United Nation’s Role in Disaster Management in Viet Nam

• Incorporating long-term risk reduction and preparedness measures in normal development planning and programmes, including support for specific mitigation measures where required.
• Assisting in the planning and implementation of post disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction, including the definition of new development strategies that incorporate risk reduction measures relevant to the affected area.
• Providing technical assistance to the authorities managing major emergency assistance operations of extended duration (especially in relation to displaced persons and the possibilities for achieving durable solutions in such cases).

In addition, UNDP provides administrative and operational support to the Resident Co-ordinator function, particularly at country level, but also at headquarters.

United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF)
Within the mandate conferred to UNICEF by the General Assembly, UNICEF plays a special role in emergency relief in ensuring that the immediate and particular needs of children and mothers are met, with due regard for to the urgency of the needs and the resources available.  This applies in all emergency situations, regardless of their cause - whether natural or human-made, and assistance is provided without discrimination.  UNICEF seeks to mobilize and provide direct relief assistance in situations where immediate needs of children and mothers are not being adequately met.  Where relief needs are able to be met by the Government or other organizations, UNICEF concentrates its effort and resources on rehabilitation and long-term child survival and development objectives.  At the World Summit for Children (New York, September 1990), emphasis was given to UNICEF’s responsibility to pay special attention to the needs of children caught in conflict situations.
Assistance which might be provided includes:

• Specific, sectoral inputs in respect of health, social services, water and sanitation, with special attention, when appropriate, to: the feeding and immunization of infants and young children: the restoration of safe water supplies and household food production.
• Initiatives to help vulnerable communities and households to care adequately for their children, including increasing their earning opportunities (especially for women).
• Assistance to strengthen the overall management and organization of emergency operations, and to tackle logistics constraints which might be inhibiting the delivery of needs assistance and services for children.  This includes, when needed, mobilizing additional temporary staff support and/or expertise.

World Food Programme (WFP)
In the event of an emergency WFP may, depending on the needs:

• Provide advice and assistance to the government, other concerned agencies and local authorities in assessing possible requirements for emergency food aid, and in planning and managing appropriate food aid interventions.
• Provide food aid to meet emergency food needs, subject to the availability of resources and the assessed need for international food aid.
• Help to mobilize and ensure co-ordination in the planning and delivery of food assistance from all sources, and any necessary logistics support and other complementary inputs.

World Health Organization (WHO)
The World Health Organization is the health arm of the UN system.  Within the areas of public health and medical care WHO:

• Responds to requests from the competent national authorities in situations which are, or threaten to become, emergencies and for which the resources available nationally are insufficient.
• Offers emergency relief and health assistance, even in the absence of a request, it is clear that such assistance would be beneficial and the situation would otherwise represent a threat to public health in the country or adjoining countries.
• Promotes disaster preparedness planning, management and, where possible, prevention.

All types of emergencies are included - natural, man-made and technological disasters as well as epidemics.
WHO promotes and organises regional and country-level seminars on disaster preparedness and disaster management for government personnel (particularly from ministries of health) and collaborates with a number of institutions engaged in the public health aspects of disasters and epidemiology.  Country-specific epidemiological data is compiled weekly at WHO headquarters and available through regional offices.
Possible WHO emergency inputs:

• Technical assistance to carry out rapid health assessments in disaster-affected areas and other emergency situations.
• Emergency medical supplies and equipment may be provided to combat unforeseen, serious and immediate threats to public health.
• WHO staff may be temporarily re-assigned and others be made available (by secondment or on consultancy basis) for the duration of the emergency phase.
• Existing WHO transport in or near the area may be made available.  The procurement and recruitment services of WHO Headquarters may be made available to the national authority and to donor agencies.
• Inputs of drugs and equipment may be on the basis of specifically prepared lists or in the form of the WHO Emergency Health Kit, which contains essential drugs and equipment designed to meet the needs of 1 0,000 persons for 3 months.

The extent of any input depends on the level of needs, on inputs from other sources, and on the availability of resources.  In exceptional emergencies, staff may be assigned to act as health co-ordinator or in an executive capacity, particularly to ensure (a) the most effective deployment of all non-national health personnel and (b) that requests for personnel, supplies and equipment are properly prioritized and related to the specific needs arising from the emergency.