ASEAN Journal of Disaster Health Management (AJDHM)

Preface of AJDHM's First Issue

ASEAN Journal of Disaster Health Management — 2025-01-02

The ASEAN Journal of Disaster Health Management aims to provide a dedicated platform for professionals, researchers, and policymakers to share insights and innovative approaches to managing health challenges arising from disasters. In this inaugural issue, we bring together a diverse collection of nine articles that reflect the shared commitment of our contributors to improving disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and resilience.

Introduction to 1st Issue of AJDHM

ASEAN Journal of Disaster Health Management — 2025-01-02

The ASEAN Journal of Disaster Health Management (AJDHM) is proud to announce the successful release of its inaugural issue, now available online as of January 2, 2025. This milestone marks a significant step forward in our mission to advance research and collaboration in the field of Disaster Health Management.

A Novel Health Management Model for Search and Rescue (SAR) Teams During the Batang Kali Landslide, 2022: A Case Study of Public Health Response

Suhaida BT Mohd Sidek — 2025-01-02

Introduction: A catastrophic landslide in Batang Kali, Hulu Selangor, Malaysia on December 16, 2022, displaced 16 million cu ft of soil, resulting in 61 rescues and 31 fatalities. Search and Rescue (SAR) team members face significant health risks and traumatic experiences during such operations. Objectives: This case study examines four key aspects of SAR operations, that is the efficacy of global health management for SAR teams, the physical and mental health implications on personnel during extended operations, the assessment of environmental health hazards in the disaster area and their mitigation measures, and the documentation of key lessons learned for future operational improvements. Methods: This is a case study on piloting innovative composite questionnaire on global assessment of health risks of SAR team members. The environmental health assessments were conducted using an adapted form from MOH Malaysia Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Management, Prevention and Control of Leptospirosis, 2011. The mental health using Whooley and GAD-2 questionnaires and the rest of the assessments including physical health using adapted MOH Malaysia Flood Preparedness Guidelines, 2008. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics. A one-stop health base was established for surveillance, coordination, and support. Results: Of 509 SAR team members, 56 (11%) participated. Physical health screening (n=18) revealed physical injuries (37.5%), hypertension (25%), mental health issues (25%), and one cardiovascular accident (12.5%). Mental health screening (n=29) identified three (10.3%) positive cases requiring counselling. Nine members attended Psychological First Aid sessions (44% psychoeducation, 33% relaxation, 23% sleep hygiene). No infectious diseases were reported during or one-month post-operation. Discussion & Conclusion: This novel model demonstrates effective comprehensive health monitoring during disaster response. The study supports pre- and post-deployment health screenings and improved interagency coordination, serving as a framework for future emergency responses.

Assessment of Radiation Safety Management System in a Vocational Institution Indonesian Polytechnic of Nuclear Technology X

Gusti Sultan Arifin — 2025-01-02

Introduction: Occupational safety and health (OSH) are activities to guarantee and protect the safety and health of all workers through efforts to prevent work accidents and work-related diseases. Indonesian regulation concerning the OSH management system state that every company must implement this system in the work area, particularly nuclear facilities, which have a high potential danger level. Objective: The study aims to assesss the efficacy of a radiation safety management system as an effort to protect academic citizens, society, and the environment from the effects of radiation. Methods: This case study used a qualitative descriptive method, including observation, interviews, and document analysis on implementation of radiation safety management requirements in accordance to the prescribed regulations. Result: The result shown that the institute implemented radiation safety management requirements in accordance to the regulations and international guidelines. Conclusions: The radiation safety management system at the institute complies with Indonesian regulations, Indonesia Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency regulations, and the International Atomic Energy Agency guidelines which require comprehensive evaluation to ensure adequate radiation protection and safety management implementation. Ensuring the everyday radiation culture reduces the risks in disaster situations.

