The Directorate of Surveillance and Preparedness, part of the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management, plays a critical role in ensuring national safety through comprehensive hazard management. Its primary responsibilities include conducting research, surveys, and assessments of various hazards, including hydro-meteorological, geological, radiological, nuclear, explosives, electromechanical, and biochemical threats.

Specialized Expertise

The directorate is staffed with experts specializing in each type of hazard, enabling a focused approach to risk surveillance and disaster preparedness. This specialization ensures that the team is equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to address the unique challenges posed by different hazards effectively.

Key functions

1. Coordination of research, surveys, and assessments to identify and monitor hydro-meteorological, geological, electromechanical, radiological, nuclear and explosives, chemical and biological disaster risks,
2. Provide advice to the Ministry on technological tools, to be used to ensure risk surveillance and preparedness are done effectively. 
3. Develop risk mitigation strategies, and update national contingency plans, Standards Operating Procedures(SOPs), and other documents related to disaster risk surveillance and preparedness,
4. Initiate, engage, and collaborate with stakeholders on research for risk surveillance and preparedness,
5. Avail research and knowledge-based expertise for the implementation of various projects and programs considering all types of disaster risks,
6. Participate in inspections organized by stakeholders on disaster risk surveillance and preparedness
7. Ensure records and mapping of available resources for response and initiate programs to assure readiness at the national and local levels;
8. Ensure the development of project proposals to related disaster risk surveillance and preparedness
9. Contribute to response interventions.

Contribution to the Ministry’s mandate:

Surveillance and Preparedness Directorate acts as the end user of the early warning system in place, designed to gather and analyze data on potential hazards and their possible impacts. This enables ongoing monitoring of hazard conditions and the provision of timely updates and alerts. By adopting a proactive approach, the directorate ensures that alerts are issued before disasters strike, effectively informing policy decisions and guiding resource allocation to mitigate vulnerabilities.