ABSTRACT
Disasters pose significant challenges to the provision of health services; both direct and indirect. The direct impacts on health infrastructure including staff, resources and patient load, may challenge the capability of health services to deliver on core expectations. Indirect impacts result from changes in function to other elements within the community such as: interruption to transport affecting resupply and staff availability; inability for parents to attend work when childcare facilities and schools are closed; or loss of financial viability.
