Based on these possibilities, the Minister of Health, Arlindo do Rosário, considered this event organized by Hospital Dr. Baptista de Sousa, in São Vicente because, in his opinion, “there is an increasing need to focus on strengthening the capacity of Cape Verdean systems, institutions and society to, first, and wherever possible, prevent situations extreme”.
“Like other small island states, Cape Verde, being an archipelagic country of volcanic origin, inserted in a subtropical and arid Sahelian climate zone, is vulnerable to numerous and potentially dangerous phenomena associated, primarily with climate change such as floods, droughts, , forest fires, coastal erosion, seismicity, volcanism and mass movements. To these phenomena are added other technological hazards, such as industrial accidents, urban and industrial fires, maritime, air or land transport accidents, as well as health crises, epidemics and pandemics, such as the one we are still experiencing today or biological and chemical, among so many others.”
Based on these possibilities, the Minister of Health, Arlindo do Rosário, considered this event organized by Hospital Dr. Baptista de Sousa, in São Vicente because, in his opinion, “there is an increasing need to focus on strengthening the capacity of Cape Verdean systems, institutions and society to, first, and wherever possible, prevent situations extreme”.
According to Arlindo do Rosário, the most comprehensive strategy not only allows for the reduction of the underlying risk factors, susceptible to triggering a disaster, but also prevents the creation of new risks, but, above all, prevents the occurrence of exceptional situations that cause material damage and huge replacement costs and, above all, the irreparable loss of human life.
Therefore, it also considered that, as it is not possible to avoid such situations, it is essential to prepare all those involved for the best and most appropriate management of the situation, such as promoting the best adjustment to potential damages and increasing the capacity to respond to the consequences. , which are often catastrophic and far-reaching, temporal, economic and social.
The 1st Technical Meeting – Situation of Exception and Catastrophe, which took place this July 21 at the Jota Monte Academy in São Vicente, was organized by Hospital Dr. Baptista de Sousa in partnership with the WHO – World Health Organization and aimed to improve the articulation and risk management among all local actors in disaster situations, considering benefits such as a better use of material, human and financial resources; minimizing the impacts of a disaster; and greater efficiency in the management of these occurrences. In addition, it is intended to emphasize that this integrative approach requires a participatory model of application and, therefore, the articulation between the protection agencies, civil defense, sectorial agencies and the population is necessary.
Source: Government of the Republic of Cape Verde