Level of Hospital Preparedness for Internal Disasters in Tertiary Care Hospitals in Pakistan

Abstract

Disasters are increasing worldwide with devastating effects than ever. Hospitals are symbols of social wellbeing which need to be functional and operational as demand for health services also increases in disasters. Disasters occurring within hospitals debilitating their capabilities are known as INTERNAL DISASTERS e.g. structural instability, fire, floods, power failures, radiation and toxic hazards etc. Resilient health facility should be able to continue functioning and delivering health services during internal disasters while rebuilding its own damages. Pakistan is a disaster-prone country that keeps on experiencing natural and man-made catastrophes. Disasters have consistently been a part of life and have influenced at least 800 million individuals around the world over the last two decades, causing a large number of deaths and financial misfortunes. The objectives of the study was to determine the existing hospital readiness and preparedness of tertiary care hospitals and provide viable recommendations for improvement.