Consensus Conference on Improving Disaster Response in the Southern Region of India

Climate change has led to increased frequency and severity of disasters in India. The need for stronger management programs and better implementation of existing programs remains critical. A consensus conference of experts in the field was organized as part of a disaster preparedness conference held in Kerala, India - Unlocking Newer Innovations for Tomorrow’s Emergencies and Disasters (UNITED’24).

Five stakeholder groups (each with five to seven experts) were identified for the consensus conference: Hospital Administrators and CEOs, Clinical Response Teams, Local Government Officials, Community Response Teams, and Prominent Public/Community Leaders. We employed a mixed-methods approach, using a modified Delphi technique with tailored probing questions for each group to (1) identify critical gaps in existing disaster management and response frameworks, (2) establish strategies to guide local disaster preparedness initiatives, (3) build strong cross-sector partnerships, and (4) establish a centralized disaster management hub in Kerala. Responses from experts were systematically coded and organized into themes. The participants then completed an anonymous survey to select the top 10 actions they individually believed met the conference's objective.

There were five common themes identified across all discussion groups: (1) community engagement and education, (2) collaboration, communication, and coordination, (3) operational sustainability and surge capacity, (4) training and capacity building, and (5) clinical and infrastructure resilience. The most common action statement voted for in the anonymous survey (69%) was “Helping communities recover after a disaster, especially through preventative health and mental health support.”

Moving forward, implementation should follow a phased approach, first strengthening community preparedness through education, local leadership training, and standardized protocols. Next, efforts must focus on technology integration, resilient infrastructure, and community-centered recovery programs that prioritize preventive and mental health. Long-term sustainability requires institutional frameworks for ongoing evaluation, policy development, and knowledge sharing.