The Sendai Framework and emergency care

During the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (Sendai, 14–18 March 2015), a new framework for disaster risk reduction was adopted in order to build upon the successes, lessons, and gaps identified by the previous Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015.1 The Hyogo Framework has achieved progress by raising awareness, and guided varied stakeholders in effective disaster risk management; however, many steps remain to be taken. Disasters continue to exact heavy tolls around the world, with estimates of 1.5 billion affected people and $1.3 trillion in eco- nomic losses over the past 10 years.2 A disproportionate num- ber of those impacted belong to already vulnerable populations. Recent evidence suggests that the rate of exposure of persons and assets to disasters outstrips efforts that have been taken to mitigate vulnerability and disaster losses.3