Brussels, 25 March 2024

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:

Enhancing European Public Health Preparedness, Pre-Hospital, and Disaster Medicine

International organisations, experts and stakeholders come together for urgent interdisciplinary attention to public health and disaster medicine preparedness in Europe. 

The Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER), the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) and the European Council of Disaster Medicine (ECDM), have partnered together to gather experts and stakeholders across emergency, medical, political and public health disciplines on 25 March 2024 at the European Parliament for a high-level colloquium to address ‘Enhancing European Public Health Preparedness, Pre-Hospital, and Disaster Medicine’.

In an era marked by a #convergence of crises such as rapid global population growth, climate change, violent conflicts and evolving geopolitical landscapes, #publichealth faces unprecedented challenges. These range from managing the aftermath of pandemics and warfare to addressing the impacts of human migration and urbanization on public health systems. This high-profile colloquium will address these challenges by bringing together lead public health experts, academics, community leaders, and citizens to seek consensus to address these evolving challengeswith a fresh look at disaster preparedness for Europe.

The ‘Enhancing European Public Health Preparedness, Pre-Hospital, and Disaster Medicine Colloquium’ will delve into critical areas of in-depth conflict analysis, advanced concepts in #disastermedicine, health security and legal challenges, interdisciplinary and inter-operability collaboration, and innovative research and practice for society resilience. It will be a jumping off point for a new partnership bringing experts together across disciplines to better address dynamic and complex problems and to contribute to an enhanced public health curriculum for current and future challenges threatening the public’s health and welfare in Europe.

Today’s presence of esteemed experts in pre-hospital and disaster medicine is a valuable opportunity to exchange insights and best practices further enriching our collective understanding and preparedness. - Petra Claes, Head of Unit / Medical Advisor, Director ad personam, European Parliament, Directorate-General for Personnel, Directorate for HR, Support and Social Services, Medical Preparedness and Crisis Management Unit

Today is about exploring critically important aspects of the state of our healthcare systems, and how prepared we are to deal with the challenges of our times. Do we have systems in place for emergencies? Have we invested in preparedness plans? Can we cope with disasters when they occur? How are we managing the current extreme challenges of conflict and war from a public health perspective? – Carlo Signorelli, President of ASPHER

Contact: The Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) –  office@aspher.org

The Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) is the key independent European organisation dedicated to improving and protecting the public health by strengthening education and training of public health professionals for both practice and research.

The World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) is a global multidisciplinary professional association whose mission is to improve the scientific basis for disaster and emergency health practice and to establish best practices based on validated evidence. WADEM's work supports practitioners, policymakers, and researchers around the world in the pursuit of excellence in the field.

The European Council of Disaster Medicine (ECDM) is a pivotal entity in Europe dedicated to disaster medicine, aiming to enhance the exchange of information, research, and initiatives in this field. Established following the WADEM congress in 2013, it targets a wide range of professionals, including healthcare workers, emergency services, and risk management officials.

A PDF version of the Press Release is available here.