Natural and man-made disasters have challenged hospitals as the frontline of the healthcare system. While attention has largely focused on structural safety, evidence indicates that the most significant gaps lie in non-structural safety (e.g., emergency power, fuel and water storage, fire protection) and functional safety (response plans, triage, training, post-disaster performance analysis, and recovery). A study conducted in three hospitals in Ahvaz reported mean functional safety of only 30.81% and non-structural safety of 59.17%, which, according to WHO classification, requires immediate action. A more comprehensive study of 165 hospitals in Tehran found a mean disaster risk management score of 69.35%, but the lowest scores were for post-disaster performance analysis (59.9%) and recovery planning (58.5%). Private hospitals had the lowest scores. The experience from Indonesia also confirmed common weaknesses in fuel storage systems and fire protection. Based on these findings, three urgent policy actions are proposed: revising accreditation standards to give greater weight to functional safety, prioritizing corrective measures for fuel storage and fire protection systems, and fostering regional collaboration to share experiences. Otherwise, in future disasters, not only hospital buildings but also their treatment functions will collapse.
Type of Study:
Letter to editor |
Subject:
Special Received: 2026/04/28 | Accepted: 2026/05/16