-Crisis Management Framework

Abstract

Modern day health care providers have traditionally only focused on meeting the response phase requirements of disasters. The emergence of complex global public health crises such as climate change and extremes, biodiversity loss, emergencies of scarcity, rapid unsustainable urbanization, migrant and refugee surges, domestic and international terrorism, cyber-security, the civilianization of war and conflict, and the global rise of resistant antibiotics has resulted in an unprecedented rise in direct and indirect mortality and morbidity. These crises are beyond the current decision-making and operational capabilities of traditional disaster management and its providers most of who are community level practitioners representing every discipline. The 1930s "disaster cycle" concept describes a phase-related approach to meeting the strategic, operational, research, educational, and training components required of disasters; and, presents an opportunity for the structured development of a Health Crisis Management Framework to oversee the phase-related strategic and operational requirements for prevention, preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation challenges of major global public health crises. Whereas this approach mimics the manner in which practitioners at every level of society identify with in their daily practices, this approach deserves the support of every clinician, researcher, academic, and ancillary health care provider. Interestingly, this was also the intent of the original 1930 disaster cycle concept.

Iranian’s healthcare system challenges during natural disasters: the qualitative case study of Kermanshah earthquake

“…In sum, although different studies try to introduce their frame works for disaster management, it seems that in spite of the similarities of the models the same as considering prevention and preparedness before disasters, response phase during the disasters and recovery, relief and rehabilitation right after the previous phase [35] this topic is greatly depending on the context and social, cultural and other non-health related factors. In this regard it is recommended to pay enough attention to the health systems preaddress along with the community's enabling and sociocultural facilitators for facing disasters.…”

Global Public Health Database Support to Population-Based Management of Pandemics and Global Public Health Crises, Part I: The Concept

“…63,64 https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X20001351 (Figure 2). 16,57 Under this model, permanent highly trained PBMTs would be placed at each regional office led by PH experts trained in PBM across the entire "Disaster Cycle" of crisis management (prevention, preparedness, response, rehabilitation, recovery) 65 before, during, and after an outbreak, epidemic, and pandemic. Most importantly, PBMTs have the capacity and authority to assume operational management control if management is beyond local capacity.…”

50 States or 50 Countries: What Did We Miss and What Do We Do Now?

“…Medical and public health efforts must not be directed at the response phase alone in the disaster cycle, but must capture operational and research responsibility across the entire disaster cycle: prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and rehabilitation, and support new academic programs that train scientists and health crisis managers. 31 Academic initiatives currently arising out of Europe will offer credentialed Master's and PhD-level programs to meet expected leadership roles in support of WHO's and IHR's expanding global initiatives.…”