Donald A. Donahue
President, WADEM

 

A decade ago, the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) endorsed the Mediterranean Journal of Emergency Medicine in an editorial published in MJEM. That declaration highlighted the common focus, purposes, and often overlapping content of our respective activities.

The ensuing years have brought many changes. The definition of disaster has broadened, driven by a pandemic, climate change, conflict, and the recognition that catastrophes have extensive societal, often generational impacts. Accordingly, WADEM has grown from its founding focus on trauma to a more comprehensive posture, promoting trans-disciplinary and cross-sectional engagement and collaboration. This has included forging stronger relationships with counterpart organizations such as WHO, UNITAR, IFEM, and ASPHER.

Similarly, MJEM has also grown in scope, remaining focused on emergency medicine but expanding from its founding region to a global presence and a new name: Panorama of Emergency Medicine (PoEM).

Today, WADEM reaffirms its commitment to collaboration with PoEM. WADEM’s journal, Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, can serve as a complement to PoEM, addressing different aspects of the disaster and response continuum, together advancing the well-being and resilience of individuals, communities, and societies affected by emergencies and disasters through evidence-based improvements and comprehensive, trans-disciplinary education in emergency and disaster health, community empowerment, and advocacy for effective policies for disaster risk reduction.

Conversely, WADEM membership can contribute to the vitality, growth, and relevance of PoEM with timely and insightful content.

As was extended in the original editorial, WADEM invites PoEM readers to engage in the 24^th biennial Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine, to be held 26-30 April 2027 in Paris, France. The congress theme — Research, Relevance, Resilience: Enhancing performance in disaster and emergency medicine for communities, responders, and ecosystems — will build upon the success of the 23^rd congress in Tokyo, where over 1300 participants from 84 nations engaged with 714 oral and poster presentations and fifteen special meetings and courses. The Paris experience will lead to the 25^th congress in 2029, to be hosted in Dubai, UAE.

We hope to see you there! https://wadem.org/congress/paris-2027/registration/

 

Donald A. Donahue

DHEd, MBA, MSJ, FACHE, FRSPH. FIBODM
President, World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM)