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A Fundamental, National, Medical Disaster Management Plan: An Education-Based Model

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Ahmadreza Djalali ,
Vahid Hosseinijenab ,
Azadeh Hasani ,
Kianoush Shirmardi ,
Maaret Castrén ,
Gunnar Öhlén  and
Farzad Panahi
Ahmadreza Djalali*
Affiliation:
Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset (KI SÖS), Stockholm, Sweden Department of Emergency Management, Natural Disaster Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
Vahid Hosseinijenab
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Management, Natural Disaster Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
Azadeh Hasani
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Management, Natural Disaster Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
Kianoush Shirmardi
Affiliation:
Tehran's Social Security Organization, Tehran, Iran
Maaret Castrén
Affiliation:
Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset (KI SÖS), Stockholm, Sweden Karolinska Institute, Department of prehospital and emergency medicine, Södersjukhuset (KI SÖS), Stockholm, Sweden
Gunnar Öhlén
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
Farzad Panahi
Affiliation:
Trauma Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
*
Södersjukhuset (KI SöS) Sjukhusbacken 10118 83 Stockholm, Sweden E-mail: ahmadreza.djalali@ki.se
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Abstract

During disasters, especially following earthquakes, health systems are expected to play an essential role in reducing mortality and morbidity. The most significant naturally occurring disaster in Iran is earthquakes; they have killed <180,000 people in the last 90 years. According to the current plan in 2007, the disaster management system of Iran is composed of three main work groups: (1) Prevention and risk management, (2) Education, and (3) Operation. This organizational separation has resulted in lack of necessary training programs for experts of specialized organizations, e.g., the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME).The National Board of MOHME arranged a training program in the field of medical disaster management. A qualified training team was chosen to conduct this program in each collaborating center, based on a predefined schedule. All collaborating centers were asked to recall 5–7 experts from each member university. Working in medical disaster management field for ≤2 years was an inclusion criterion. The training programs lasted three days, consisted of all relevant aspects of medical disaster management, and were conducted over a six-month period (November 2007–April 2008). Pretest and post-tests were used to examine the participants' knowledge regarding disaster management; the mean score on the pretest was 67.1 ±11.6 and 88.1 ±6.2, respectively. All participants were asked to hold the same training course for their organizations in order to enhance knowledge of related managers, stakeholders, and workers, and build capacity at the local and provincial levels. The next step was supposed to be developing a comprehensive medical disaster management plan for the entire country. Establishing nine disaster management regional collaborating centers in the health system of Iran has provided an appropriate base for related programs to be rapidly and easily accomplished throughout the country. This tree-shaped model is recommended as a cost-benefit and rapid approach for conducting training programs and developing a disaster management plan in the health system of a developing country.

Keywords

disaster management planeducation
Type
Brief Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 24 , Issue 6 , December 2009 , pp. 565 - 569
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2009

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