Disaster management in India: Chennai floods, 2015

Joint Meeting on 5^th World Holistic Nursing Conference & 2^nd Annual Congress on Emergency Medicine and Acute Care

June 10-11, 2019 Helsinki, Finland

Mohammed Kaleemudin Papa

Huma Urgent Care Centre, India

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Disaster situations in India, both natural and manmade pose great risks to lives and economy, as disaster preparedness is beyond the common manâ??s comprehension. The frequency and intensity of disaster situations have been on the rise in India and though policies and protocols are in place, governmental authorities and non-governmental agencies are often overwhelmed when disaster strikes. India ranks amongst one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world and is witnessing a steady rise in disasters during the recent past. The Metropolitan city of Chennai, down South India has historically not been prone to natural disasters but has seen no less than four deadly calamities in the last two decades with a constant threat of the fifth disaster looming large in the form of an earthquake with Chennai moving from seismic zone 2 to seismic zone 3. In the winter of 2015, Chennai was flooded due to heavy rainfall, affecting over 10 million people across every socio-economic stratum, claiming the lives of over 500 people and damage of property worth $14 billion. This misery not just shook the entire nation, but it saw the heights of human resilience and resolve, stirring the emotions of people of all sects and portraying a deep sense of humanity and grit, also raking up a barrage of questions on disaster preparedness. A distressing coup dâ??oeil which would reveal heart wrenching stories shared by victims, experiences visualized from the eyes of average Indian citizens, limitations faced by officers at the helm of affairs and remedial measures and strategies which are currently being offered to cope up with the calamities. Where is the second most populous country in the world headed towards dealing with disaster situations? What is the solution for this staggering population and the common man? Does the government have to look for volunteers beyond their rescue teams and paramilitary forces?

Biography :

Mohammed Kaleemudin Papa is a committed Emergency Physician and Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Trainer, currently pursuing his Fellowship in Wilderness Medicine. He was awarded ‘the Best Scientific Research Paper’ at the 10th Annual National Conference of the Society for Emergency Medicine, ‘Dr. Shanmugasundaram Gold Medal’ by an international jury. His research paper presented at the ACEP Research Forum at Boston in 2009 received much adulation. He is a Former Assistant Professor of Cardiac Care Unit at Sri Ramachandra Hospital, a tertiary care in India and Former Registrar at the Barnet & Chase Farm Hospital, NHS Trust, UK. He is a founder visionary of an unconventional 24/7 urgent care concept for India with currently six successfully functional centres, a model which provides exclusive urgent care services to students, residents and corporates. He is currently the Medical Director at HUMA Hospital established in 1987 and also Heads the HUMA Urgent Care Centre, Humanitarian Outreach Initiative (India) and Therapeia holistic health care.