Setting priorities for disaster management in the East African sub-region

Abstract

Drought is of topmost concern among disaster risks in the East African sub-region. Although all phases of disaster management are relevant, the multidimensional ripple effects of drought and the international movement towards disaster risk reduction through proactive measures hinged on environmental sustainability and a development agenda make mitigation a priority. Public health partnerships/networks with stakeholders can be used to engender a culture of disaster risk reduction and can play a crucial role in containing potential threats (mitigation), capacity development in terms of scaling up health systems and public health response competency (preparedness), and service delivery during a drought incident.