Basic Course (B-Course) for Disaster Health Management (DHM) Development and Its Challenges for the Application to Each ASEAN Member States (AMS)

Phummarin Saelim — 2025-01-02

Introduction: Capacities on health-related competencies of the disaster response team among ASEAN Member States (AMS) are diverse with different strengths and weaknesses. In order to maximize the optimal outcome of joint disaster response operations, a training program that provide common fundamental concepts on disaster health management is essential. The Basic Disaster Health Management training course (BDHM) is one of the proposals under the plan for the Project for strengthening the ASEAN Regional Capacity on Disaster Health Management (ARCH project) to provide a solution to this problem. Objective: To describe the development process of the BDHM course as well as the challenges for the application and ways forward. Methods: The main author reviewed all the reports of the Sub-Working Group meeting on curriculum development and related articles as well as described the observed outcome of the training activities of the BDHM course. Result: BDHM course is one of the outstanding results of the ARCH project. It aims to provide basic knowledge on disaster medicine, skills, and attitudes for the health-related disaster response team. The course was developed to include a module on constructing learners' competencies, content generation, and the planning of learning methodology. All processes have been conducted by the committee of the Sub-working Group on Curriculum Development and approved by the Project Working Group. Experts from the AMS and Japan have contributed to the development of this course. The course had already been implemented including the initiative course that had been conducted in Surat Thani, Thailand, and the mock-up course in Bangkok. The results of the very first implementations were fruitful, but there was still a lot of room for improvement. Discussion and conclusion: Further implementation in other member states is necessary to achieve the goal of the plan of action of the ARCH project and it is expected that the course will provide the standard guideline for the disaster response team in the AMS in the future.

Case Study on Public Health Preparedness in Malaysia - Lessons Learnt from Mount Kinabalu Earthquake

Maria Suleiman — 2025-01-02

Introduction: The earthquake of magnitude 6.0 on Richter scale that struck Mount Kinabalu on 5th June 2015 at 7.15 am Malaysia time (GMT+8) had significant impacts, affecting not only the climbers and staff at the site but also communities across Sabah. Mountain earthquake rescue operations present significant challenges due to the rugged terrain, remote locations, and complex logistics involved. Earthquakes in mountainous regions often trigger landslides, avalanches, and rockfalls, which can obstruct roads and complicate access for rescue teams. Objective: This paper aims to delineate the challenges of disaster health management, focusing on search and rescue response, public health management of temporary evacuation centres, post-event psychosocial support, and business continuity, particularly in the context of earthquake management in Sabah, Malaysia. Methods: Secondary data in the form of meeting minutes and event reports from the archives of Sabah State Health Department, Ministry of Health Malaysia, spanning the period from 5th June 2015 to 16th July 2015 was collected. Thematic coding scheme based on objective was developed. The findings derived from the analysis of meeting minutes and event reports were presented using narrative summaries in the results section of the paper. Results: The Mount Kinabalu earthquake response highlighted key areas for improvement in disaster preparedness and response. Challenges included poor interagency collaboration and communication issues due to inadequate infrastructure. The absence of early warning mechanisms and risk maps hampered search and rescue efforts, with responders relying on local guides. Medical responses were hindered by weather conditions. Managing mental health post-disaster was complex, requiring extensive support. Public health issues arose in evacuation centres due to disrupted water supplies. Additionally, damage to healthcare facilities necessitated the use of alternative locations to ensure service continuity. Conclusions: In summary, the Mount Kinabalu earthquake response highlighted the importance of investing in specialized training, equipment, local responders, and infrastructure to enhance preparedness and response capabilities, ultimately reducing the impact of similar disasters on communities and ensuring a more effective and coordinated response. Ongoing evaluation and adaptation based on lessons learned will be instrumental in improving disaster resilience in the region.

