Attachments
This report covers the period 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009.
Summary:
In 2009, the disaster management programme worked closely together with 20 vulnerable communities in disaster preparedness, contingency planning, mitigation, and other risk reduction activities. Depending on the specific geographical needs, the communities constructed 97 small-scale mitigation structures to make their environment safer from floods, mudflows, and landslides. Another key activity includes the pre-positioning of family kits in seven disaster preparedness warehouses all over the country ensures the rapid deployment of basic emergency supplies for up to 27,000 families in case of disaster. Meanwhile, the road safety programme participated in public awareness campaigns organized by the government in schools and road safety education rooms in the main cities in the country.
Under the health and care programme, the DPRK Red Cross distributed essential drugs to 2,030 health clinics in the country every four months in 2009, as planned. Regular monitoring of the drug distribution and usage shows that the supplied drugs only cover 40 per cent of the total need of the clinics. The contents of the medical kits are particularly aimed at improving the health of women, new-borns and children, and were agreed on together with the ministry of public health, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization.
More importantly, the DPRK Red Cross supports 2,500 first aid posts throughout the entire country under the community-based health and first aid (CBHFA) programme. The volunteers who run the posts on a daily basis receive regular first aid training and six months of first aid supplies. The first aid posts play an important role in the prevention of diseases through continuous health and hygiene promotion, as well as in the treatment of injuries, which can sometimes be life-saving.
Other activities covered by the health and care programme include public health in emergencies and voluntary non-remunerated blood donation, mainly focusing on the training of volunteers.
The water and sanitation programme installed another 15 water supply and sanitation systems in 2009, providing almost 50,000 people with safe water at household level.
Besides several capacity building activities focused on the improvement of the number and quality of volunteers, the organizational development programme has successfully piloted the integrated community development projects (ICDP) in 2008-2009 in two communities selected because of a high level of economic vulnerability and pro-active approach from community leaders. The ICDP will be moved under the disaster management programme in 2010.