Military Aspects of Managing Public Health Issues

Enhancing civilian and military partnerships to meet

public health needs

Halyna Lugova MD PhD MPHAssociate Professor

Faculty of Medicine and Defence HealthNational Defence University of Malaysia

Malaysian Armed Forces

Chief of Defence Forces

RMA RMN RMAF Joint Force

MAF HQ

MedicalDirectorate

Civilian Military

Partnership

National Security

Control of diseases

Shared services

R&D

Community integration

Top five natural disasters in Malaysia1970–2015

OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database

Disaster Relief: Support Roles

CBRNEMass casualty decontamination & medical treatment

• National Security Council Directive No. 20

• Military engaged in support roles

• No clear mandate in disaster response

• Impact on preparedness to engage with the response activities, or to coordinate with other national and international actors

National Security

Common Issues of Public Health Concern

• Control of infectious diseases

• Support from MOH

• IHR, Ebola, MERS-CoV

• Peace Support Operations

• Non-communicable diseases

• Environmental pollution

Infectious diseases

2013 – July 2016:

225 dengue cases (101 case – North Formation)

37 leptospirosis cases (22 cases – North Formation)

Malaysian PeacekeepingCongo 1960-1962Iran/Iraq 1988-1991Namibia 1989-1990Western Sahara 1991-presentAngola 1991-1995Iraq/ Kuwait 1992-2003Cambodia 1992-1993Bosnia Herzegovina 1993-1998Liberia 1993-1997Somalia 1993-1994Mozambique 1993-1995

Community integration

• Understanding of psychosocial and health needs

• Enabling local recruitment opportunities• Educational needs for service children

• Serving personnel, families and veterans

Shared services

• Municipal services• Infrastructure• Utilities

• Operation services• Maintenance services

R&D

• Science and Technology Research Institute for Defence (STRIDE)

• Medical Corps• UPNM

• Need for increased cooperation between the military and civilians in terms of addressing public health concerns

• Mutually beneficial learning from each other

• Enhancing of military and civilian cooperation is mostly required on issues of national security such as disaster management and bioterrorism; control of diseases, community integration, research and shared services

• Developing an infrastructure that builds bridges between the military and civilian and helps them to work together is important.