Kosovo (in accordance with Security Council resolution 1244 (1999))
WHO/Europe has been working in disaster preparedness and response in Kosovo since 1998. In June 1999, the United Nations was tasked to govern Kosovo through its Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). WHO, in close collaboration with local authorities and the UNMIK Department of Health and Social Welfare, coordinated the health sector at central and local levels. WHO’s focus has shifted from providing large-scale health humanitarian assistance to assisting the authorities in rebuilding the health system and strengthening capacities and coordination mechanisms for disaster preparedness and response.
WHO activities have included regular health coordination meetings and the continuous monitoring of minorities’ and other vulnerable groups’ access to health care. It has also supported capacity-building activities, such as the training health care staff, rebuilding health infrastructure, supplying medical equipment for health emergencies and developing health emergency response plans.
WHO is also an active member of the United Nations Kosovo Team.
In 2010–2011, WHO/Europe will carry out the following activities.
Health facility strengthening
Strengthening the resilience and safety of the country’s health facilities to ensure that they continue to function in the event of a disaster includes assessing the resilience of selected key health facilities using the WHO Hospital Safety Index. Based on this analysis, a work plan will be developed, containing interventions to improve the safety of the facilities, and a workshop on hospital safety will be conducted.
Local Public Health and Emergency Management (PHEM) course
The development and implementation of a local version of the Public Health and Emergency Management (PHEM) Course is planned. The course will be based on the regional WHO/Europe PHEM course, while at the same time incorporating the province’s specific needs and concerns.
Vulnerability analysis and risk mapping (VRAM) programme
The VRAM programme will be applied to assess, visualize and analyse potential hazards and vulnerabilities as well as existing response capacities. This comprehensive disaster risk analysis serves as a basis for the identification and rectification of gaps in risk reduction measures and emergency preparedness planning.
Technical assistance
WHO will continue to provide technical assistance for control and management of lead poisoning among vulnerable populations in the Mitrovica area.
