Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning in Pakistan

Megan Gayford and Aien Khan AfridiNutrition Cluster Coordinators, Pakistan Global Nutrition Cluster Annual Meeting

Geneva, 10 July 2013

Country Context: Pakistan

MNS 1977 NNS1985-7 NHS 1990-94 NNS 2001 NNS 2011 MDG target

911 12

14 15

5

4346

36

47

42

20

Wasting Stunting

Operational Context• Disaster preparedness and response is led by the National

Disaster Management Authority and the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities

• Decentralized process

• Linkages between Government and the Humanitarian Country Team

• For the first time, nutrition is included in the Government preparedness plans

Developing the Preparedness and Response Plan at the Sub-National Level

• Coordinated by OCHA in and in coordination with PDMA and FATA Disaster Management Authority

• Compilation and review of agency/organizational plans• Preparedness Planning Workshop for cluster partners• Based on specific scenarios and informed by experience • Risk analysis • Beneficiary caseloads agreed for various scenarios • Emergency human resource response rosters and focal points • Contingency/stand-by agreements agreed with potential

partners by UN Agencies • Review and consolidation with the National Nutrition Cluster

planning process

Developing the Preparedness and Response Plan at the National Level

• Planning Scenario of the Pakistan Plan• All clusters develop plans – annexed to the National Plan• National Nutrition Cluster process• Human Resources and Contingency Stocks• Linkages to the Provincial Plans• Plan dissemination• Timeframe• Reviews and updates

Enabling Factors

• Significant capacity of the Nutrition Cluster partners• Strong agency/organizational preparedness

planning parallel processes• Nutrition Cluster strategy• Capacity building • Participation • Deadlines • Strong linkages to the Government of Pakistan’s

Preparedness Planning process

Challenges• Change of Government • Low engagement of the NDMA and the Pakistan Red

Crescent Society• Establishing linkages with the Provincial PRPs • Different timeframes• The planning figures vary between National and Provincial

levels• Stretch of resources and shift of attention from response to

planning• Lack of understanding of malnutrition and its consequences

Implications for the Cluster

• Government engagement• Lessons learned from previous emergency

responses • Inclusive process• Linkages • Supporting capacity of Nutrition Cluster

partners• Opportunities for advocacy