Project 088: Strengthening of CBRN Medical Preparedness and Response Capabilities in SEEE Countries

Context

In the majority of Project 088 countries, well-trained first-line medical and paramedical responders, and second-line hospital and emergency medical staff may not have the skills and knowledge to respond to a CBRN event. Project 088 contains a series of activities that will strengthen and empower CBRN Emergency Medical Preparedness and Response in South East and Eastern Europe (SEEE).

Overall objective

This project aims to strengthen and enhance medical emergency preparedness and response capabilities in the SEEE region partner countries to ensure minimization of health consequences and human losses following the CBRN accident and/or emergency

Specific objectives

• To develop and enhance training capabilities and competencies in CBRN Emergency Medical Preparedness and Response.
• To enhance the capacity of selected CBRN Emergency Medical Training Centres through the provision of equipment.
• To standardise procedures for CBRN Emergency Medical Preparedness and Response.

Concrete activities

• Online kick-off meeting and bilateral conferences with all participating countries.
• In-person Fact-Finding Visits (FFV) to all partner countries and Serbia.
• Regional field exercises in Moldova (Radiological/Nuclear) and Albania (Chemical).
• CBRN medical response capacity established in 8 partner countries.
• Selection of 2 local Emergency Medicine experts from Partner countries that will form a Regional Technical Working Group with regular meetings throughout the life of the Project.
• Delivery of CBRN Detection and Personal Protection equipment to the Ukrainian Public Health Center and Border Guards, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
• Delivery of CBRN medical training equipment to all partner countries.
• Delivery of a CBRN Emergency Medicine training manual and handbook for medical staff in all partner countries, adopted by the countries' national medical emergency response systems.
• 700+ medical professionals trained through regional and national training courses and field exercises.
• High-level strategic regional and national TTX (Tabletop Exercises).
• National training courses in partner countries, mentored by consortium instructors, while national training courses run by local Master trainers are underway.

Expected results

• A CBRN EM Bio exercise scheduled for 2025/2026.
• Briefing of Minister of Health in each partner country.
• 1 mentored national training course and exercise in each partner country.
• 1 mentored National Table-Top exercise (NTTX) in each partner country.
• Study visit to the Annual Congress of the World Association of Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) physicians in Tokio.
• Final Regional Training Working Group (RTWG) and Final Conference scheduled for 2025/2026.

Achievements

• Establish sustainable national training systems in each of the SEEE partner countries for competencies on CBRN medical emergency preparedness and response, contributing to long-term strengthening of institutional medical responses.
• Enhance technical and methodological capabilities of relevant medical and paramedical institutions/personnel in CBRN medical emergency preparedness and response.
• Recognitionwithin Continuing Professional Development (CPD) systems in selected countries.
• Establish SEEE regional and sub-regional cooperation platforms on CBRN medical preparedness and response, including integration with international networks such as the World Association of Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM).