First EMT coordination course for the African region, supported by ZIG

As an important contribution to strengthening the WHO initiative for Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) on the African continent, the Centre for International Health Protection (ZIG) of RKI has organised the first EMT Coordination Cell (EMTCC) training in the WHO African region. The EMT National Focal Point team of ZIG 3 hosted the course from 8 to 13 July 2024 in Windhoek, Namibia, in collaboration with the WHO EMT Secretariat, the WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO), the Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) and experts from Training In Aid.

Group exercise on the first day of the training. Source: RKI

Graduates of the course can now coordinate international or local EMTs in the event of a health crisis on behalf of the WHO and in support of the local authorities of the affected country.

An EMTCC discussing deployment options during the simulation exercise. Source: RKI

The 24 participants, who came from nine African countries, were staff from health ministries, WHO country offices or the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). They are directly or indirectly involved in the medical emergency aid structures of their countries or organisations, either as a member of an EMT or as the responsible body of their government/organisation.

Meeting with United Nations On-Site Operations Coordination Centre as part of the simulation exercise. Source: RKI

In addition to a three-day, mainly theoretical part, the EMTCC course also consists of a simulation exercise (SIMEX). During the SIMEX, the participants are divided into several groups and run through the EMTCC deployment cycle in a fictitious scenario, which is supported by a large number of role-players. In Windhoek, the 1,5-day SIMEX took place in the large training complex of the MoHSS, where the Emergency Operations Centre, of the Ministry of Health, is also located. This offered ideal conditions for the implementation, as the various teams, each simulating a fully staffed EMTCC, were able to operate in isolation from one another.

Group photo of the training course. Source: RKI

The course in Namibia was organised as part of the RKI project "Emergency Medical Teams Twinning, Training, Transfer of Knowledge" (EMT TTT), which is committed to strengthening the global EMT Initiative. It is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Health as part of the Global Health Protection Programme (GHPP) and includes, among other activities, the implementation or funding of EMTCC training courses in the WHO AFRO and EURO region during the current project phase.

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