Karachi strengthens hospital preparedness through HOPE

Hospital Preparedness for Emergencies (HOPE) Course is presently being conducted in Karachi, Pakistan from October 24-27, 2016.  HOPE Course aims to strengthen the capacities of hospitals and other health facilities in emergency preparedness and remain operational in times of disasters and mass casualty incidents.

HOPE Course is one of the core courses under the Program for Enhancement of Emergency Response (PEER).  This HOPE Course is being implemented under the Program for Enhancement of Emergency Response (PEER) Stage 4 (2014-2019), funded by the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).  PEER has been implemented in Asia since 1998. The Stage 1 of PEER (1998-2003) was implemented by Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC). The first HOPE course was initially designed in 2001 and tested in 2002 by ADPC. During PEER Stage 2 (2003-2009) NSET continued the design and development of HOPE course in collaboration with expert course developers and advisors, and with assistance from experts from Johns Hopkins University Center for International Emergency, Disaster and Refugee Studies (JHU-CIEDRS).  HOPE Course was implemented by ADPC in 10 PEER countries, namely, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. In PEER Stage 4 (2014-2019), NSET is implementing HOPE Course in four (4) program beneficiary countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan.

The ideal number of participants is 24, however, it can accommodate up to 28 participants.  There are a total of 21 participants representing various hospitals in Karachi and other districts of Sindh Province. A regional course monitor is invited from Nepal for overall monitoring and maintaining the standard of the Course. Five (5) full instructors and three (3) assistant instructors are from different hospitals of Pakistan. Dr. Anisuddin Bhatti, Executive Director, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, was the Chief Guest in the opening program of the course.  In his inaugural message, Dr. Bhatti appreciated the various trainings, including HOPE Course, for JPMC professionals that help the hospital in general, to respond to emergencies and disasters more efficiently.  Prof. Lubna Ansari Baig, Pro Vice Chancellor, Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU), special guest, cited in her message that in addition to emergency room physicians, the participation of other hospital key staff, namely, hospital administrators, nurses and engineers, must be further encouraged in HOPE Course because they make up the core of planners, decision makers and key staff in hospitals’ disaster management.  Prof. Lubna Ansari Baig further motivated the participants for their service to the country.

Prof. M. Saeed Minhas, HOPE Course Coordinator; and Prof. Pradeep Vaidya, HOPE Course Monitor, expounded on HOPE Course’ regional and national perspectives.  Ms. Maritess R. Tandingan, Deputy Chief of Party, NSET-PEER, delivered an overview of NSET’s role in earthquake risk management and highlights of PEER in Asia.

NSET, in cooperation with National Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Network (NHEPRN) and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)/National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)-Government of Pakistan, has organized two HOPE courses in Pakistan  within October 2016, one in Islamabad and one in Karachi.

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