Disaster response for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies means to be the first one on the spot, save lives through search and rescue, first aid and early referral by trained volunteers in National Societies, prevent suffering, re-establish and maintain health.
It equally means to be internationally prepared and ready to support or complement affected National Societies in their care for the most affected and vulnerable through established response systems and tools like adapted assessment tools, Emergency Response Units, Health information and monitoring systems, Kits, specially trained regional and international assessment and coordination teams, etc.
Through our universal presence we are able to effectively act at local, regional and global level.
The International Federation applies a Public Health in Emergencies approach when responding to health aspects of crises. This involves addressing the immediate needs among the most affected and vulnerable by filling a temporary gap or overload in the health care system caused by the disaster, complementary to the government and other agencies' capacity.
We provide basic, standardized and targeted quality service to as many as possible through specialized emergency response units for basic health care, district level hospital services and water and sanitation.
We engage in disease prevention and epidemic control through health promotion. In particular we focus on reducing the impact of the five worst killer diseases in emergencies, address mother and child health, contributing to reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality, an often forgotten entity in disasters.
Our main strength is to work with the affected community and going the "last mile" between the periphery of the health system and the victim, reaching out to the unreachable and most vulnerable, even in difficult security environments as for example in Afghanistan.
This is only possible through ongoing health preparedness, first aid and health trainings in the community, standardization efforts of trainings, equipment and supplies, and through monitoring of standards and performance within our Movement, in line with Sphere standards, to which we contributed.
Since the Kosovo crisis, we have continuously scaled up efforts to address psychosocial needs of victims, volunteers and staff and we are able to show a great learning curve in this health sector in emergencies. Addressing stress management of self and in a team is standard in delegate and team leader trainings.
Our work is planned, implemented and monitored in the closest conjunction with the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of the countries concerned.
This takes full account of their role as auxiliaries to the public authorities in the humanitarian field, and consequently we are able to work well with Ministries of health and other agencies entrusted with disaster management responsibilities.
This relationship point has been of great value to our other partners, including international organisations, as they conduct their activities relevant to crisis situations.
We have been a reliable partner to UN family agencies in the joint work on reproductive health in emergencies since 1994. For example, we have been a member of the Inter-Agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Refugee situations since 1995.
It is one of the leading groups in addressing the reproductive health needs of conflict affected populations.
Within it, the International Federation contributed to the Inter-Agency Field Manual for Reproductive Health in Refugee Situations, published in 1999 and to the Inter-Agency Global Evaluation of Reproductive Health Services for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in 2004.
We are committed to further increasing efforts of addressing HIV/AIDS in emergencies along with our partners and as part of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Task Force on HIV/AIDS in emergency settings since its inception.
Last week, WHO and the International Federation signed a Joint Letter of Cooperation to further scale up their extensive cooperation, among others in the field of public health in emergencies, acknowledging their complementary approach to vulnerability to disease as a major cause of poverty.
This provides a global basis for strong partnerships already established between the two organizations underlining cooperation in emergencies in the Americas, Asia and Middle East region.
Chair, when the emergency recedes, the media departs and the limelight subsides, the National Societies and the International Federation remain engaged as long as it takes.
We seek to build sustainable preparedness and capacity within communities and in National Societies utilizing health as a motor, as we will endeavour to do in the Tsunami affected countries.
We believe that post disaster rehabilitation is closely linked to building resilience and self-reliance in the communities and that health has to be at the centre of these efforts.
This work is also linked to our support for the achievement of the United Nations Millennium development Goals, for they are as relevant to emergencies and follow-up rehabilitation work as they are for broader developmental programming.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has been working at the forefront of public health in emergencies and commits to remain a strong health partner to governments and agencies in disaster response and rehabilitation.