UNESCO supports development of emergency knowledgebase in Philippines
25-09-2007 (Manila)
During the workshop
© AIJC
A Training Workshop on Content Development for a Disaster and Health Emergency Knowledgebase was recently conducted in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. The workshop that trained health emergency managers in knowledgebase content development was one of the activities funded by the US$50,000 UNESCO Emergency Assistance Programme. In March 2007, a Community e-Disaster Center was also set up under the same grant.
A knowledgebase is a special database that provides the computerized collection and allows retrieval of knowledge. For resource-poor communities such as those in Eastern Visayas, having a knowledgebase of readily usable knowledge and information on health emergencies is probably the most proactive way to prepare for their occurrence.
Eastern Visayas is one of the most disaster-prone areas in the Philippines. Strong typhoons, massive landslides and flash floods that have occurred in the region are some of the worst in the country’s history in terms of loss of life and property. Promoting digital literacy and facilitating access to just-in-time knowledge and information are recognized as critical to the effectiveness of health emergency managers in Eastern Visayas. Managers of health emergencies there need quick, easy access to useful and usable information on health emergency preparedness, response, rehabilitation and mitigation to reduce loss of life due to disaster and health emergencies.
The Philippine Department of Health - Region 8 (DOH-8) is leading efforts aimed at health emergency management in the region. It is collaborating with the local government units and other agencies to develop a corps of health emergency managers to coordinate activities in their respective sectors.
The Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) conducted the 5-day workshop for DOH-8 at the Center for Health Development in Palo, Leyte. Thirty-one provincial, municipal and city health unit heads, local government unit representatives of the six provinces of Eastern Visayas and staff members of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Committee (RDCC) participated.
As next steps, the DOH-8 will call on its partner organizations to facilitate subsequent work on the knowledgebase, such as the writing of more content. Its IT staff will develop the website for accessing the knowledgebase after their own training in September. A training course on Risk Communication is also being planned to improve health emergency managers’ skills in communicating about health emergency with the communities they serve and the general public.
Eastern Visayas is one of the most disaster-prone areas in the Philippines. Strong typhoons, massive landslides and flash floods that have occurred in the region are some of the worst in the country’s history in terms of loss of life and property. Promoting digital literacy and facilitating access to just-in-time knowledge and information are recognized as critical to the effectiveness of health emergency managers in Eastern Visayas. Managers of health emergencies there need quick, easy access to useful and usable information on health emergency preparedness, response, rehabilitation and mitigation to reduce loss of life due to disaster and health emergencies.
The Philippine Department of Health - Region 8 (DOH-8) is leading efforts aimed at health emergency management in the region. It is collaborating with the local government units and other agencies to develop a corps of health emergency managers to coordinate activities in their respective sectors.
The Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) conducted the 5-day workshop for DOH-8 at the Center for Health Development in Palo, Leyte. Thirty-one provincial, municipal and city health unit heads, local government unit representatives of the six provinces of Eastern Visayas and staff members of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Committee (RDCC) participated.
As next steps, the DOH-8 will call on its partner organizations to facilitate subsequent work on the knowledgebase, such as the writing of more content. Its IT staff will develop the website for accessing the knowledgebase after their own training in September. A training course on Risk Communication is also being planned to improve health emergency managers’ skills in communicating about health emergency with the communities they serve and the general public.
Orientation to the web© AIJC
Related themes/countries
· Philippines
· Capacity Building: News Archives 2007
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