The Ministry of Public Health (MOH) received the pre-verification visit of its first type 1 Emergency Medical Team (EMT), as part of the EMT World Classification process endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The purpose of this inspection is to ensure that the equipment meets international technical and quality standards for rapid and effective response in emergency situations.
The visit was coordinated under the MSP’s Risk Management Directorate, headed by Dr. Gina Estrella Ramia, and took place at the Parque del Este facilities over two days. This pre-verification phase is crucial, for what will be the verification visit, which will take place on September 25 and 26, where the WHO will review, not only the documentation that supports these teams, but also the competencies of their human resources, as it represents a peer review mechanism that ensures that medical teams comply with the guiding principles and technical standards agreed globally, thus ensuring high quality medical care.
“This process not only validates our emergency response capabilities, but also reinforces our commitment to protect the health of our population in any risk situation,” said Minister of Health, Victor Atallah, during a tour of the facilities, accompanied by collaborators of the institution.
The activity included the participation of the Emergency Operations Center (COE), the Dominican Red Cross, the National Police Hospital, the Plaza de la Salud General Hospital, the Santo Domingo Water and Sewage Corporation (Caasd), the Economic Canteens, the Ministry of the Environment, the Santo Domingo Fire Department and the Ministry of Sports, with technical support from PAHO/WHO.
International classification and training
The EMT Global Classification is aimed at teams planning to deploy both locally and internationally in disaster situations. After completing the verification visit in September and being classified, these teams will be incorporated into the WHO registry, qualifying them for official deployments under the organization’s framework.
To ensure compliance with these standards, Gabriela Pazmiño and Andrés Sanz, experts from the PAHO/WHO Regional Secretariat for Emergency Medical Teams in Washington, D.C., led the training and competency assessment necessary for the classification process.
This joint effort demonstrates the country’s capacity to organize effective and coordinated responses to disasters and public health emergencies, aligning with international best practices for the protection of life and health of the population.
Source:presidencia.gob.do