ASEAN and Japan Toward "Mutual Learning" and "Knowledge Co-Creation" in Disaster Health Management ～The 2nd Knowledge Co-creation Program “Disaster Health Management in ASEAN countries”～

From November 20 to December 9, 2023, the 2nd Knowledge Co-creation Program “Disaster Health Management in ASEAN countries” (KCCP) was held in Japan, inviting 18 participants from health ministries, educational and research institutions, and medical institutions involved in disaster health management and emergency medicine from the ASEAN region.

Lectures, Group works and Facility Visits

For the lectures and facility visits at the Senri Critical Care Medical Center as the main training center, Japanese experts in emergency medicine, disaster health management were invited to provide lectures and group works on topics of priority areas to ASEAN member states (AMS), including the development and deployment of emergency medical teams (EMT), coordination of in-coming EMTs and their operations in the event that their home country becomes an affected country of a major disaster, health information management during disasters, training and education on disaster health care management, as well as maintaining the functions of health facilities when a disaster occurs.

In addition to medical facilities such as emergency and intensive care units, participants also learned about the Senri Critical Care Medical Center's disaster preparedness measures, including a stockpile warehouse and emergency power generator.

They also toured the Logistics Center of the Japanese Red Cross Osaka Hospital and learned about the management of EMT medicines and equipment.

Mutual Learning among participants from ASEAN member states

KCCP Participants made presentations on progress and achievements in disaster health management in their countries, including "Measures for Realization of Safe Health Facilities," "Emergency Medical Team (EMT) Development Plan," "Deployment of EMT to Actual Disasters," "Mock-up Implementation of Basic Disaster Health Management Training," "Psychological Support," "Application of Health Needs Assessment Forms in Actual Disasters".

Senri Medical Rally

The participation in the 20th Senri Medical Rally held at Muse Campus, Kansai University on 2 Dec.

The medical rally is an emergency medical simulation competition annually held in Osaka prefecture since 2002. The KCCP participants formed three emergency medical teams consisting of medical doctor, nurse, paramedic, and coordinator to treat simulated patients at nine scenario stations set up based on Japanese prehospital and emergency medical care.

Country Analytical Work for the development of Action Plans

The Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Disaster Health Management, to which the ARCH Project contributed greatly in its development, sets fourteen regional and seven national targets.

The participants assessed the emergency and disaster health management systems in their countries to compile a Country Report before participating in the KCCP program and analyzed the current status in achieving the national targets, as well as to determine priority national target(s) to draft an Action Plan through Country Analytical Work conducted during the KCCP program in Japan.

The KCCP participants will bring their Action Plans, which were developed based on the Country Analytical Work, back to their home countries and move forward to strengthen their capacity for Disaster Health Management. The ARCH Project will continue to follow up on the implementation of the Action Plans and support the efforts of AMS in achieving national targets.

Mutual learning and Knowledge co-creation

The ARCH project aims to enhance disaster health management in the ASEAN region by fostering a culture of mutual learning and establishing a mechanism for knowledge co-creation.

KCCP participants are expected to contribute to the advancement of the field of disaster health management in the region, not only through the knowledge acquired from KCCP training but also through the connections of the participants’ network.

Lectures, Group works and Facility Visits

Senri Medical Rally