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Enhancing Global Health Security: US Africa Command’s Disaster Preparedness Program

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2018

Melinda J. Morton Hamer ,
Paul L. Reed ,
Jane D. Greulich  and
Charles W. Beadling
Melinda J. Morton Hamer*
Affiliation:
Center for Global Health Engagement, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland National Center for the Study of Preparedness and Catastrophic Event Response, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland Center for Refugee and Disaster Response, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
Paul L. Reed
Affiliation:
Center for Global Health Engagement, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland
Jane D. Greulich
Affiliation:
Center for Global Health Engagement, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland
Charles W. Beadling
Affiliation:
Center for Global Health Engagement, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland
*
Correspondence and reprints request to Melinda J. Morton Hamer, MD, MPH, Major, U.S. Army, Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1830 E. Monument St., Ste 6-100, Baltimore, MD 21205 (e-mail: mmorton@jhmi.edu).
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Abstract

US Africa Command’s Disaster Preparedness Program (DPP), implemented by the Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine, partnered with US Government agencies and international organizations to promote stability and security on the African continent by engaging with African Partner Nations’ (PN) civil and military authorities to improve disaster management capabilities. From 2008 to 2015, DPP conducted disaster preparedness and response programming with 17 PNs. DPP held a series of engagements with each, including workshops, strategic planning, developing preparedness and response plans, tabletop exercises, and prioritizing disaster management capability gaps identified through the engagements. DPP partners collected data for each PN to further capacity building efforts. Thus far, 9 countries have completed military pandemic plans, 10 have developed national pandemic influenza plans, 9 have developed military support to civil authorities plans, and 11 have developed disaster management strategic work plans. There have been 20 national exercises conducted since 2009. DPP was cited as key in implementation of Ebola response plans in PNs, facilitated development of disaster management agencies in DPP PNs, and trained nearly 800 individuals. DPP enhanced PNs’ ability to prepare and respond to crises, fostering relationships between international agencies, and improving civil-military coordination through both national and regional capacity building. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:319–329)

Keywords

civil militaryhumanitarian aiddisaster preparednessEbola responsedisaster response
Type
Concepts in Disaster Medicine
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , April 2019 , pp. 319 - 329
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2018 

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