Interorganisational emergency management coordination challenges in a resource-scarce environment: a case study of El Salvador post COVID-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic pinpointed the vulnerability of nations to disasters regardless of their relative level of development. The coordination of their emergency management response organisations was seen as extremely important in not only dealing with the global health emergency, but also with respect to natural hazards and public health threats in the future. Coming to these conclusions and working to enhance a country's coordination of emergency management actors are, however, two very different things. Using El Salvador in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study, this research observes the various coordination issues indicative of emergency management organisations and practices in a resource-scarce environment in order to develop recommendations for enhancing coordination during forthcoming events. Through an analysis of public documents and 15 executive-level key informant interviews with government and emergency management officials, coordination challenges are identified and a number of suggestions for policy are provided.