The Role of Public Health Within the United Nations Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction

This article explores the role of public health systems before, during, and after disasters, particularly within the scope of the United Nations Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. It also examines the role of scientific and technological developments in assisting with improving the resilience of public health professionals and the communities they work in. In addition, it explores how the wide-ranging activities in public health have already contributed to the improved management of disasters and a decrease in associated risks. The article identifies areas of synergy in five key areas of recent policy and practice in public health (the health systems approach, risk assessments, the WHO/UNISDR/HPA Disaster Risk Management fact sheets, chronic disease and disasters, and mental health impacts following disasters) and makes suggestions based on lessons identified from the previous (2005) global disaster risk reduction framework. In particular, we advocate the use of scientific evidence that addresses health and disaster risk simultaneously to increase the effectiveness of policy and practice in disaster risk reduction, health, and public health.