Multistakeholder participation in disaster management—the case of the covid-19 pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting society’s health, economy, environment and development. COVID-19 has claimed many lives across the globe and severely impacted the livelihood of a considerable section of the world’s population. We are still in the process of finding optimal and effective solutions to control the pandemic and minimise its negative im-pacts. In the process of developing effective strategies to combat COVID-19, different countries have adapted diverse policies, strategies and activities and yet there are no universal or comprehensive solutions to the problem. In this context, this paper brings out a conceptual model of multistake-holder participation governance as an effective model to fight against COVID-19. Accordingly, the current study conducted a scientific review by examining multi-stakeholder disaster response strategies, particularly in relation to COVID-19. The study then presents a conceptual framework for multistakeholder participation governance as one of the effective models to fight against COVID-19. Subsequently, the article offers strategies for rebuilding the economy and healthcare system through multi-stakeholder participation, and gives policy directions/decisions based on evidence to save lives and protect livelihoods. The current study also provides evidence about multidimensional approaches and multi-diplomatic mechanisms during the COVID-19 crisis, in order to examine dimensions of multi-stakeholder participation in disaster management and to document innovative, collaborative strategic directions across the globe. The current research findings highlight the need for global collaboration by working together to put an end to this pandemic situation through the application of a Multi-Stakeholder Spatial Decision Support System (MS-SDSS)

Appraisal of climate change and cyclone trends in Indian coastal states: a systematic approach towards climate action

Abstract: Indian coastal regions have often been affected by frequent climate-induced natural disasters such as cyclones, floods, droughts and other related hazards in recent decades. Existing literature was not sufficient to fully understand these event trends from diverse perspectives in a systematised manner at current scenarios. Therefore, a systematic approach has been employed to assess the climate change and cyclone trends of nine Indian coastal states by using various geographical information system (GIS) tools for 2006–2020. The results showed that 61 cyclones occurred in nine coastal states from 2006 to 2020; the highest numbers were recorded in Odisha (20), West Bengal (14) and Andhra Pradesh (11). Accordingly, these three coastal states emerged as the most vulnerable for high-intensity cyclones. The results also identified that the highest average temperature (29.3 °C) was recorded at Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, and the lowest temperature (26.7 °C) was recorded in West Bengal and Odisha. Most of the coastal states showed fluctuations in temperatures during the study period. At the same time, Kerala and Karnataka states recorded the highest average rainfall (2341 mm and 2261 mm) and highest relative humidity (78.11% and 76.57%). Conversely, the Gujarat and West Bengal states recorded the lowest relative humidity at 59.65% and 70.78%. Based on these results, the current study generated GIS vulnerability maps for climate change and cyclone activity, allowing one to rank each state’s vulnerability. Cumulatively, these results and maps assist in understanding the driving mechanisms of climate change, cyclones and will contribute towards more effective and efficient sustainable disaster management in the future

Impact of Coastal Disasters on Women in Urban Slums: A New Index

Coastal hazards, particularly cyclones, floods, erosion and storm surges, are emerging as a cause for major concern in the coastal regions of Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India. Serious coastal disaster events have become more common in recent decades, triggering substantial destruction to the low-lying coastal areas and a high death toll. Further, women living in informal and slum housing along the Vijayawada coastline of Andhra Pradesh (CAP), India, suffer from multiple social, cultural and economic inequalities as well. These conditions accelerate and worsen women’s vulnerability among this coastal population. The existing literature demonstrates these communities’ susceptibility to diverse coastal disasters but fails to offer gender-specific vulnerability in urban informal housing in the Vijayawada area. Accordingly, the current study developed a novel gender-specific Women’s Coastal Vulnerability Index (WCVI) to assess the impact of coastal disasters on women and their preparedness in Vijayawada. Field data was collected from over 300 women through surveys (2) and workshops (2) between November 2018 and June 2019, and Arc-GIS tools were used to generate vulnerability maps. Results show that women are more vulnerable than men, with a higher death rate during coastal disaster strikes. The current study also found that gender-specific traditional wear is one of the main factors for this specific vulnerability in this area. Furthermore, the majority of the women tend to be located at home to care for the elders and children, and this is associated with more fatalities during disaster events. Homes, particularly for the urban poor, are typically very small and located in narrow and restricted sites, which are a barrier for women to escape from unsafe residential areas during disasters. Overall, the research reveals that most of the coastal disaster events had a disproportionately negative impact on women. The results from this present study offer valuable information to aid evidence-based policy- and decision-makers to improve existing or generate innovative policies to save women’s lives and improve their livelihood in coastal areas

