How the ARCH Project Could Contribute to Strengthening ASEAN Regional Capacities on Disaster Health Management (DHM)

Area of Science:

• Disaster health management
• International emergency medicine
• Regional cooperation

Background:

• The Project for Strengthening the ASEAN Regional Capacity on Disaster Health Management (ARCH Project) initiated Regional Collaboration Drills (RCDs).
• The project aims to establish an ASEAN Academic Network and a standard training curriculum for disaster health management (DHM).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact and sustainability of the ARCH Project's initiatives.
• To assess the effectiveness of RCDs and academic enhancements in improving DHM capacity within ASEAN Member States (AMS).

Main Methods:

• Review of four previous Regional Collaboration Drills (RCDs).
• Assessment of academic activities and curriculum development progress.
• Analysis of the endorsement process for the ASEAN Academic Network and ASEAN Institute for DHM (AIDHM).

Main Results:

• RCDs successfully tested International Emergency Medical Teams (I-EMTs) capacity, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and regional tools across multiple AMS.
• Significant improvements were observed in disaster-prone countries like Viet Nam, Philippines, and Indonesia following RCDs.
• Development of a standard DHM curriculum is ongoing, with two courses in progress. The ASEAN Academic Network and AIDHM are nearing endorsement.

Conclusions:

• RCDs are highly effective for validating SOPs, regional tools, and assessing host country coordination capacity for international assistance.
• Standardized curriculum development is crucial for enhancing regional capacity in supporting and receiving international aid during disasters.
• The establishment of the ASEAN Academic Network and AIDHM offers a sustainable mechanism for DHM capacity development, aligning with the 'One ASEAN One Response' goal.