A regional collaboration drill on health response to disasters is taking place in Da Nang until 28 March.

Participants at the opening ceremony of the event (Photo: vov.vn)

Jointly organised by the municipal People’s Committee, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Thailand’s National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM), the 3-day event is part of the ‘Project for Strengthening the ASEAN Regional Capacity on Disaster Health Management’.

It aims to enhance the capacity of coordinating within the ASEAN member countries, and to boost the use of their resources in order to ensure the timely and effective response to widespread natural disasters.

The on-going event sees the participation of 10 emergency medical teams (EMTs) from ASEAN member countries and Japan.

In a hypothetical situation, a powerful storm wreaks havoc across central coast of Viet Nam, causing serious damage to Da Nang and neighbouring localities. Health facilities have been devastated and cannot meet the needs of victims, especially in isolated areas. People’s committees in Da Nang and neighbouring areas report difficult situations facing their localities to the national government and the Ministry of Health to ask for help from them.

Under the direction of the national government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appeals for humanitarian aid from the ASEAN member countries through the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management. Ten EMTs from ASEAN and Japan are sent to the site to join together with the medical staff in Da Nang and Quang Nam Province to set up mobile medical stations in order to save the victims.