CCOUC Disaster and Humanitarian Seminar Series 2013-2014: Exploring Health Needs and Disaster Risk in Qinghai Tibetan Communities

CCOUC Disaster and Humanitarian Seminar Series 2013-2014 on the topic “Exploring Health Needs and Disaster Risk in Qinghai Tibetan Communities” was held on 22 January 2014 to share the experience and findings of a 4-member CCOUC team to the Yushu Prefecture of Qinghai Province in November 2012.

Yushu Prefecture, with predominantly Tibetans living in high altitude and remote communities, are facing constant threat of disaster risk as they are striving against poverty. Recovering from the devastating 2010 earthquake, rehabilitation of Jiegu Town has nearly completed but remote rural communities are not becoming more resilient. While infrastructure reconstruction has leaped a giant step forward, social issues are still unaddressed. Health needs are still prominent especially when local populations are facing emerging challenges of urbanization, migrations and changing climate.

Mr. Aman Yee, Project Manager of CCOUC and the Mission Head of the Qinghai trip, presented the findings of health needs and disaster risks in this assessment trip. He suggested that considering cultural context of ethnic minorities is crucial when planning development interventions.

Mr. Aman Yee presented the background information of the Yushu prefecture in the seminar.

More than 30 Master of Public Health students at the JC School of Public Health and Primary Care joined the seminar.