Role of health sector contingency plan in emergency preparedness and response: Orissa experiences

A study was organized to orient the district level health sector disaster managers to review, revise and update the health sector contingency plan (HSCP) against common natural calamities, followed by its execution and evaluation. An inter-state 3 days workshop was organized at Kolkata during the month of October 2004 to review the district level HSCP and its execution in 5 (five) worst affected districts. The District Health Officers, in consultation with the investigators, revised and updated the HSCP. Thereafter, status survey was conducted to examine the implementation of the contingency plan. During flood, the HSCP was found to be followed in the districts. Control room, construction/identification of flood shelter, sanitation and other preventive measures were taken care of, with an exception of Kendra Para, where lack of man power was noted. Technical support, trained manpower, relief materials, ambulance, Communication and information system were present in all the 5 (five) districts.