ADN Country Chapter Updates
By Mr Abdullahi O. Umar
The Avoidable Deaths Network (ADN) is a global-local membership organisation dedicated to reducing disaster-related fatalities. Its Country Chapters serve as local hubs, bringing together diverse sectors, networks, and at-risk groups to support this aim. A Chapter may be hosted by one or more organisations and is led by an ADN Regional Coordinator (RC), who acts as the primary contact for the host organisation(s).
ADN has expanded its global presence by establishing three chapters across Asia and the Middle East. The ADN India Chapter was inaugurated in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on September 11, 2019, followed by the ADN Bangladesh Chapter at the University of Dhaka on June 18, 2023, and the ADN Oman Chapter at the YAS Centre for Environment and Health in Al Buraimi on June 25, 2023 (Avoidable Deaths Network, 2025). A brief update on each chapter is provided below:
Bangladesh Chapter
Led by Dr Fatima Akter (Regional Coordinator), the Bangladesh chapter promoted disaster preparedness and health awareness through a series of impactful events during the IAD4AD 2025 Global Campaign. This included:
- Early Warning Seminar: Rally and seminar on “Early Warning for Disasters” organised by the Department of Meteorology at the University of Dhaka (see Figure 1).
- Climate-Related Health Impacts: A UNOCHA HNPW webinar on climate-related disasters and reproductive health, co-led by Dr Fariha Haseen (Regional Coordinator) and Prof. Nibedita S. Ray-Bennett, building on ADN’s prototyped Reproductive Health Kits presented in Dhaka in 2024.
- Land-Based Adaptation: Webinar on “Land-Based Approaches to Address Human-Induced Disaster Adaptation” (17 March 2025), co-hosted by Dr Ranjan Datta and Dr John Acharibasam, with participation from Bangladesh, Canada, and the USA
India Chapter
India’s chapter marked IAD4AD 2025 with two notable events:
- Hands-on Workshop on Emergency Response (12 March 2025): Hosted by Ms Anuradha Bhardwaj (Regional Coordinator) in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, the Safety Through Emergency Preparedness (STEP) workshop trained young professionals in first aid and CPR. Four students from Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (Kerala) participated, gaining vital life-saving skills to strengthen community resilience.
- Webinar – Strategies to Reduce Avoidable Snakebite Deaths (22 March 2025): Organised by Mr Snehendu Konar (Regional Coordinator) and Auriga Research, this international webinar brought together scientists and policy experts to discuss methods to lower snakebite fatalities. A supplementary “Trees4Life” plantation drive reinforced the connection between environmental health and human safety (see Figure 2). The event attracted 113 participants from across the globe, emphasising its worldwide importance.
Oman Chapter
From 12 to 31 March 2025, Ms Moza Al Marhoobi, in collaboration with the University of Leicester School of Business and ADN-Oman, led a Heatwave Awareness Campaign. This initiative highlighted the dangers of extreme heat and promoted preventive strategies to protect communities, especially vulnerable groups, from heatwave-related fatalities.
References
Avoidable Deaths Network (2025) Country Chapters. Available at: https://www.avoidable-deaths.net/country-chapters/ (Accessed: 21 November 2025).
Avoidable Deaths Network (2025) International Awareness Day for Avoidable Deaths (IAD4AD) 2025. Available at: https://iad4ad.avoidable-deaths.net/ (Accessed: 21 November 2025).