A Multi-Data Geospatial Approach for Understanding Flood Risk in the Coastal Plains of Tamil Nadu, India

The coastal plains of Tamil Nadu, India, are prone to floods, the most common disaster experienced in this region almost every year. This research aims to identify flood risks in the coastal plain region of Tamil Nadu, delineated through a watershed approach with 5020 micro-administrative units covering an area of about 26,000 sq. km. A comprehensive flood risk assessment covering hazard, vulnerability, and exposure parameters was carried out using multiple datasets derived from field surveys, satellite data, and secondary data sources. The flood hazard layer was prepared on a probability scale (0−1) with the help of Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar data coupled with GIS-based water rise modelling using Shuttle Radar Topography Mission Digital Elevation Model (SRTM-DEM) and reports of the District Disaster Management Plans of 13 coastal districts. In addition, the National Resources Conservation Service-Curve Number (NRCS-CN) method was adopted to estimate surface runoff potential for identifying low probability flood-prone regions. The vulnerability and exposure of the population to flood hazards were determined using census and household data-based indicators. The different categories of built-up areas were delineated and intersected with the flood hazard layer to estimate elements at flood risk. An exhaustive field survey was conducted at 514 locations of the study area, targeting deprived communities of all major settlements to validate the flood hazard layer and understand the public perceptions. The amalgamation of results shows that very high flood risk prevails in the northern parts of coastal Tamil Nadu, especially the stretch between Chennai and Cuddalore. In addition, to provide baseline datasets for the first time at micro-administrative units for the entire coastal plains of Tamil Nadu, the study offers a pragmatic methodology for determining location-specific flood risks for policy interventions

A Comprehensive Assessment of Climate Change and Coastal Inundation through Satellite-Derived Datasets: A Case Study of Sabang Island, Indonesia

Climate-change-induced hazards are negatively affecting the small islands across Indonesia. Sabang Island is one of the most vulnerable small islands due to the rising sea levels and increasing coastal inundation which threaten the low-lying coastal areas with and without coastal defences. However, there is still a lack of studies concerning the long-term trends in climatic variables and, consequently, sea level changes in the region. Accordingly, the current study attempts to comprehensively assess sea level changes and coastal inundation through satellite-derived datasets and model-based products around Sabang Island, Indonesia. The findings of the study show that the temperature (both minimum and maximum) and rainfall of the island are increasing by ~0.01 °C and ~11.5 mm per year, respectively. The trends of temperature and rainfall are closely associated with vegetative growth; an upward trend in the dense forest is noticed through the enhanced vegetation index (EVI). The trend analysis of satellite altimeter datasets shows that the sea level is increasing at a rate of 6.6 mm/year. The DEM-based modelling shows that sea level rise poses the greatest threat to coastal habitations and has significantly increased in recent years, accentuated by urbanisation. The GIS-based model results predict that about half of the coastal settlements (2.5 sq km) will be submerged completely within the next 30 years, provided the same sea level rise continues. The risk of coastal inundation is particularly severe in Sabang, the largest town on the island. The results allow regional, sub-regional, and local comparisons that can assess variations in climate change, sea level rise, coastal inundation, and associated vulnerabilitie

Towards a Combined Physical and Social Evaluation of Climate Vulnerability in Coastal Urban Megacities

