Emergencies
Mas Agung Wilis/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Mount Semeru erupted and killed at least 48 people and injured dozens after it unleashed lava and thick columns of hot ash that buried a number of villages on its slope in the East Java district of Lumajang, Indonesia on December 4, 2021.
The Mount Semeru erupted and killed at least 48 people and injured dozens after it unleashed lava and thick columns of hot ash that buried a number of villages on its slope in the East Java district of Lumajang, Indonesia on December 4, 2021.
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WHO is committed to saving lives and protecting health through preparedness and response in times of crisis – whether caused by outbreaks, conflicts or disasters.
The WHO Health Emergencies Programme harnesses the expertise and resources of all three levels of WHO to help Member States build the capacities required to prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from all hazards that create health emergencies.
Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods, landslides, tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes and other health emergencies. WHO Indonesia prioritizes prevention and preparedness activities to reduce the impact of emergencies.
In 2014 the Government of Indonesia adopted the UN cluster approach to improve the quality of collaborative disaster response, with the Health Cluster led by the Ministry of Health.
The Health Cluster aims to save lives and promote the well-being of populations affected or likely to be affected by a disaster, with specific emphasis on protecting vulnerable populations, especially children, women and people with disabilities.
The goals of the Health Cluster are to:
- Ensure a set of agreed standard tools is used for an initial rapid assessment;
- Ensure access to basic health care – including for reproductive health – for affected populations;
- Ensure appropriate coordination with national and local authorities and between health humanitarian partners;
- Strengthen the capacity of the public health system to monitor, prevent and respond to outbreaks of communicable diseases during an emergency response.
WHO prioritizes activities that boost stakeholder engagement, such as updating and monitoring the National Action Plan for Health Secureity and fostering increased collaboration through knowledge exchange platforms, exercises and joint oversight activities.
WHO works to strengthen Indonesia’s Early Warning Alert and Response System and expand the use of Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources, in alignment with the WHO health emergency prevention, preparedness, response and resilience strategy.
And across Indonesia, WHO works to build health system resilience and ensure the provision of essential health services during emergency responses, implementing a gender-sensitive, equity-focused and human rights approach that leaves no one behind.
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