Disaster Medicine Information Centre
It was established at the Trauma Hospital in Brno in April 1993. Its task was to collect information, articles and professional publications on this topic and to establish contacts with experts and organizations of similar focus in the Czech Republic and abroad.
During the existence of the MEKA Information Centre, its database has collected 1350 articles, 80 publications and proceedings and a number of contact addresses from all over the world. The information is obtained from the MEDLINE database, from the professional press, from conferences and seminars, and from websites. The Centre produces research and translations for professionals in the field of crisis management in health care, hospitals and emergency services. About 120 articles and 1 book have been translated. Information is published in the journal Emergency Medicine, 112, Rescue Report, Military Medical Letters, etc. Selected translations are published on the website of the Trauma Hospital in Brno (see the bar Translations of articles).
Since 2006, IS MEKA has organized the Disaster Medicine Congress for 12 years - see further information on this website. Information about news from congresses and the professional press is also disseminated through lectures at congresses and seminars. In recent years, IS MEKA has also become a consulting centre for students writing their bachelor and master theses.
The contact with the World Association for Emergency and Disaster Medicine (WADEM) was established by the membership of Dr. Zelníček, former director of the Brno Trauma Hospital, in the committee of this professional society. Regular WADEM conferences and its journal Prehospital and Disaster Medicine are a rich source of information. Very good relations have been established with the German Society for Disaster Medicine (DGKM), which sends its journal to the Centre and whose conferences were attended by the Centre's staff for the seventh time in 2009. Unfortunately, this congress was not held after 2011.
At the invitation of the Academy for Crisis Planning and Civil Protection in Ahrweiler, Germany, Ing.Neklapilová participated as a delegate of the Czech Republic in the seminar Disaster Medicine, organized for participants from 12 countries of Central and Eastern Europe (18-29 March 2001) - detailed proceedings here.
In January 2008, ing. Neklapilová was appointed as a corresponding member of the DGKM in January 2008.
IS MEKA also participated in a project within the framework of the bilateral agreement between the Czech Republic and the WHO focused on health preparedness for climate change.