Training course for local public authorities on health emergency response to disaster and first aid

Representatives of local public administrations from 20 localities on the border of the Republic of Moldova with Ukraine participated in the training course "Coordinating disaster response activities, public health emergencies and first aid in the event of a disaster", held by trainers from the University Center for Simulation in Medical Training of Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

 The 5th round of the course was held on May 29 and 30, 2023, with the aim of increasing the level of awareness about the actions that community representatives would undertake in a possible exceptional situation. The respective course was developed by the University Center for Simulation in Medical Training in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova and the World Health Organization (WHO), with the support of the Government of the United States of America (USA). All training activities have been carried out in partnership with the Society of Simulation Applied to Medicine from Moldova, the Congress of Local Authorities, and the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

On May 30, an event was organized where participants received emergency medical equipment provided by the US government and the WHO.

 The event was attended by: Ala Nemerenco, Minister of Health of the Republic of Moldova, Kent D. Logsdon, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the USA to the Republic of Moldova, Prof. Emil Ceban, rector of Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Miljana Grbic, representative of the WHO Office in Moldova, Tatiana Badan, president of the Congress of Local Authorities from Moldova, Alexandr Tatarov, deputy head of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations.

Minister of Health Ala Nemerenco emphasized that these training courses are part of the action plan developed at the beginning of the war in Ukraine. "This is intersectoral collaboration in the framework of which we aimed to train not only doctors to intervene in various unexpected actions - calamities, disasters, public health emergencies. It is important that the population of our country know what should be done in crisis situations, even from the preschool stage. We live in a seismic zone, we currently have a war in the neighboring country, so we must be prepared", emphasized the minister. In another context, the health official thanked the reliable partners - the WHO and the US Embassy - for the constant support offered to our country and for the financing of training courses for local public administration representatives.

In the opinion of the US Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, H.E. Kent D. Logsdon, the equipment and training meet the real needs of our country. Essential tools like the automated external defibrillator provide quick, life-saving care to injured people in times of greatest need. It also represents the continued commitment of the US in supporting the Republic of Moldova's efforts to facilitate access to high-quality healthcare for all citizens, as well as for refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, most of whom are women and children.

"It is impossible not to be impressed by the kindness with which Moldovans have welcomed tens of thousands of refugees into their homes and hearts. The US is committed to helping the Moldovan government and citizens address current challenges to build a prosperous and secure democratic future," the US diplomat stated.

According to the rector of Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Professor Emil Ceban, our university offers a wide range of quality educational programs, including training for other categories of beneficiaries, especially in the regional political context, when such courses are needed. Rector Emil Ceban emphasized the importance of support from international partners - the US Embassy and the WHO: "Supporting and working with medical education institutions in the US brings added value to the educational medical system and medical services in our country. In this context, the help of the European Union should be mentioned, thanks to which the University Center for Simulation in Medical Training was created and authorized at the international level to conduct such courses." At the end of his speech, the rector reiterated the openness of Nicolae Testemitanu University to multiple pressing and current projects and activities, as well as the availability to provide expertise, knowledge transfer, good practices and the necessary support to all interested parties.

Miljana Grbic, the representative of the WHO in Moldova, qualified the collaboration of the international organization with the local public authorities as a privilege. "You are on the front line, responsible for  immediate response to an emergency, such as the refugee crisis, and at the same time, you are obliged to be prepared for other possible emergency," the WHO representative pointed out.

 "In this training course, 95 professionals will be trained, this being the 5th group, whose members come from various community teams. In case of possible crises, more partnerships must be created, and the WHO will be there with evidence, expertise, tools to support the local public administrations to enhance their knowledge".

For her part, Tatiana Badan, president of the Congress of Local Authorities from Moldova, expressed her gratitude for this partnership: "Local authorities have a great need for support to be able to deal with different situations, such as calamities, war, pandemic and other emergency situations. This support is indispensable and provides us with professional training. We are open to further increase the capacities for these intervention services".

 In the opinion of Alexandr Tatarov, deputy head of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the training courses and preparation of local public administrations for actions in emergency and exceptional situations represent a priority for internal bodies. "It is essential that the civil protection be organized in a high quality and speedy manner at the locality level. I hope that during these training courses you have acquired the necessary skills and knowledge, which you will implement in our communities and, respectively, will pass on to other citizens. It is important for mayors to be professionals in the field of emergency situations. A safe locality is also a strong and resilient one", believes Tatarov.

In total, 20 automated external defibrillators, 25 individual first aid kits, 45 tourniquet units for emergency hemostasis, 200 face shields for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, 20 digital blood pressure monitors and 20 pulse oximeters were distributed. The value of the donation constitutes about 100 thousand US dollars.