Is registration of foreign medical teams needed for disaster response? Findings from the response to Typhoon Haiyan

WPSAR Vol 6, Suppl 1, 2015 | doi: 10.5365/wpsar.2015.6.2.HYN_014 www.wpro.who.int/wpsar 29 a Offi ce of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, Sta Cruz, Manila, Philippines. b Bureau of International Health Cooperation, Department of Health, Sta Cruz, Manila, Philippines. c Disaster Response and Management, Division of Health Security and Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Offi ce for the Western Pacifi c, Manila, Philippines. Submitted: 16 June 2015; Published: 6 November 2015 doi: 10.5365/wpsar.2015.6.2.HYN_014 In the last three decades there has been an increase in the number of sudden onset disasters causing more than 800 000 deaths and affecting approximately 1 billion people.1,2 The Islamic Republic of Iran earthquake in 2003, South-East Asia tsunami in 2004, Pakistan earthquake in 2005, Pakistan floods and Haiti earthquake in 2010 all required an immediate health response, surpassing national capacities. A large number of foreign medical teams (FMTs) were deployed in these responses, for example more than 300 after the Haiti earthquake.3