Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik said multi-sectoral need assessment survey must be conducted during the pre-disaster phase, and district disaster management authorities (DDMAs) must be strengthened to protect vulnerable groups from adverse impact of disasters.

According to a press statement received by WealthPK, the NDMA organised an interactive session with humanitarian partners at National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) Islamabad, where members of Pakistan Humanitarian Forum (PHF) and National Humanitarian Network (NHN), as well as representatives of international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) were in attendance.

The NDMA chairman briefed the participants on the Remodelled National Preparedness and Response framework. He said that National Disaster Management Think Tank and Emergencies Operations Centre would be the cornerstone of the remodelled framework to transform the climatic emergency response from reactive to proactive mode. He also underlined the need of a technology-based early warning system, the common operating picture for early warnings and conducting simulation exercises to mitigate the impact of natural calamities.

On the humanitarian front, he called for coordination among NGOs and INGOs with national volunteers to steer disaster management and response in the country. The session aimed at strengthening coordination and collaboration across the disaster management cycle with focus on disaster risk reduction for combating the vulnerabilities of natural hazards. It also discussed the key identified areas pertaining to the implementation of climate resilience and adaptation in Pakistan.

The participants appreciated the determination of NDMA to synergise efforts and organise dialogue with academia and relevant stakeholders for active participation for the remodelling of disaster management in Pakistan. The representatives of NGOs, INGOs and academia drew attention to various issues related to administration, disaster mitigation and compounding approaches, allocation of resources and project funding for academic researchers in the field of disaster management.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk