Online Program

Oral

This panel will address disaster preparedness and climate change in both Cuba and in the United States, highlighting potential areas of bilateral cooperation, especially along the “hurricane alley” shared by the two countries. Cuban mitigation strategies against hurricanes have proven effective, protecting lives and property, and involving significant community participation. Cuban presenters represent the Latin American Center for Disaster Medicine in Havana as well as the National Environmental Agency. They will share lessons learned from the country’s experiences in disaster preparedness, as well as long-range macro-level planning aimed at understanding and managing effects of climate change on health and development. US panelists represent a team of experts who have participated in MEDICC-led exchanges with Cuba. They will discuss insights gleaned— especially those relevant for the USA and Gulf Coast states—from work they observed on the island and their meetings with Cuban professionals. They will recommend strategies to overcome barriers to collaboration, encouraging joint endeavors between the two governments and civil society at all levels, aimed at benefitting the health of people and the shared ecosystem.

Session Objectives: Discuss results of Cuban disaster preparedness and mitigation strategies, as they relate to the USA and particularly the Gulf States. Analyze and differentiate approaches to disaster preparedness and climate change in Cuba and the USA. Define areas of potential cooperation between the United States and Cuba to better protect the public’s health in both countries in the face of natural disasters.