Coastal urban megacities across Asia face significant risks from climate change, including coastal flooding, high temperatures, urban heat island impacts and air pollution. These hazards are associated with negative impacts on infrastructure, communities and the environment. To identify the current intensity of climate change impacts in coastal urban megacities, an integrated evaluation method is needed. Firstly, the present study assesses the climate change impacts of Guangzhou, a Chinese coastal urban megacity, for both physical and social aspects. This study includes 60 years of time-series data for 1960–2020 to examine temperatures, precipitation, humidity and air pollution in Guangzhou city. At the same time, a survey was conducted between April and July 2022 in this megacity and collected the views of 336 people on climate change and its associated environmental impacts. Secondly, the Ganzhou city results are compared with existing data from similar nearby cities to evaluate the diverse climate change trends. Results show that during 1961-1990, the city received the most rainfall in May, reaching 283.6 mm. From 1990 to 2020, June recorded the highest rainfall of 356.6 mm and shows an increase of 73 mm during that period. The very severe monsoon season brought an increased risk of flooding. Results also revealed that the warmest month is July, and the coldest month is January, and both months showed increased temperatures of 0.60 ℃. Comparison results revealed that Guangzhou is not the only city which scored increased highest temperatures; other nearby cities including Heyuan, Shantou and Shaoguan also scored increased highest temperatures. The survey reveals that the majority of respondents (75%) perceived the increased frequency of extreme weather, including typhoons, heavy rainfall and multiple days of hot weather, such as higher temperatures and an increased number of hot days. In the responses to the questions related to the heat island effect, more than 80% of residents are aware of the existence of the heat island and its impacts. People believe that the primary causes of the urban heat island problem are industrial production and anthropogenic heat generated by the city. These results will be helpful to local and national policy and decision makers to revise and/or develop new strategies to improve the environment and quality of life in coastal megacities, particularly Ganzhou

Study of health human resource migration in India

Background Human Resource for Health (HRH) migration is an emerging concern in the development paradigm due to the critical importance to sustainability of health system in India. Being the largest human resource supplier to the world, it is important to analyze the consequences of the migration of HRH in the delivery of healthcare services to the country’s population. The study evidences limited to examine the size, distribution of the existing human resources or trends or patterns in migration. The consequences of migration have its implications to the healthcare delivery mechanism which needed to be critically analyzed. Review Methodology The methodology adopted in the paper is descriptive design. The critical review used to evaluate the existing evidence and to develop conceptual framework. The process involved the setting of the inclusion and exclusion criteria to select the articles. It included wide range of articles from the world development reports to specific studies oriented on the HRH scenario of the country. The search strategy comprised both form of studies qualitative and quantitative. The study utilizes the official data set published as report form. Main Findings The data on the migration in context of India, not systematically updated in the existing evidences. The availability of data on migration limits to few reports i.e.(World Health Organization) WHO’s Joint Learning Initiatives and studies which combines census data of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and results in the number of foreign born health professionals. 1. A major proportion of the research studies reviewed describes the disparity in distribution of HRH between rural-urban and public-private. Few researches focused towards the policy environment of the source and destination country for the migration. 2. There is pool of literature explaining the factors of migration but it margins when to analyze the significant implications to healthcare delivery mechanism and health outcomes for the source country. GJMEDPH 2015; Vol. 4, issue 3 1Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, (UGC Centre of Advanced Study), Faculty of Social Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi and Visiting Research Professor, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, USA 2Assistanr Professor, Department of Social Work, Aditi Mahavidyalaya, University of Delhi and Doctoral Fellow, Department of Social Work, (UGC Centre of Advanced Study), Faculty of Social Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi *Corresponding Author: Panneer Sigamani Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, (UGC Centre of Advanced Study), Faculty of Social Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi and Visiting Research Professor, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, USA [email protected] Conflict of Interest—none Funding—none 1 www.gjmedph.org Vol. 4, No. 3 2015 ISSN#- 2277-9604 Recommendations The paper recommends with the strategic initiative requisition for the live data records to update the HRH situation in the country. The imperative need of additional HRH training, retaining and recruiting is essential for the health system. The country specific human resource policy is vital for the strengthening of the healthcare services and regularizing of movement of health professional within and out of the country. The study gives an insight on emerging concern towards the HRH movement and considers the consequences rationally on the public health system of the country. Conclusion The research paper results into giving an idea to understand the present scenario of HRH in India. Though the present HRH information system is generalized description of the number of health professionals registered with the respective councils. It does not explain the exact quantification of the extent of the HRH migration, even though it is common among the health professionals. It is important to establish relation among the variables of migration and its consequence to the health system. The need for developing greater understanding for the long term consequences of migration on the source country is essential factors to be analyzed. The study limited to the secondary data analysis on HRH migration

