There has been a paradigm shift in the understanding of disaster risks, exposures, vulnerabilities, and their management. Disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, and mitigation are getting more attention than the traditional rescue, relief, and rehabilitation with the former one the cost-effective and efficient measures to save lives and properties in the aftermath of a disaster.

COVID-19, a viral disease which broke out in China in December 2019, was declared as a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO). More than half a year has passed with uncertainties caused by the pandemic. The whole world is suffering; only 10 countries have no cases of COVID-19 but they, too, are impacted either by depleted economy or closed borders.

WHO South-East Asia Region’s health ministers have made a bold commitment to adopting a five-year plan to scale up emergency preparedness and response

KATHMANDU, Dec 3: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the government has been working on preparedness regarding the disaster risk management along with national policy, learning from the devastating 2015 earthquake.