Public Health Emergency Management on COVID-19 pandemic comparative study between Thai - Laos Nong Khai Province and Vientiane

Abstract

This was a research and development study that used the contextual participatory method. The study aimed to assess and develop public health emergency management during the COVID-19 pandemic in five districts located at the Thai-Laos border between Nong Khai province and Vientiane. This was a mixed method research with a concurrent design that located and analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data while in-depth interviews and focus groups discussions were used to collect qualitative data. The key informants were health personnel who were civil servants and responsible for the people living in the five districts located at the Thai-Laos border, where COVID-19 were widely transmitted between 2020 and 2021.

The results showed that the five districts located at the Thai-Laos border between Nong Khai Province conducted public health emergency management during the COVID-19 pandemic by using health personnel as a focal point working at Emergency Operating Center (EOC). The EOC had an administrative structure and roles which included the incident commander and liaison, The situation awareness team: (SAT), the case management team, the operation team, the information/risks communication team, and the iogistic team, in accordance with the policy and orders of the Governor of Nong Khai province based on the law and public health measures. The priority was given to case finding, contact tracing, containment, the establishment of strict or less strict areas, screening checkpoints to control and restrict the spread of COVID-19 in the community, cleaning public areas, providing health education, risk communication, awareness campaigns, and making recommendations on correct disease prevention among the people. Additionally, priority was given to the Operation Team within the communities to implement disease prevention and control base on the management system of Public Health Emergency Management in the five districts located at the Thai-Laos border. Work was integrated by multi-agencies. While each district’s management approach might differ slightly, they all adhered to cabinet policy and Ministry of Public Health regulations by mobilizing resources according to policy and measures of surveillance, control, and prevention of disease transmission. This included preparation in all sections in particular human resources and technical knowledge and response within an organization.