Aug 09 2017

The Center for Disaster Medicine and Education of Niigata University’s School of Medicine educates students to continuously practice disaster medicine across organizations and beyond the scope of their work. The Center strives to train the next generation of disaster medicine specialists.

Niigata University accepted participants for a training program in the Project for Strengthening the ASEAN Regional Capacity on Disaster Health (ARCH Project) given by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the Asahi-machi campus between February 25 and 28 and provided training for hospital disaster mass casualties.

The ARCH Project is implemented in collaboration with KRI International Corporation, commissioned by JICA, and the National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM) of Thailand. This training program conducted in Japan targeted Thai government officials to have them consider concrete measures for strengthening Thailand's disaster medical field. The training this time was implemented in response to the cooperation request the Center received when the group was planning to visit leading organizations, groups and hospitals in the disaster medical field in Japan.

Exchanging opinions on the project of the Center for Disaster Medicine and Education of Niigata University's School of Medicine

Trainees working on questions in the Mass Casualty Life Support (MCLS) course

On the first day, opinions were exchanged after introducing the Center and the project. Participants asked many questions, particularly about advanced disaster medical personnel training the Center works on, target persons, e-learning and actual training. On February 26, trainees participated in the Mass Casualty Life Support (MCLS) course organized by the Center and held at the Niigata Medical Professionals Development Center. While listening to the opinions of other Japanese participants, trainees actively exchanged opinions about questions given to simulate disasters. After visiting medical institutions in Niigata City on February 27, they reviewed their training in Niigata on the last day.

The training was meaningful as many of the participants said that what is done in the Center will be very helpful in Thailand. The Center for Disaster Medicine and Education of our School of Medicine will work on educating disaster medical specialists in Japan and simultaneously cooperating and contributing to the disaster medical personnel training field in countries belonging to ASEAN including Thailand.

Trainees working on questions in the Mass Casualty Life Support (MCLS) course

Reviewing the training conducted in Niigata