Current issues in disaster and emergency health will form the mainstay of the Congress. The issues will be addressed through challenging keynote addresses by world leaders in the discipline, plenary sessions led by world experts, panels and discussions to stimulate participation by Congress participants, experiences, workshops, and free papers as oral or posters. Contributions to the science will be captured and shared. Participants in the Congress will represent a broad, worldwide perspective. Moderators of each session will share their experience and knowledge in their respective areas of expertise. Recent events will be dissected to identify the lessons observed and strategies will be developed to incorporate what has been learned into practice. Major topics will include recent developments in EMS including the planning and implementation of new systems, safe medical facilities, disaster health and crisis risk reduction, evaluation and research, CBRNE, public health emergencies, cooperation between the humanitarian community and the military, pediatrics, coordination and control, relationships between governmental, intergovernmental, non-governmental, and academic institutions, organizational issues, humanitarian reform including the global and country health clusters, and anticipated crises. Attendees will be participants in the Congress. Pre- and post-Congress workshops will cover a broad stroke of education and training with the development of Position papers on major issues.
