The Role of Health Care and Health Security in War, Disaster & Crisis Preparedness

Health care and health security are the fundamental pillars of disaster preparedness and crisis management. An established routine health care is necessary for any society, enabling full access to care and fulfilling the rights of every individual. Health security, on the other hand, is what a society needs to be flexible in managing an unexpected situation. To overcome a disaster with minimal damage or to avert such a critical situation, health care and health security should exist simultaneously. Thus, resilience in disaster preparedness and crisis management requires investment in both health care and health security. This ensures local public health services and infrastructure, local ambulances, both acute and chronic care referral systems, prompt vaccinations, and prevention of communicable diseases to name but a few. These measures which have proven to be the most sensitive evaluation of fair governance are critically absent in several nations, particularly in areas with long-standing conflicts. Strengthening health care and health security measures are paramount to the maintenance of the health system in peace and recovery of health delivery post-conflict and require political and economic considerations.