Developing a Hybrid Training Curriculum for the Inaugural World Health Organization (WHO) Singapore Emergency Medical Team (SGEMT) Using Andragogical Principles for Adult Training

Shu Fang Ho — 2025-01-02

Introduction: The WHO-EMT initiative seeks to “enhance surge capacity of countries through promotion of rapid mobilization and efficient coordination of both national and international medical teams and the health-care workforce to reduce loss of life and prevent long-term disability caused by disasters, outbreaks and other emergencies. It values “inclusiveness, transparency, global cohesion and regional adaptation, needs driven and
adherence to quality standards and methodology. In partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Singapore, Singapore Health Services (SingHealth) was tasked to help set up Singapore’s inaugural World Health Organisation (WHO) Emergency Medical Team (EMT) – Singapore Emergency Medical Team (SGEMT). Singapore will be the third ASEAN country, after Thailand & Malaysia, to set up such a WHO EMT programme. SGEMT plans to be verified by WHO by 2024. Methods: Our SGEMT is a Type 1 Fixed EMT and will attend to outpatient and emergency patients in the community over a 14-day overseas deployment, and comprises an 18-member medical team with 5 doctors, 10 nurses, 1 rehabilitative physiotherapist, 1 clinical psychologist and 1 clinical support staff. The medical team are volunteers from all across our SingHealth cluster. In addition to this 18-member medical component, there is an additional 15 member administrative and logistic team from MOH and
our designated logistics partner. Our SGEMT therefore comprises 33 members – 18 medical team members and 15 admin / logistics members. In order to adequately prepare all our SGEMT volunteers for deployment, our SingHealth team together with MOH developed a comprehensive and uniquely tailored training programme. The design of this training programme is based on well-established andragogical principles and applications to ensure effective adult learning. Results: All SGEMT volunteers will undergo a three-component hybrid training programme comprising of 1) E-Learning Modules, 2) Face-to-Face Workshop & Table-Top Exercise (TTX) and 3) Ground Deployment Exercise (GDX). Component 2 and 3 aim to help participants consolidate the knowledge acquired in the e-learning component, provide hands-on opportunity to demonstrate both the clinical and non-clinical skills required of SGEMT volunteers. The final integration will first be done via TTX, followed by GDX. Conclusion: The training curriculum and andragogy adopted for SGEMT was to ensure effective adult learning, such that our SGEMT can function seamlessly on the ground once deployed by MOH & WHO.

Development of the Coordination Course (C-Course) for Disaster Health Management (DHM) in the Asean

Shuich Ikeda — 2025-01-02

Introduction: Development of a standard curriculum for the Coordination course (C-Course) was initiated during the ARCH extension phase, 2019-2021. The objective of this article is to clarify important perspectives for application of the standard curriculum of the C-Course to each AMS and to be shared them especially for in-country training course developers. Methods: The C-Course must include contents on international and regional guidelines/procedures for EMT operations as well as domestic policies/rules/regulations on disaster management and inter-governmental coordination mechanisms for disaster response. The standard curriculum and teaching materials were developed through the following three phase process: Phase 1. Development of proto-type program and session plan; Phase 2. Conduct of Trial C-Course in Japan; Phase 3. Application of C-Course to Malaysia. Results: Through the above three phase process, the standard program and session plan for the C-Course were developed with the application of the C-Course in the Malaysian context, dividing it into two parts which are the pre-learning online lectures for general theories and international/regional guidelines on EMT coordination and the in-person workshop with abundant scenario-based group discussions and group works. Discussion: Development process for standard curriculum for the Coordination course (C-Course) was almost completed. Conclusion: The C-course has to be further tailored to suit other AMS’s situations so that all the AMS could conduct their own in-country C-courses.

Effect of Using Asean Regional Capacity on Disaster Health Management (Arch Project)'S Health Needs Assessment Toolkit to Assess the Damage of Storm Linfa Affected in the Central Provinces of Vietnam in October 2020

