Ian Norton

Forum Presentation: The Emergence of National Health Operations Centres: Time for a Reset of Humanitarian Health Response Architecture?

Dr. Ian Norton, founder and Managing Director of Respond Global, is a specialist emergency physician with a wealth of experience in coordinating emergency health responses to disease outbreaks and disasters.

Ian was head of the WHO’s Emergency Medical Team (EMT) Initiative in Geneva from 2014-20. During this time, he led responses to Ebola, Diphtheria, and Measles outbreaks as well as to earthquakes, cyclones, and war zones.

Previous to the WHO, Ian led the creation of disaster response teams in Australia and was the Director of Disaster Preparedness and Response at the National Critical Care & Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC) in Darwin. Ian established the Australian Medical Assistance Teams (AUSMAT) framework and designed the field hospitals that are today used for international disaster and infectious disease responses.

Ian established Respond Global in early 2020 with the aim of empowering others to be able to plan, prepare and respond to health emergencies in their own countries. He and his team are currently assisting numerous organizations during the COVID pandemic, providing strategic and practical operational support about how to be COVID-Safe now and into the future.