DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND TRAINING DURING COVID 19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

Introduction

Disaster preparedness and training refer to measures taken to prepare for and reduce the effects of disasters. That is, to predict and, where possible, prevent disasters, mitigate their impact on vulnerable populations, and respond to and effectively cope with their consequences. However, due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic which enraged the whole world, disaster training cannot be done as previously (pre covid). Disaster training module developed to ensure that disaster preparedness and training can be safely carried out during COVID pandemic. Indoor disaster training is cost-effective and can be carried out with recycled tools such as toys. Indoor disaster training can also reduce the risk of COVID 19 transmission between the participants because it can be carried out safely in compliance with COVID 19 current guideline

Case description

A day course involving emergency postgraduate students was conducted in the School Emergency Medicine USM. The primary objective of the in-house disaster training module was to educate and prepare for disaster during COVID 19 pandemic. The course started with series of short lectures regarding disaster preparedness and training. The participant involved were divided into 4 groups,2 scenarios carried out by each group in the simulation, out of hospital area and in the hospital vicinity, and series of disaster training hands on such as Girn, personal protective equipment, field triage, transportation, hospital disaster planning, and post mortem were carried out inhouse using recycled item and toys with strict compliance to standard operating.

Conclusion

The disaster training course using recycled items was cheap and cost-effective. Multiple scenarios also can be made using the current local setting to adapt and learn the risk of a potential disaster in an area. Managing the crisis is the most valuable of the essence in this course during the pandemic era. Future development of multiple disaster training modules could be made for disaster scenarios during COVID 19 pandemic to ensure continuing medical education  training programs can be continued safely