Global disaster medicine becomes a separate research group at the Department of Global Public Health
Due to organisational adjustments at the department, Global Disaster Medicine – Health Needs and Response becomes a research group of its own from the 1st of October. However, they have already existed for more than twenty years, but in the form of a team called Centre for Research on Health Care in Disaster. In connection to becoming a research team, the name has also slightly changed, to present the group’s focus clearer.
The Centre for Research on Health Care in Disasters has conducted research, education, and policy advice in the field of disaster medicine for over two decades. It began with Professor Hans Rosling and his last doctoral student, now Professor of Global Disaster Medicine Johan von Schreeb. Since then, it has grown to a team that conducts multiple research projects, runs an Erasmus Mundus Master programme, teaches multiple courses – as part of the medical doctor programme and as executive and professional, to name a few – as well as working with policy and expert advice, often in close collaboration with the Centre for Health Crises. A common thread through everything they do is a strong connection to field work and several of the group’s members often go on missions to disaster-stricken areas around the world. They are also a WHO Collaborating Centre.
So far, they have been structured as a team within the research group Health Systems and Policy at the Department of Global Public Health. An organisational readjustment at the department has resulted in that three teams in that group will now become their own research groups, whilst Health System and Policy also continues their work as a research group.
New name to reflect the heart of the work
In connection to becoming its own research group they are also adjusting their name. The Centre for Research on Health Care in Disaster (Kunskapscentrum för global katastrofmedicin) refers to an assignment the group has from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. They will continue in this role, but the new name more clearly signals the scope of the work they do in research, education, policy advice and field work.
- The name Global Disaster Medicine – Health Needs and Response reflects what we do. At the heart of everything is disaster medicine, which is about maximising the usefulness of interventions based on existing needs, in everything from management of injuries to public health needs such as access to water and a roof over your head, says Johan von Schreeb, who now become the research group leader.
Celebration with cake, then business as usual
On the first working day as a separate research group with a new name, Monday the 2nd of October, the members who work onsite at the office in the Widerströmska building celebrated with cake and a traditional ribbon-cutting to mark the inauguration of the new name.
- Becoming a separate research group is more of an organisational change that does not affect the content of the work we do as such. We continue inexorably with our work and look forward to, among other things, the thesis defense of one of our PhD students in a few weeks, says Anneli Eriksson, research specialist.