As the number of natural and health-related disasters increase, in part due to climate change, health needs are becoming increasingly urgent.

The current drought in East Africa, for example, has been declared the worst natural disaster to hit Kenya since the 1970s, with millions affected. To help cope with such disasters, countries need strong health systems that provide access to equitable and affordable health care services for all.

This year to mark World Health Day on Tuesday 7 April, Merlin is launching a new disaster risk reduction policy that focuses on reducing the health impact of disasters through investing in health systems.

Juliet Milgate, Policy Officer for Merlin, says: “A strong health system can safeguard people’s health when disasters occur and in normal times, and is a fundamental right for all.”

A key priority for Merlin is supporting some of the poorest people in the world to achieve their right to health. In northern Kenya, for example, we are providing health care services for rural communities, without which they would not be able to manage the impact of the drought.

Disasters fall heaviest on the poorest

In 2007 more than 200 million people were affected by disasters of some kind; in South Asia alone, flooding in Nepal, Bangladesh and India displaced more than 30 million people and killed almost 2000 over just two months. These disasters - which are first and foremost a health issue - fall heaviest on the poorest people in developing countries; those areas that already have the weakest health infrastructure.

Good health and well-being are essential to the social and economic development of households, communities and countries. But to achieve this, people need good quality health care services that they can rely on.

Practical steps: Access to health care, health workers and good planning

A critical factor in strengthening health systems involves supporting and investing in health workers.  Decades of underinvestment in health in many countries has led to a shortage of skilled health workers and services that quite simply cannot meet the needs of the people â€" even on a day-to-day basis, let alone in times of crisis.

Good risk reduction is also about effective planning and emergency preparedness. In Ethiopia, for example, Merlin is working with the Ministry of Health to identify and monitor outbreaks of disease. If the health authorities can improve their knowledge about disease outbreaks they can improve their responses and help protect the most vulnerable.

By raising awareness of disaster risk and helping communities and health services to be better prepared, disaster risk reduction can reduce the devastating impact of disasters.

 Read Merlin's policy paper on Disaster Risk Reduction  Find out more about about Merlin’s policy priorities