Preparedness is key to averting disasters—Dodma
The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) has said strengthening capacity in disaster preparedness among the country’s citizens is key to building disaster resilience.
Director of Disaster Response and Recovery at Dodma Scholastica Chidyaonga was speaking in Blantyre today when she opened a three-day training on emergency preparedness organized by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).
Over 21 representatives working with Adra in Africa and beyond are participating in the training.
Chidyaonga said implementation of human response programmes and interventions has been poorly managed and coordinated due to lack of preparedness.
She underscored the need to incorporate the youth in disaster preparedness by mainstreaming the disaster management policy in the country’s education system.
Said Chidyaonga: “We need to understand that with the rapid population growth, climate change and high levels of poverty, disasters are on the rise. We need to change our education system and incorporate issues that affect us every day and in that way we are taking the young generation on board in whatever effort we are putting in place.”
She also emphasized the need to promote evidence based disaster mitigation, effective preparedness planning, well coordinated response and recovery and putting in place measures to address the foreseeable impacts of disasters that might be experienced in the country.
Adra-Malawi Emergency Management Advisor Robert Patton called for concerted efforts in addressing challenges that come about due to different kinds of disasters.
Patton urged countries to put in place measures such as maintaining a strong water drainage system and promote proper garbage management to reduce flood disasters.
“We all know that planning is key, but fruitful implementation and coordination of disaster response intervention is another critical thing. This cannot be done by government alone we all need to take part,” he said.
He said Adra aims at ensuring that its members are well prepared in responding to disasters so that they can provide the most effective and efficient help to those in need following a major disaster.
Last year Malawi adopted the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction which emphasize on the need for governments to take steps to prevent and reduce disaster risks.
