Strengthening Basic Emergency Care in the Pacific Region
Strengthening Basic Emergency Care in the Pacific Region
At a recent training in Fiji, Laerdal’s Emergency Care Learning Lab (ECLL) was used alongside the WHO’s Basic Emergency Care (BEC) course, empowering a new generation of healthcare providers in the Pacific region. The Emergency Care Learning Lab has been designed to support hands-on learning to ensure consistent, effective emergency care training in resource-limited settings.
The training was attended by health workers from 15 Pacific Island countries and territories. The training resulted in 33 new provisional facilitators, six new registered facilitators and three new master trainers for the Pacific region. After the event, the training kits were donated to newly certified trainers who will take them back to their home countries to deliver lifesaving skills training to colleagues in clinics, hospitals, and remote health centers.
This knowledge will make a significant difference in communities and their response to emergency cases. I look forward to going back to my hometown and sharing what I’ve learned. I’ve learned not only the essentials, the right tools, skills, and knowledge, but also how to deliver them effectively to others.
The training brought together nurses, doctors, and emergency care providers from across the Pacific for several days of peer-led, practical instruction. The “Trainer of Trainers” element to the program equips participants not only with clinical skills but also with the confidence to teach others in their home countries.
Dr. Anthony Sauni, one of the course participants from Tuvalu, said the BEC curriculum was clear and easy to share. “It’s really well thought out and doesn’t rely on complex medical jargon. Thinking ahead to using this in my community, it will be challenging, but the [kit] is a huge help.”
The Fiji-based training was facilitated by the Regional Emergency and Critical Care Systems Strengthening Initiative (RECSI), a partnership of healthcare organizations working to strengthen emergency and critical care systems across the Pacific. Supported by the Australian Government through the Partnerships for a Healthy Region (PHR) initiative, RECSI is addressing priority areas in workforce skills, emergency preparedness, and system resilience in countries including Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands. The initiative also serves to advance the work of the World Health Organization and Acute Care Action Network.
This delivery of Basic Emergency Care training is a milestone for the Pacific region. It represents a substantial commitment to the World Health Organization’s Basic Emergency Care Saves Lives Campaign and will help strengthen emergency care capacity across Pacific Island Countries. Our team is particularly excited to see so many Pacific Islands clinicians become credentialed as Basic Emergency Care trainers.
This approach aligns with both Laerdal’s and partners’ shared vision to strengthen emergency care by investing in local capacity and leadership. Enabling local clinicians to train their colleagues in their own settings creates a ripple effect, building more resilient health systems and improving outcomes for communities during emergencies.