COVID-19, especially the fast-spreading Delta variant, is a key point raised by Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen in his message on the occasion of the National Disaster Management Day.
According to the Premier, the National Disaster Management Day is celebrated on Oct. 13 every year. The Royal Government has decided to observe the event along with the ASEAN Day for Disaster Management and the International Day for Disaster Reduction. This year is the second year of the celebration, but as the situation of COVID-19 has not yet improved, it is not possible to hold public gatherings and organise public awareness campaign on disaster reduction.
For almost two years, he continued, while the global COVID-19 pandemic has not yet eased, natural disasters caused by global warming, including wildfires, hurricanes, severe floods, earthquakes happened in many countries in 2021, destroying property and claiming many lives.
In particular, in Cambodia, COVID-19 and its new variants, gusts, flash floods, lightning, drought, fire and so on have occurred throughout the country, he said, stressing that the Royal Government has introduced a series of measures to minimise the impact and protect the well-being of the Cambodian people.
This year’s theme is “Increasing Disaster Risk Preparedness for the Safety and Resilience of Villages and Communes,” which inspires the spirit of preparedness enhancement in the face of adverse events. Samdech Techo Hun Sen thus appealed to all stakeholders to be well prepared to respond to disasters.
The Prime Minister gave seven important recommendations to ensure the success in disaster risk reduction, of which one focuses on the vaccination against COVID-19 to create herd immunity and continued implementation of the prevention principles and health rules ‘3 Don’ts and 3 Dos’ even after being vaccinated against the pandemic.