The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) signed a renewal of the Standby Partnership Agreement during an official event, with the participation of DEMA's Executive Director, Laila Reenberg, and Dr. Gerald Rockenschaub, WHO's Emergency Director at the WHO Regional Office for Europe. This renewed agreement emphasizes the valuable partnership between DEMA and WHO.
DEMA, a Danish government agency under the Ministry of Defense, specializes in disaster preparedness, prevention, and response. DEMA also maintains a roster of international experts, including technicians, logisticians, civil engineers, hazardous materials specialists, medical officers, nurses, and paramedics. Additionally, their "service module" portfolio enables DEMA to deploy personnel and equipment for various international response activities, from establishing camps to providing water purification and emergency response services.
The WHO-DEMA partnership began with the Standby Partnership Agreement signed in December 2018, initially set for five years. DEMA and WHO have collaborated during past crises, such as the Ebola outbreak in West Africa from 2014 to 2015. In Sierra Leone, under WHO's auspices, DEMA supported the establishment of medical training and accommodation facilities and logistical support for international medical personnel and emergency workers.