BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA ) has taken steps to promote the integration of disaster risk management into various sectors to ensure a coordinated and comprehensive approach to disaster preparedness and response.
Speaking during a dialogue session on disaster risk reduction,organized by University of East Anglia postgraduate researcher John Aubrey Chirwa with support from the Arts and Humanities Research Council,DODMA Deputy Director for Disaster Response, Fyawupi Mwafongo, said the department has developed new guidelines to support the mainstreaming of disaster risk management across different sectors.
“We want to use these guidelines to reach all sectors and help them incorporate disaster issues into their regular programming, planning, and even budgeting processes.
“Disasters are multi-sectoral in nature—they affect health, infrastructure, education, and more. Cyclone Freddy is a clear example of how disasters cut across multiple areas,” said Mwafongo.
He noted that mainstreaming disaster risk management will speed up efforts related to reconstruction, recovery, rehabilitation, and other post-disaster interventions.
On his part,Chirwa, who is conducting an academic research project on participatory communication in disaster risk reduction in the country, observed that gaps in disaster management often arise due to the lack of integration of disaster-related issues into sectoral planning.
“When developing disaster response strategies, they must be multi-sectoral because disasters impact multiple areas.If we aim to build back better after a disaster, we need to create an enabling environment for that to happen,”said Chirwa.
The researcher also emphasized the need for sectors to allocate specific budget lines for disaster-related activities, stressing that adequate resources are essential for effective disaster management.
