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The Need for a Global Health Disaster Network

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Ingrid M. Libman*
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Ronald E. LaPorte
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Shunichi Akazawa
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Eugene Boostrom
Affiliation:
The World Bank, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Caryle Glosser
Affiliation:
Psychologist-Private Practice, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Eric Marler
Affiliation:
Independent Consultant, National Information Infrastructures, USA
Ernesto Pretto
Affiliation:
Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Francois Sauer
Affiliation:
American Telephone and Telegraph, Boca Raton, Florida, USA
Anthony Villasenor
Affiliation:
National Aironautics and Space Administration, Science Internet, NASA, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Frank Young
Affiliation:
Office of Emergency Preparedness, Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, Maryland, USA
Genro Ochi
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor, Ehime University, Ehime, Japan
*
Rangos Research Center, 5th Floor, 3460 5th Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA Telephone (412) 692-5822 Facsimile (412) 692-8329 Internet address: www.pitt.edu/HOME/GHNet.html
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Abstract

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When a disaster occurs, a major difficulty is knowing where to find accurate information, and how to help coordinate efforts to share accurate information in a quick and organized manner. The establishment of a global information network, that is in place before a disaster occurs, could link all the communication efforts for relief. We propose that a Global Health Unit for Disaster and Relief Coordination be set up as part of the Global Health Network, utilizing the Internet as its backbone. This Unit would establish the links for the disaster information mosaic.

Type
Editorial
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 1997

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