Strengthening community emergency preparedness and resilience in emerging natural and man-made threats and epidemics in Saudi Arabia and EMRO countries

摘要

Background: Globalization, increasing intense urbanization and climate changes has been linked to natural and man-made evolution and curiosity resulting in multiple threats and vulnerability. The degree, nature and extent community and household preparedness and resiliency programs and activities defined the robustness and effectiveness of local, national to regional EMRO timely response policy decision maker by policy makers, health planners and implementers. Methods: This paper analyses existing community emergency preparedness and resilience implementation and translation challenges and bottlenecks against emerging natural and man-made threats and epidemics disaster in Saudi Arabia and other EMRO countries. Results: Our results showed inefficiencies to identify, understanding and mapping of potential risks/threats and weak community early alarm and surveillance systems in threats or disaster occurrence. Also, showed that real time community-based programs are poorly interrelated and nurtured in most EMRO countries, and require fostering community guidelines and prevention and control activities. Such include social mobilization, health education in increasing alertness, awareness and community mass literacy outreach. Critically, adequate community knowledge and attitudes on preparedness and resilience on mass pilgrims influx during Hajj and Ramadan seasons, potential vulnerability to epidemics and floods indicates that policy planners and implementers could capitalize on these strengths and address the weaknesses in scaling up practical community and household emergency preparedness and management approach on and across borders populations for common beneficial expectations in upholding safety and security, healthy lives and well-being. In conclusion, we advocate that establishment of a comprehensive evidence-based local, national and regional laboratory and digital surveillance systems, community-based partnerships, investment projects and related preventive resilient measures are vital in revamping the evolving and future threats and disaster situations in Saudi Arabia and other EMRO countries in line with One Health Surveillance systems.