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Emergency Health and Risk Management in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Lesson from the Embassy Bombings in Tanzania and Kenya

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Zoanne A. Clack ,
Mark E. Keim ,
Anthony G. Macintyre  and
Kevin Yeskey
Zoanne A. Clack
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor, Emory University, Department of Emergency Medicine
Mark E. Keim*
Affiliation:
Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch, Division of Emergency and Environmental Health Services, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Anthony G. Macintyre
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor, George Washington University, Department of Emergency Medicine
Kevin Yeskey
Affiliation:
Associate Director for Science, Division of Emergency and Environmental Health Services, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
*
National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, MS-F38 Atlanta, GA 30341–3724 USA
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Abstract

In 1998, terrorists simultaneously bombed United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya. The local response to these bombings was unorganized and ad hoc, indicating the need for basic disaster preparedness and improvement of emergency management capabilities in both countries.

In this context, risk and risk management are defined and are related to the health hazards affecting Tanzanians and Kenyans. In addition, the growing number of injuries in Tanzania is addressed and the relationship between risk management and injury is explored. Also, an emergency medicine-based strategy for injury control and prevention is proposed. Implications of implementing such a protocol in developing nations also are discussed.

Keywords

bombingemergency healthglobal healthKenyainjuriesinternational emergency medicinerisk managementTanzaniaU.S. Embassy
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , June 2002 , pp. 59 - 66
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2002

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