UN-Habitat Partners with Iran to Improve the Resilience of Hospitals and Urban Critical Facilities Against Natural Disasters

UN-Habitat has been actively involved in assisting the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to develop comprehensive Risk Reduction Plans and implement vulnerability reduction activities. 

During the 2017, M7.2 earthquake in Kermanshah, west of Iran, several hospitals and healthcare facilities suffered severe damage, resulting in their malfunction during crisis, when most needed. This was also observed during previous natural disasters in the country, e.g. Bam, 2003 and Manjil, 1990 earthquakes as well as recent floods. Failure of the hospitals and healthcare facilities in crises increased the number of casualties as injured people were treated in tents and had to be transferred to farther centers to receive advanced medical treatments. 

In response to recuring damage to healthcare facilities during natural disasters and in a concerted effort to bolster the country's medical facilities against the ravages of natural hazards, UN-Habitat, in partnership with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and supported by the Government of Japan, launched the Project "Emergency Support for Safer Hospitals and Settlements" project in 2021.

The Project was implemented in cooperation with the Executive Organization for Government and Public Buildings and Infrastructure (EOGPBI) and the Roads, Housing and Urban Development Research Center (BHRC), under the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development. It also involved a steering committee with members from various governmental organizations.

A comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) approach was employed for this purpose to I) identify the vulnerabilities and risk of target healthcare facilities and II) take the required actions for treating the identified challenges. Various elements required for an integrated earthquake DRRM in Hospitals were developed and implemented within the pilot activities.

A comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) approach was employed for this purpose to I) identify the vulnerabilities and risk of target healthcare facilities and II) take the required actions for treating the identified challenges. Various elements required for an integrated earthquake DRRM in Hospitals were developed and implemented within the pilot activities.

Several consulting engineering companies from private sector implemented the studies on 11 large hospitals in the country under the technical supervision of a Technical Working Group (TWG) composed of UN-Habitat, experienced university professors, and representatives from the IPs, impacting around 380,000 square meters of health facilities and covering over 4,000 hospital beds nationwide, with an appropriate distribution all over the country. The Project was designed so that a broad range of community groups including elderly, people with disability, women and children can benefit from the project results as the beneficiaries of the hospitals.

The initiative also facilitated fostering the skill and knowledge for retrofitting vulnerable hospitals by constructing model retrofits in key locations. A broad spectrum of engineers and site technicians from consulting companies and contractors were involved in the activities to provide retrofitting samples in two large hospitals. During the construction of role models, 110 vulnerable points in the piping system were retrofitted by 236 flexible joint pieces. The activity also included improving 85 vulnerable infill walls and improving the support of mechanical system using 267 prefabricated modular support frames.

These all were supported with a strong technical supervision of TWG who together with UN-Habitat developed the required guidelines and technical instructions in the field of the Project, trained the experts, developed software system for the Disaster Risk Management of hospitals and involved in the 2nd international Conference of Hospitals and Urban Critical Facilities held by UN-Habitat in Iran. 

Development of a national guideline approved and published by PBO, issuing technical order-notes by EOGPBI to all the consulting companies and contractors of hospitals in the country to follow the achievements of the Project in other hospital projects nation-wide, as well as a multi-stakeholder approach for implementing the Project can ensure the sustainability of the Project achievements after ending and upscaling the results to other activities and projects.

By leveraging the technical and engineering capacities and incorporating international experiences the Project received commendation from the government, academia, and the private sector for its contributions to strengthening Iran's healthcare system against natural disasters.

In this regard Ali Sobati, the general manager of engineering affairs and new technologies of the EOPGBI said: “Based on the Project’s results, we have considered methodological changes both in design, implementation and use of innovative technologies in the field of Hospital constructions”.

Also, Professor A. Aghakouchak, a university faculty states: “The BEHTAB Phase-II project, which was carried out in cooperation with UN-Habitat, is a very valuable project related to hospitals in the country. In this plan, a large group of academic professors cooperated in technical guidance as well as the main consultants of the country, which will certainly improve technical knowledge and experience in the country, and in the future, its results will be used in the modification of the regulations and methods of analysis and design of hospitals.”