HIV/AIDS, Climate Change and Disaster Management: Challenges for Institutions in Malawi

37 Pages Posted: 20 Apr 2016

See all articles by Pablo Suarez

Pablo Suarez

Boston University - Department of Geography

Precious Givah

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Kelvin Storey

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Alexander Lotsch

World Bank

Date Written: May 1, 2008

Abstract

Southern African institutions involved in disaster management face two major new threats: the HIV/AIDS pandemic (eroding organizational capacity and increasing vulnerability of the population), and climate change (higher risk of extreme events and disasters). Analyzing the combined effects of these two threats on six disaster-related institutions in Malawi, the authors find evidence of a growing gap between demand for their services and capacity to satisfy that demand. HIV/AIDS leads to staff attrition, high vacancy rates, absenteeism, increased workload and other negative effects enhanced by human resources policies and financial limitations. Many necessary tasks cannot be carried out adequately with constraints such as the 42 percent vacancy rate in the Department of Poverty and Disaster Management Affairs, or the reduction of rainfall stations operated by the Meteorological Service from over 800 in 1988 to just 135 in 2006. The authors highlight implications of declining organizational capacity for climate change adaptation, and formulate recommendations.

Keywords: Population Policies, HIV AIDS, Hazard Risk Management, Health Monitoring & Evaluation, Climate Change

Suggested Citation

Suarez, Pablo and Givah, Precious and Storey, Kelvin and Lotsch, Alexander, HIV/AIDS, Climate Change and Disaster Management: Challenges for Institutions in Malawi (May 1, 2008). World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 4634, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1149567

Pablo Suarez (Contact Author)

Boston University - Department of Geography ( email )

United States

Precious Givah

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Kelvin Storey

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Alexander Lotsch

World Bank ( email )

1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433
United States

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