PAHO Director Expresses Condolences to Japan

PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION - http://www.paho.org/
Regional Office, World Health Organization - http://www.who.int/

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PAHO Director Expresses Condolences to Japan
Offers technical cooperation to assist relief efforts

Washington, DC, March 11, 2011 (PAHO/WHO)--The director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Mirta Roses, expressed her “deepest condolences for the loss of lives due to the devastating earthquake and tsunami that have struck” Japan and pledged solidarity with the Japanese people at this time of suffering.

She said PAHO is ready to provide any technical assistance that Japan deems appropriate to assist its health sector, through experts with experience in earthquakes and tsunamis as well as epidemiologists and specialists in communication, potable water, and health services.

Following the tsunami warning that was issued for countries in the Americas with coasts along the Pacific Ocean, Dr. Roses congratulated governments that “from one tip of the hemisphere to the other informed their communities and encouraged evacuations” of areas at high risk. “This event reminds us that disasters can occur at any time, and we must all be prepared to face them,” she said.

Toward that end, Dr. Roses called for a review of all construction planned in areas that are at risk of tsunamis “to ensure that the population is not exposed to similar risks.”

Links:

Information on Japan’s situation: http://www.who.int/hac/crises/jpn/en/index.html
Information on PAHO: http://new.paho.org/hq/index.php?lang=es

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