Health action in crises: annual report 2005

The number of people affected by disasters continued to rise in 2005. The year began with the response to the South East Asia tsunami and finished with the response to the South Asia earthquake. Each year, one in five WHO Member States experiences a crisis that endangers the health of its people. Estimates indicate that more than 150 million people were directly affected by natural disasters. Moreover, for each major emergency that is reported by the media and recorded in international databases, there are dozens of smaller-sized emergencies that strike local communities, affecting the development and the health of their populations with little or no external assistance to help in relief and recovery operations. Investing in community capacity-building for emergency preparedness and response is the only sustainable answer to this situation.