GTA has completed some works on disaster relief and response activities. The chairperson of GTA has experience of 18 years working in the Health Services Department of the Nepal Red Cross Society where he engaged in several disaster response activities. GTA itself involved in the disaster response activities aftermath of the 2015 earthquake. The GTA has formed a separate disaster management section that look over the disaster preparedness and response activities.
With the supervisory role of GTA chairperson Mr. Deepak C. Bajracharya and the management team;
1) GTA Disaster Management Section
The section is led by Mr. Karuna Prasad Shrestha who has more than 30 years of experience in the Nepal Redcross Society with disaster management experience. He has led the Disaster Management Department of the Nepal Red Cross Society for four years along with Junior Red Cross, Community Development, Health Services Department and Organization Department. He has been involved and worked for disaster preparedness and response in all-time in the Nepal Red Cross Society. However, worked with more engagement during his leadership in the Disaster Management Section where he has conducted immediate disaster response and relief activities such as the distribution of food and other items, and management of the shelter. He has also initiated the Community Based Disaster preparedness program. He has received training in disaster management from Bangkok, Denmark, and Japan.
The other members of the section are Mr. Bhola Chaudhary and Ms. Lenjana Jimee.
Mr. Bhola Chaudhary has worked for more than 20 years in the Nepal Red Cross at the field level responding the disasters such as the Emergency program in Aurahi, Siraha (Fire Affected), and Koshi Flood Recovery Program at Udayapur. He has trained with the District Disaster Risk Reduction, Vulnerable Capacity Assessment, Initial Rapid Assessment, and First Aid training. Similarly, Mr. Resham Lamicchane worked in the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health and Population for 30 years in addressing the disease outbreaks throughout the country during disasters.
Likewise, Ms. Lenjana Jimee has eight experience in managing logistics in a disastrous situation and a health emergency. She is good at coordinating the stakeholders for the program implementation, training, and meetings.
The section is supported by Mr. Pramod Bajracharya, treasurer of the organization on different response activities. He is also trained in disaster management when he was working in the Canadian Cooperation Office. He was also engaged in immediate relief distribution. Along with him, Mr. Kshitij Karki, Program Director supports the section. He
has experience working in the public health part during disasters. He worked for maintaining the sanitation and assessment of health risks and recommendations to the Government.
GTA Contributions
1) Comprehensive Response for Flood Affected Communities in Nepal 2020 Grant
The project is supported by Give2Asia to respond to the Sindhupalchowk flood and landslide victims. The period for the project is October 2020 to April 2021. GTA will conduct the coordination and distribution of the relief materials, awareness on health, nutrition and disasters, installation of warning signs, IEC materials development and distribution, mass media campaign, capacity enhancement of local disaster response team and the development of the contingency plan.
2) Immediate Disaster Relief
The GTA has distributed the clothes to the needy people at Khokana of Lalitpur district during the 2015 earthquake. We have also distributed the water purification chlorine solution at displaced camps of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Nuwakot, Sindhupalchowk, Rasuwa, Gorkha, Dhading and Ramechhap.
3) WASH Program
GTA has conducted the WASH intervention program post-earthquake situation for preventing the possible outbreak of enteric diseases. It was carried out in Nuwakot, Dhading, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur.
4) Rapid Risk Assessment
The GTA has conducted the rapid health risk assessment in all the 14 most-affected districts for the possible disease outbreak and the status of the water and health facilities.
5) Food and Nutrition security assessment
The GTA has conducted food and nutrition security assessments at Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts after the 2015 earthquake.
6) Training on responding to health emergencies
We have trained the local health facility team on outbreak investigation and response in health emergencies. We have trained the health workers in Rautahat, Sarlahi, Banke, Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts.
7) Disease prevention activities
We have conducted disease prevention activities during the 2015 earthquake such as the identification of disease hotspots and conducted vaccination for preventing possible disease outbreaks. It has also developed the disease preparedness and response plan for the Ministry of Health and Population.
8) Behavioural Change Communication
It has conducted the work on behaviour change communication for creating awareness among the public in different public health-related sectors and especially on preventing outbreaks after the 2015 outbreaks. It has designed and printed the brochures, pamphlets and hoarding flex, using mass media and conducted street drama.