The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has partnered with Indonesia's Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) to strengthen disaster health management across Southeast Asia. The initiative focuses on improving the skills of healthcare professionals, promoting research, and reinforcing regional collaboration to better respond to disasters.
The partnership comes as ASEAN remains one of the world's most disaster-prone regions, facing frequent earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, floods, and tropical storms. These challenges highlight the need for resilient healthcare systems capable of responding quickly and effectively during emergencies.
The collaboration between JICA and UGM is part of broader efforts to enhance the resilience of healthcare systems in ASEAN by building human resource capacity and developing evidence-based policies for disaster response.
Under the partnership, the two institutions will conduct training programs, research initiatives, knowledge-sharing activities, and institutional networking to improve disaster health management. The program is expected to strengthen the preparedness and response capabilities of ASEAN member states when facing public health emergencies caused by natural disasters.
UGM was selected as JICA's partner due to its extensive experience in disaster medicine and disaster risk management. The university has been actively involved in international programs focusing on disaster mitigation, emergency response, and public health resilience.
JICA has long supported development programs in Indonesia, including initiatives to strengthen healthcare systems, reduce disaster risks, and improve institutional capacity through technical cooperation, education, and human resource development.
Beyond improving the competencies of healthcare workers, the partnership is expected to generate evidence-based policy recommendations that can be adopted across ASEAN countries. Strengthening regional cooperation is considered increasingly important, as disasters often affect multiple countries and require coordinated cross-border responses.
The initiative also aligns with ASEAN's broader commitment to enhancing regional disaster resilience and reinforcing public health systems amid the growing impact of climate change and other disaster-related risks.
Through this partnership, JICA and UGM aim to improve disaster preparedness and health emergency response across ASEAN by investing in human resource development, collaborative research, and stronger regional networks. The program will be implemented in phases through education, training, and joint research activities.
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