Participants of the second cohort of the Public Health Emergency Response System Enhancement Project wrap up a five day training exercise today, April 28.

The workshop is being funded by the Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan, in conjunction with the Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taiwan and the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

The sessions seek to collaboratively train a number of Health professionals, the Police, Fire and Coast Guard services, the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO),

the SVG Red Cross, the Cadets and Prison personnel.

Director of Health Security, Donna Bascombe, expressed appreciation to Taiwan’s Ambassador Peter Sha-Li Lan and his team, along with the MacKay Hospital and the Government of Taiwan for their continued support of this country’s health sector.

Bascombe explained that the mission of the project includes basic life support (BLS) training; advanced cardiac life support training to clinical and non-clinical staff; mass casualty training; and the procurement of training and emergency response equipment for accident and emergency and fire services.

Bascombe said currently this country does not have emergency medical technicians or paramedics. However, the capacity building activities being employed are geared at transforming the emergency response mechanism within the medical, fire and police departments here.

The Health Security Director urged participants to continue to learn and grow in an effort to build a strong national emergency response system. Taiwan’s Ambassador, Peter Sha-Li Lan, pointed out that this project is centred around ‘life and death’ and therefore it is an important undertaking. The Ambassador also noted that seal instructors received training in Taiwan and can now train Vincentians in this specialised area.

Ambassador Lan reiterated that the support given to emergency response stems from an understanding of the significance of building capacity and ensuring that the medical system takes care of everyone.

The Public Health Emergency Response Enhancement Project began in November, 2022. (API)