Series of Brochures for Persons Living with NCDs in Natural Disaster Prone Areas

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The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARHPA), EarthMedic and EarthNurse Foundation for Planetary Health, and the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) adapted and updated a series of brochures originally developed by Dr. Saria Hassan (ECHORN with funding from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

This series of eight brochures was developed to support people in the English-speaking Caribbean who are living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as asthma, diabetes, hypertension, mental health conditions, and cancer, in preparing for and managing their health during natural disasters.

Emergencies often disrupt access to care, medications, medical devices, and follow-up services – factors that can significantly increase the risk of complications and hospitalization for people with NCDs. Each brochure provides condition-specific guidance, including practical steps such as assembling medication and equipment kits, keeping treatment plans and medical records accessible, planning for safe evacuation and shelter, and safeguarding emotional wellbeing. They also feature user-friendly checklists and local resource contacts to help patients, families, and caregivers take action. The eighth brochure focuses on civil society organizations, offering tools to plan for continuity of services, manage supply chains, prioritize vulnerable clients, and coordinate effectively with health authorities. Together, this series strengthens resilience, helps reduce preventable illness and death, and supports faster community recovery. The ultimate goal is to equip people living with NCDs – as well as healthcare workers, civil society and faith-based organizations, volunteers, and other stakeholders – to be better prepared and able to manage NCDs effectively during disasters.