China CDC and GOARN Collaborate on Training Workshop for Global Outbreak Response

From June 18 to 20, 2024, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) successfully co-hosted an GOARN Tier 1.5 Orientation to International Outbreak Response Training Workshop in Guangzhou, China. The training was attended by over 70 participants  from China CDC, 23 provincial CDCs, Beijing Ditan Hospital, the Health Departments of Hong Kong SAR,China, and Health Bureau of Macau SAR, China, as well as public health departments of eight ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and Sri Lanka.At the opening ceremony,Mr. Shi Guoqing, Director of the Health Emergency Center at China CDC, Dr. Li Yan, Deputy Director of the Guangdong Provincial CDC, and representatives from GOARN, respectively delivered concise address.

 

The training was structured into three sessions.On the first day, a GOARN Tier 1.5 training for the deployment of international public health emergency teams was attended by 39 participants from China CDC, Beijing Ditan Hospital, and the public health institutions of Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR,China, and other countries. The second day was dedicated to a training of trainers for international health emergency deployment, and the third day continued with Tier 1.5 training for 32 participants from various provincial CDCs of China. The purpose of the training was to provide pre-deployment preparation for team members participating in international public health emergency missions, covering topics such as an overview of GOARN,  the assistance needs of international outbreak, deployment mechanisms, main tasks and codes of conduct in responding international outbreaks, designing intervention measures tailored to local conditions, and so on. Training methods emphasized interactive group discussions and scenario-based problem-solving, guided by training experts who provided real-time feedback and evaluations. This approach significantly boosted participant engagement and team collaboration, resulting in a highly effective training session. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting substantial gains from the experience.

 

GOARN, established by WHO in 2000, is an important international coordination mechanism for centralizing technical human resources to rapidly respond to major public health emergencies. GOARN and partners have developed a multi-level capacity training program, which is divided into Tier 1 (online), Tier 1.5, Tier 2, and Tier 3 courses, to prepare experts for international deployment in public health emergencies.This training workshop not only marked the first of its kind to be held in China but also the first to extend across WHO regional boundaries, laying the foundation for China’s ongoing participation in international health emergency deployment missions and future cooperation with GOARN to hold higher-level trainings.