The ARM Network - a model for infectious disease surge response capacity in the Western Pacific Region

Abstract

ARM offers an organizational model for FETP programmes and alumni in the region to assist with public health and infectious disease emergencies. It is unclear to what extent other programmes support national and international responses to public health and infectious disease emergencies, but there is a need for organized deployment of specific expertise in this area. Many Australian graduates of the MAE program were no longer working for government and were unaware of how they could contribute their skills and experience for surge capacity in a crisis. Our experience has been that there is a large body of skilled professionals who are willing to contribute to surge response capacity and ARM provides mechanisms for them to do so. The network’s operational model has the capacity to grow and the scope may broaden over time. ARM provides the Western Pacific Region with skilled professionals who can support management and control of infectious diseases during public health and civil emergencies.