Assessment of capacity of preparedness and response of Colombo Municipal Council health institutions for public health emergencies related to floods

Abstract

An interviewer administrative questionnaire and a check list were used to gather information from the above healthcare institutions. The first questionnaire assessed basic demographic data, recent experience and interest, training activities and confidence in management of PHE preparedness during the month of January 2009. At the same time, data related to healthcare institutions, resources and coordination for public health emergencies response were gathered from the institutional survey. Valid responses were received from 157 ( 99 percent) of 159 healthcare workers and all the healthcare institutions ( 35) . Nearly 84.6 percent of healthcare workers had a poor level of individual preparedness while female category, non medical Stagg, older people and the group with non professional education and the lower income group had a significantly poor level of individual preparedness than the other categories. Both institutional and staff PHE preparedness related to flood events are not satisfactory and need to improve staff and institutional capacity by introducing a well designed disaster preparedness and response plan in CMC health institutions