Situational Analysis of Road Traffic Accidents- A case of Madurai District rural areas, Tamil Nadu

Background: Road traffic accidents (RTAs) have emerged as a major public health concern due to the growing number of motorized vehicles all over the world. In India, the burden of road traffic accidents is increasing and from 1991 to 2011, the number of fatal deaths has more than doubled. Madurai district is among road accident-prone regions of the state of Tamil Nadu. Objective: This paper aims to examine and understand trends and patterns of RTAs in rural areas of Madurai District between 2014-2018. Methods: The researchers collected RTAs data from Madurai District Crime Records Bureau. we have considered time-series data from 2014 to 2018 and the number and percentage of deaths by the distribution of relevant factors such as timing, gender, road type, and vehicles to understand holistic patterns of RTAs. Results: Totally 9950 road accidents were reported by Madurai District Crime Records Bureau between 2014 and 2018 and on an average over 1990 accidents have occurred every year. Nearly 40 per cent fatal accidents occurred between 15-21 h. Men were the victims in 87 per cent of deaths and men died 6.8 times higher than females during 2014-2018. Over 57 per cent of fatalities have occurred in National Highways. The proportion of two-wheelers contributed to road deaths is 28 per cent and two-wheelers caused maximum road deaths than other vehicles. Conclusion: The study shows a decreasing trend in road accidents and fatalities in Madurai district. However, a significant number of men dying in road accidents highlights the difficulties of their families

Policy action for health professionals involvement in tobacco control

Background and challenges to implementation World Health Organization has declared tobacco addiction as a disease. Quitters need systematic professional cessation services. Healthcare providers have unique opportunity to identify and interact with tobacco users on individual basis, about the adverse effects, disease sequence, and also provide cessation counselling medication and follow up. Their involvement will enhance tobacco control. Intervention or response The aim was to assess the quitting capacity of tobacco users, their need for health professional care. GATS -1 and 2 reports regarding quitting and involvement of healthcare professionals in tobacco control was assessed and compared. Then digital search was carried out and scooping of the published data was done to examine the role of healthcare professionals in tobacco control in India and need based recommendations were drawn for policy action. Results and lessons learnt In GATS 1 and 2, 38% tobacco consumers reported quit attempt. Those who planned to quit had increased from 46.6% to 55.4% in GATS -2. There is marginal increase in smokers advised to quit by healthcare provider. Involvement of healthcare professionals and cessation services by them are not mandated by policies. National Health Policy 2017, has provision to implement specialist cessation services by trained professionals, but engagement of existing workforce remains untapped. Some have continued consumption, inspite of professional advice. Studies have shown that some health professionals perceive not all forms of tobacco is harmful. There is need for prevention or cessation training in medical and dental curriculum or the production of training programmes aimed at current medical and dental practitioners. Conclusions and key recommendations Considering the increasing number of potential quitters, and the growing need for professional assistance, compulsory training programmes for healthcare professionals in tobacco control needs to be conducted. Networking governance by public private partnership at Government and corporate hospitals be made as a mandatory primary healthcare service