The Republic of Moldova needs a proactive approach in building their trauma and emergency care capacity given the neighboring conflict in Ukraine and inflow of refugees. The World Health Organization, in collaboration with local and international experts, has implemented a series of training programs to address the identified need for improved emergency and trauma care. These programs are critical for future EMT development.

Objectives of the training programs include:

1. 1. Strengthening emergency medicine and trauma expertise amongst interdisciplinary healthcare providers

2. 2. Improving trauma care through the development and implementation of a novel trauma team program

3. 3. Increasing capacity for mass casualty management

Emergency Care Systems Assessment and Hospital Emergency Unit Assessment Tool were used to identify gaps. Initial training focused on Basic Emergency Care, Advanced Trauma Life Support, and ultrasound courses led by WHO instructors in partnership with a local simulation center. A team of international experts, in partnership with local physicians, introduced trauma simulation sessions in the emergency department for multi-specialty teams to enhance their team communication and resuscitation skills. A training video was produced to improve dissemination of trauma care knowledge and instruction of an evidence-based pre-hospital handover tool. Finally, a table-top mass casualty simulation exercise was completed led by Emergo Train System instructors.

The Institutul de Medicină Urgentă launched the country’s first trauma team program on July 1, 2024 and neighboring regions will be replicating this approach.

A multi-faceted training approach allows for proactive strengthening of emergency and trauma care to improve local response capacity.