On September 10th, 2021, Chulalongkorn University organised an online seminar on the theme of “BCM concept towards Public Healthcare System during the Disaster.” The university was pleased to run the seminar in association with Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
The seminar also enjoyed the support of the JICA Project for AUN/SEED-Net and its “Sustainable Healthcare System through Business Continuity Management” program. The success of the undertaking reflects not only the strong spirit of collaboration that exists between the two universities at the institutional level, but also the keen participation of several organisations within Chulalongkorn University itself, including the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Nursing, and the Graduate School’s Risk and Disaster Management Program.
Dr. Jing Tang (Chulalongkorn University) gave a discussion of the uncertainty around the current situation with COVID-19 and how this has directly affected the public healthcare system. Alongside its other goals, the seminar also supported the United Nations’ SDGs, and in particular #SDG3, #SDG8, and #SDG11.
The Importance of Local Supply Chain Resilience in Sustaining Public Healthcare Systems during a Disaster
Professor Dr. Watanabe Kenji (Nagoya Institute of Technology) gave an introduction to the importance of public healthcare systems, which included a discussion of ‘critical infrastructure’ (CI). Although there tends to be considerable overlap between these, actual definitions of CI are made by each government independently. Within modern complex states, infrastructure systems cannot operate independently of one another, and this includes the public healthcare system, which is itself part of the CI. Thus, the different parts of the CI system can be deeply interdependent, giving these have a role to play supporting each other and sustaining supply chains and economic activity.
Business Continuity Management and Area-Business Continuity Management
Assistant Professor Dr. Natt Leelawat (Chulalongkorn University) described the concept of the BCM and how this could prevent disasters from damaging operations and so ensure the continuity of the organisation. The discussion emphasised how good practices depend on a ‘BCM flow’, which starts with the establishment of policy, and then moves through analysis, strategy finalisation and the laying out of a formal plan. After establishing the plan, further steps include the development of proactive measures, implementation and review, which then leads into how the plan can be developed and improved in the future. He also talked about the Area-BCM concept, an idea that began life in Japan. The idea behind Area-BCM is to set a scalable scope for an area that is to be focused on, rather than looking at individual companies or organisations.
Business Management in Kenya during Disasters
Ms. Anne Omamo (JKUAT) started her session by giving some background on disasters in Kenya, together with details of specific risks, the effects of disasters on business, and the extent of loss and disruption to property and assets, public health and services.
The Thai Public Healthcare System
Assistant Professor Police Sub-Lieutenant Dr. Pachanut Nunthaitaweekul (Chulalongkorn University) described how disaster management combined with the public healthcare system in the preparedness phase of the disaster management cycle. In Thailand, knowledge about BCP in public healthcare systems has come from the establishment of relevant committees, which plan how to work after a crisis hits at the regional level and how to then sustain hospital services through social networks. She also discussed tools and suggestions for maintaining operations during the unusual situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Effect of COVID-19 on the Kenyan Public Healthcare System
Dr. Caroline Ngugi (JKUAT) gave a discussion of the COVID-19 situation in Kenya and how this has developed since March 15, 2020, when the first local case was reported. The Kenyan public healthcare system has clearly been disrupted by COVID-19, but the speaker also described how the pandemic had exposed gaps in its operations and revealed how services were falling short, for example with regard to a lack of information needed to make informed decisions, as well as shortages of equipment and resources. In Both Kenya and Thailand, much of the rural population relies on community healthcare volunteers and primary healthcare services, though in the case of Kenya, this covers the full 70% of the population who live in rural areas.