As the COVID-19 crisis has surged globally, ACEM's Global Emergency Care Committee (GECCo) and Global Emergency Care (GEC) desk have rapidly pivoted their focus at the request of our emergency care colleagues and partners across the Indo-Pacific to provide technical assistance and support in the management of this pandemic.
Since early March, GECCo members have collaborated with emergency care leaders in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu to produce practical emergency care resource for managing COVID-19 in a resource-limited setting in the Indo Pacific Region. This document has been very positively received, helping LMIC emergency care staff to feel empowered, motivated and supported in the early preparation stages of the pandemic. The value of this document has been recognised further that the Indo-Pacific with uptake by EC colleagues in the Africa Regions. The latest version – a French translation – of this document can be found here.
Since late March, GECCo has hosted bi-weekly online support forums for Indo-Pacific LMIC emergency care providers to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic situation, preparation and needs.
FACEM Megan Cox – a facilitator of the forums – says GECCO quickly responded to the pandemic.
'The committee established structured guidelines and regular forums for our emergency medicine colleagues in LMICs. These forums enable colleagues from across the region to update on their situation, ask questions and share resources.
'The GEC staff at ACEM have provided summaries of each forum and are helping to distribute resources.'
The forums – in partnership with the Pacific Community (SPC) – have reached more than 110 participants, including key emergency care providers and emergency care program managers/coordinators, representatives from the World Health Organization and medical colleges across the region.
'The forums have helped LMICs to support each other and problem solve in this stressful and complex time,' Megan says.
