More than 31,000 people were killed and nearly 5,000 lost their lives in Turkey and on the border with Syria, respectively. One of the worst natural disasters in the European region, according to WHO (World Health Organization) in a century, left more than 26 million people in need of humanitarian aid. Not only this fateful event, but also the disaster with a train that derailed in Ohio, USA, which generated a cloud of toxic smoke, contaminating the surroundings and even the neighboring state, Pennsylvania, and the landslides caused by storms in Brazil , in regions like Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, and more recently on the north coast of São Paulo, are just some of the disasters that are happening all over the world.
Natural disasters have unfortunately always occurred and are defined by the WHO as “an act of nature of such magnitude that it creates a catastrophic situation”. Hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, landslides, tsunamis are some of the disasters that can happen. The more precarious the region, the greater the damage, as happened with the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, which killed more than 316,000 people, the tsunami in the Indian Ocean, which killed 230,000 people in 2004, and the cyclone that killed 140,000 people in Myanmar in 2008.
The impacts of climate change intensified in 2023, and disasters such as extreme flooding, heat and drought affected millions of people. Also according to the WMO (World Meteorological Organization), these phenomena clearly show the need to do much more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to strengthening adaptation to climate change, through universal access to early warnings.
“The need to prepare for and respond to disasters and complex emergencies are quite old and go hand in hand with human history. Mainly in the health area, Disaster Medicine is an organized and structured area of study, relatively recent, and that has been necessary for a long time”, says Dr. Luiz Hargreaves, specialist in Disaster Medicine for 35 years, working in Brazil and abroad and coordinator of courses at UnyleyaMED.
The number of disasters has been increasing in recent decades for different reasons, which include climate change and disorderly occupation in various urban centers, such as communities, residing in risk areas, in the case of natural disasters, as well as an increase in technological threats. caused by human beings, as in the case of terrorist attacks, transport accidents, among many other situations. The COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2019 and claimed millions of victims brought serious damage to the economy, also showing the importance and need to prepare for critical situations.
The Disaster Medicine area operates in all phases of the so-called disaster cycle, represented by prevention, mitigation, preparation, response and reconstruction/recovery. The disaster doctor has different roles, which include integrated coordination in response, training, team preparation, technical assistance to the incident commander, among many others.
UnyleyaMED, which is part of the Unyleya Educacional Group, one of the first 100% Distance Learning Teaching Institutions in Brazil, offers the Disaster Medicine Graduate Course and presents a cutting-edge program aligned with the main issues and themes related to the area, including disciplines focused on Counterterrorism Medicine, Tactical Medicine, Chemical, Biological and Radioactive Emergencies, Incident Command System, Response in Large Events, among others.
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About Dr. Louis Hargreaves
Doctor graduated from the University of Brasilia, with the Title of Specialist in Emergency Medicine (RQE 20138) and in Traffic Medicine (RQE Nº: 2397), Dr. Luiz Hargreaves holds a Masters in Political Science from Unieuro. Master’s degree in Business and Organizational Security Management from Webster University (USA) and postgraduate degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from APUS (USA); Public Health from Universidade Cândido Mendes and, finally, Planning and Management in Civil Defense from Fundação Getúlio Vargas.
With a degree in Public Safety Technology from Unisul, he is also a member of the Disaster Medicine section of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (USA) and a member of the Disaster Workforce of the American Red Cross (Central Florida).
Disaster Preparedness, Homeland Security and Health Services Officer at the US Air Force Auxiliary, he is Director of the National Institute of Emergency Preparedness (USA) and has served as a Prehospital and ICU Emergency Physician in several private companies. Speaker at national and international congresses, Hargreaves is the author of several publications in the field of emergencies and disasters.
About to Unyleya
Founded in 2006, Unyleya is part of a Portuguese holding company and is one of the first 100% distance learning institutions in Brazil. With 16 years of history guided by innovation in educational technology and excellence in distance learning, Unyleya has already impacted the careers of more than 300,000 people. The institution currently offers 27 undergraduate courses and more than 1,800 graduate courses.
With a teaching methodology focused on the student’s learning needs and on the main trends in the job market, Unyleya wants to revolutionize Education in Brazil. For more information access