Tien Dung Nguyen — 2025-01-02

Introduction: A Health Needs Assessment (HNA) after a disaster is essential to inform health care planning and delivery. In 2018, the ARCH project developed the Standard Operating Procedures for disaster health management in ASEAN countries, which included the HNA toolkit. This study aims to assess the impacts of Storm Linfa in October 2020 in the central provinces of Vietnam and the applicability of the ARCH project's HNA toolkit. Methods: The ARCH project's HNA toolkit was used to assess the damage severity in 5 provinces in central Vietnam. The data was collected by secondary data, in-depth interviews, and direct observation at the scene by independent survey teams in two weeks, processed by Microsoft Excel and thematic analysis. Results: For the severity damages of the storm, a total of 710,076 people were affected by Storm Linfa with 20 missing and 72 deaths. Main sources of drinking water were bottled water (45.5%), piped water (25.6%), and rainwater, water stored in tanks (16.6%); 100% of households had unsafe sanitation and hygiene conditions; 100% of households lacked fresh food in the first two days; 100% of district hospitals were only partially functioning while the commune health stations had 20% functioning, five preventive medical centers had 3/5 (60%) partially functioning. For the applicability of HNA form, the ARCH project's HNA toolkit was helpful and easy to apply for the assessment of disaster damage and was feasible and covered all events at the scene. Conclusions: Storm Linfa caused serious damage to people and health care facilities in five provinces of the middle part of Vietnam. The ARCH project's HNA toolkit was helpful and comprehensive for the assessment of the severity of damage. It can be applied effectively with some modifications in real situations of natural disasters in Vietnam.

Mass Gatherings Egress Vulnerability

Lenard Cheng — 2025-01-02

In this short letter, we discuss the concept of egress from mass gatherings as an unrecognised area of vulnerability in planning and disaster risk reduction. Current approaches isolate egress as a physical exit, and dichotomise the venue exit from transportation away from mass gatherings. We discuss historical mass gatherings disasters that have been contributed by this flawed approach to planning. Instead, we propose that venue exit and outbound transport be considered a singular process during planning, and suggest novel mass gatherings planning strategy for egress to reduce risk of disasters.

Setting Up the World Health Organization (WHO) Singapore Emergency Medical Team (SGEMT) for a Type 1 Fixed Facility Deployment

Li Juan Joy Quah — 2025-01-02

Introduction: The World Health Organisation (WHO) Emergency Medical Team (EMT) initiative was formed in 2010 and is part of the United Nations’ (UN) international disaster management and response ecosystem. To date, WHO has verified more than 35 EMTs internationally. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Capacity on Disaster Health Management (ARCH) project was established in 2016 and is the collaboration mechanism for comprehensive capacity strengthening on disaster health management within ASEAN. In 2018, ASEAN member states accepted WHO’s call for accredited EMTs and adoption of WHO standards. Within ASEAN, Thailand was the first to set up a WHO-EMT in 2019. In partnership with Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH), Singapore Health Services (SingHealth), the largest public healthcare cluster, was tasked to help set up Singapore’s in inaugural overseas emergency medical team under the WHO framework – the Singapore Emergency Medical Team (SGEMT) in 2023. Objective: This paper documents and shares key milestones during the creation of SGEMT. Methods: This is a qualitative study based on open-ended interviews with eight core members of the SGEMT planning committee and review of the relevant documents and processes pertaining to the overall disaster health response of the WHO EMT system and how SGEMT was developed by MOH and its public healthcare sector. A deductive approach to thematic analysis of the materials was performed. Results: Several themes were identified in the process of SGEMT formation. In chronological order, they were the whole-of-government approach, selecting the most suitable EMT typology, creating the EMT organizational structure, division of labour through creation of different working groups for different core technical standards and choosing the commercial tendering process for WASH and logistics. This process was augmented by guidance from WHO and regional partners through a mentorship programme. Conclusion: The process of creating SGEMT required strong political and organizational will. It was thematically sequenced into several crucial steps and required effective project management at various levels of labour division and invaluable input from WHO mentors. More academic papers should be written on the set-up of the WHO EMT, comparing experiences to obtain best practices and encouraging more teams to get accredited. This will greatly boost the international disaster response capabilities.

Report the Second ASEAN Academic Conference on Disaster Health Management 2023

ASEAN Journal of Disaster Health Management — 2025-01-02

This report outlines the key outcomes of the 2nd ASEAN Academic Conference (AAC), which gathered academics and professionals from across the region to exchange insights and foster collaboration. The conference featured keynote speeches, research presentations, and panel discussions addressing regional challenges. Contributions from ASEAN countries highlighted diverse perspectives and actionable recommendations, reinforcing academic partnerships and paving the way for the 3rd AAC.