El Salvador - GFDRR

II. POPULATION AND AFFECTED AREAS | 71
The Henry Peeve Cuban Brigade has been present since November 13; the brigade is composed of 17
specialists who, in coordination with personnel of the MSPAS Para-central Region (SIBASIS of La Paz and
San Vicente) are providing their support for medical care, the diagnosis of illnesses, and the management
of environmental sanitation in the shelters and affected communities. A US brigade with 45 specialists
from the Southern Command was also in the country; together with 15 Military Health personnel, they
have participated in health care and environmental sanitation efforts in the zones of Guadalupe, San Diego,
San Marcelino and Aguilares.
The NGO World Vision gave MSPAS donations of medicines and medical supplies, and its damage assessment
and needs analysis teams were present in the Departments of San Vicente and Usulután. Several
private companies in El Salvador also delivered donations for health care services to victims.
The contribution of nonpublic organizations for public health surveillance and control, disease treatment
and prevention, and the management of supplies and coordination totaled US$837,000.
b.4) Quantification of the Disaster’s Effects on the Health Sector
The estimated impact of the disaster totals US$10.3 million, of which 65% are damages to infrastructure,
equipment and the stock of medicines in MSPAS facilities. The remaining 35% are losses due mainly to
the investment in conducting disease prevention and treatment efforts (76%), and public health efforts
during the emergency phase, as well as those units slated for rehabilitation.
According to the distribution of effects by department, 37 the most affected was San Salvador (53%),
mainly because it had over 60% of the damages to health infrastructure. It is followed, in terms of level
of impact, by La Libertad (17%), San Vicente (13%), La Paz and other departments such as La Unión y
Usulután.
92% of the disaster’s effects on health correspond to the public sector, principally the Ministry of
Public Health and Social Assistance. It is also estimated that the disaster in the health sector will have a
US$1.5 million effect on the balance of payments due to imports.
b.5) Conclusions and Recommendations
The effects of Tropical Storm Ida and the low-pressure system on the health sector totaled US$10.3
million, of which 65% are damages mainly to health facilities. These effects were augmented by the lack
of preventive and recovery-oriented maintenance of physical infrastructure and the sites’ location in zones
highly vulnerable to floods and landslides.
In this regard, the sector must develop the Disaster-Safe Hospitals program for the incorporation of
safety requirements from site selection to the design and construction of new buildings, as well as the
relocation and reconstruction of those affected by the disaster. Furthermore, there is a priority need to
protect the 21 facilities not affected but located in high-risk zones, for which an investment of US$2.1
million is needed. It is also considered necessary to improve operational capacity through the provision of
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The spread of losses was evaluated by taking into account the amount of the population in shelters, the number of
treatments, and the potential risk of epidemics mainly associated with vector transmission.