Regional Training Course for Trainers (TOT Course) Held on July 15–18 －A Pilot Program Toward Developing ASEAN Regional Training Capacity－

From July 15 to 18, 2024, the Regional Training Course for Trainers (TOT Course) was successfully organized by the National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM), the Thai counterpart of the ARCH Project. This four-day course was developed with the primary objective of training qualified instructors who will be able to plan, deliver, and manage in-country training programs in their respective countries, specifically the Basic Disaster Health Management Course (B-Course) and the Coordination Course (C-Course). Both courses were originally developed under the ARCH Project as part of the national capacity-building strategy for disaster health management by developing the training/educational curricula.

The TOT Course was conceptualized and led by ARCH Project members in Thailand, drawing on their practical experience in course delivery and curriculum development. It also incorporated interactive facilitation techniques, adult learning principles, and scenario-based exercises to ensure that participants were not only familiar with the content, but also capable of delivering it effectively in varied country contexts. This pilot course represents a key milestone in the sustainability of ASEAN’s training framework, ensuring that each Member State has the capacity to independently run training programs using standardized regional materials, in alignment with the objectives of the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Disaster Health Management.

For this Regional TOT Course, two participants from each ASEAN Member State were nominated, selected based on their potential to serve as in-country course facilitators for the B-Course and C-Course in their respective countries. The training program was carefully designed to combine theoretical understanding with practical application, and included the following components:

This blended approach not only strengthened participants’ knowledge of disaster health management training materials, but also enhanced their instructional skills, preparing them to take on leadership roles in national training delivery.
By investing in instructor development, this TOT course contributes directly to building a sustainable, country-led training ecosystem in ASEAN, in line with the Knowledge Management goals of the ARCH Project and the Plan of Action for the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Disaster Health Management.

On the final day, PWG members also joined the site visit, and during the subsequent joint PWG meeting, discussions were held to provide an overall assessment. Based on these discussions, preparations will proceed toward refining and re-implementing the training curriculum. This process is expected to align with ongoing discussions on the establishment of a “Regional Training Center,” particularly regarding the definition, requirements, accreditation process of the training course, and implementation methods of “regional training” included in the proposal. Together, these discussions will assist the future direction of implementation.