2. At the same time full advantage should be taken of disaster relief and personnel to obtain longterm impact on disease occurrence and control

As discussed in the first section, a disaster does not usually result in infectious disease problems. It is also possible that disasters cause some problems to disappear or never to show up. One of the main opportunities a disaster provides is in the huge inflow of resources, in manpower, money and materials. Often alternatives are available for emergency measures. They all have a similar short-term impact at about the same price. Some have a long term beneficial impact as well. This should be discounted in emergency relief.

In order for such an infectious disease control program to be effective it needs to have been prepared in advance, both politically and technically. Decision-makers, in the health field as well as in other fields, need to be familiarized with modern thinking about infectious disease problems following natural disasters and appropriate disease control programs. Technical units in the health and related ministries need to be provided with the background and skills they will need to function effectively in a disaster.