Upcoming / Special Event

Regional Training Course on Mass Casualty Management and Hospital Preparedness

24-28 November 2008 in Vientiane, Lao PDR

 

 

Background

In October 2006, an “Asia Pacific Meeting on Health Emergencies and Human Resource Development” was organized by WHO WPRO and SEARO together with SEAMEO TROPMED Network. The meeting aimed to: (i) define the HRD needs within the context of emergencies in Asia Pacific; (ii) map the status of training and HRD in Asia Pacific to include major training institutions; (iii) identify the gaps in HRD in the areas of preparedness, response, recovery and transition; and (iv) recommend training and HRD measures to fill the gaps identified. In the same October 2006 meeting, management of mass casualties and hospital preparedness were also defined as priority areas that need to be strengthened.

To address these priority areas, a regional training curriculum needs to be developed. A consultant was hired by WHO to develop the modules. The draft modules that the consultant has developed still need to be packaged as a regional training curriculum and to be pilot tested before it can be rolled out for the national teams to implement.

As part of the development of the training course, the following activities were undertaken:

1. Development and Packaging of the Regional Training Course

A three-day writeshop was organized in Manila, Philippines, 31 July-2 August 2007. The participants of the writeshop included experts and resource persons involved in the development and packaging of the regional training package for Management of Mass Casualty (MCM) and Hospital preparedness as defined in the APW mentioned above. The resource persons are experts on the field of emergencies and disaster, hospital preparedness, curriculum designing and graphic designing.

The following activities were undertaken by the group during the writeshop:

  • reviewed the existing materials developed on MCM previously
  • developed by a WPRO consultant;
  • defined objectives for the regional training;
  • developed the outline for the one-week course;
  • identified the details of the modules;
  • designed the outline of the Facilitators Guide;
  • drafted the three modules of the course; and
  • designed the packaging of the entire training materials to include the power point presentations.


2. Pilot Testing of the Regional Training Course

For the pilot testing, three countries were involved (Cambodia, Philippines and Vietnam). The training package was pilot tested in Phnom Penh , Cambodia 24-28 September 2007. A focal person from Lao PDR participated as an observer. The country teams for the pilot testing were composed of national focal person for hospital preparedness/disaster, hospital directors and a representative from the academe/training institution.

The final draft of the training package was utilized in the pilot testing.

An evaluation instrument was developed specific to the pilot training. The participants were asked to evaluate the following:

  • content of each module
  • teaching/learning methodology
  • resource materials

The participants gave a high rating to the content of each module based on their perception that adequate information was provided during the sessions. In terms of methodology/Teaching-learning process, they mentioned that the strategies utilized greatly facilitated learning in all the modules. Furthermore, they found the Module 1’s session 2 more interactive than the rest. Module 3’s sessions got the second highest ratings in terms of T-L evaluation. Resource materials were also rated adequate as indicated by a high mean score.

Revision of the modules in terms of sequence, additional module, and improvement in the teaching/learning methodology was undertaken after the pilot testing and in consideration of the suggestions of the participants and trainers/facilitators.

 

Rationale

The HRD Meeting in October underscored the need for a training program on mass casualty management and hospital preparedness. In response to this HRD need several activities were undertaken. A pilot tested and revised training package is now available in the region that can be utilized for regional training and that can be rolled out for national training as well. It is in this context that this regional proposal for another round of training is being proposed.

 

Objectives of the training

At the end of the training, participants will be able to:

  • Perform vulnerability assessment
  • Plan for the development or strengthening of Emergency Medical
  • Services System (EMSS)
  • Facilitate the development or strengthening of Hospital MCM Response Plan.
  • Facilitate in the development of public health MCM preparedness plan
  • Prepare a training development framework for Mass Casualty
  • Management and Hospital Preparedness

 

Participants

The countries to be involved are: China, Lao PDR, Mongolia and Vietnam. The participants should be Ministry of Health officials of the participating countries who are either involved in the national disaster and emergency program, directors of referral and provincial hospitals and one person involved in training for disaster. A total of five persons is the maximum for each country team.

 

Implementing Agency

SEAMEO Tropical Medicine and Public Health (SEAMEO TROPMED) Network in collaboration with WPRO will organize the training to include invitation, travel arrangements and organization of the training as well as secretariat services.
SEAMEO TROPMED Network is a regional cooperation network established in 1966 for education, training and research in tropical medicine and public health under the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization. The mission of SEAMEO TROPMED is to promote health and to prevent and/or control diseases, thus improving the living conditions of people through relevant programmes and services. One specific objective of the Network is to develop the capacity of individuals and institutions in delivering quality healthcare. The Network operates through the Regional Centre for Community Nutrition in Indonesia; Regional Centre for Microbiology, Parasitology and Entomology in Malaysia; Regional Centre for Public Health, Hospital Administration and Occupational Health in the Philippines; and Regional Centre for Tropical Medicine in Thailand. These Regional Centres are affiliated with academic and research institutions which provide the physical facilities, faculty and technical staff in respective Member Countries. A Network Coordinating Office is based in Bangkok, Thailand.