Viet Nam advances national workforce capacity for health emergency preparedness with first STAR-Plus training in the Region

When floods, storms or disease outbreaks strike, having the right people ready to respond can make all the difference. Viet Nam has taken a major step to strengthen its emergency workforce and overall preparedness, becoming the first country in the Western Pacific Region to train national experts in the Strategic Toolkit for Assessing Risks - STAR-Plus - in October 2026. 

Recent emergencies such as the 2025 floods have shown that preparedness is about more than understanding risks. It also requires enough trained people, clear deployment plans and strong coordination between sectors. STAR-Plus helps authorities work out which emergencies are most likely, whether they have enough trained people to respond, and how extra staff can be mobilized when needed, so that gaps are fixed before an emergency, not during one.

From 20 to 23 October 2026, WHO and the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang brought together 35 participants from the health, animal health, environmental health, food safety, disaster management and public security sectors to Da Nang for the STAR-Plus training of facilitators. Participants represented the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Ministry of National Defence and Ministry of Public Security.

Experts from across Viet Nam took part in the STAR-Plus facilitator preparation workshop, building the skills and partnerships needed to help communities stay safe during health emergencies. They were supported by facilitators from the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang, WHO and the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory at the Peter Doherty Institute in Australia. Credit: WHO Viet Nam

Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang Deputy Director Dr Nguyen Thanh Dong said, “Identifying risks is only the first step. What matters most is how we translate risk assessments into practical preparedness and response actions. Through this STAR-Plus facilitator preparation workshop, we aim to strengthen the capacity of national and local professionals to assess multiple hazards, identify gaps in emergency workforce capacity, and plan for effective workforce mobilization. I particularly value the participation of colleagues from different sectors, as effective emergency preparedness requires close coordination and multisectoral collaboration. We hope that participants will bring these skills back to their institutions and help strengthen preparedness and response capacities across Viet Nam."

Workshop participants from across health, agriculture, disaster management, public security and other sectors worked together to strengthen preparedness and protect communities during emergencies. Credit: WHO Viet Nam / Hien Do

Credit: WHO Viet Nam / Hien Do

Dr Pham Thi Nam from the Department of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control of Da Nang Centre for Disease Control, where the STAR methodology was first piloted in 2025, said, “Last year's STAR workshop helped us better understand and prioritize risks in Da Nang. However, the 2025 floods showed challenges in workforce preparedness and surge response capacity in locality. This workshop has taken that a step further by helping us turn those findings into practical actions for emergency planning.”

Dr Truong Thi Thanh Lan, Head of Department of Surveillance, Early Warning, Preparedness and Emergency Response from Ho Chi Minh City Centre for Disease Control, said, “This workshop has given us the confidence and practical skills to apply the approach at the local level, particularly in the context of the City’s recent administrative merger.”

Collaborative learning in action: participants shared experiences to enhance disaster preparedness and response. Credit: WHO Viet Nam / Hien Do

Credit: WHO Viet Nam / Hien Do

Dr Tran Quang Thuyen, Head of Epidemiology Department, Institute of Military Preventive Medicine, Ministry of National Defence said, “Health emergencies can affect national operations far beyond the health sector. This workshop showed how military planning, logistics and rapid mobilization can support a coordinated, civilian-led response and help assistance reach affected communities quickly.”

WHO Representative in Viet Nam Dr Angela Pratt said, “The ultimate goal is simple: when a flood, storm, disease outbreak or other emergency happens, people are protected and can continue getting the health services they need. By identifying gaps in preparedness and ensuring the right people are ready to respond, this training will help communities stay safer and recover more quickly."

Dr Pratt also praised Viet Nam’s leadership in preparing for health emergencies by being the first country in the Western Pacific Region to roll out the training.

In Yen Thanh General Hospital in Nghe An Province, a mother and her newborn receive care. Emergencies do not put life on hold. From childbirth to chronic disease care, people of all ages still need health services, making strong emergency preparedness essential. Credit: WHO Viet Nam 

The country-led, multisectoral exercise combines the Strategic Toolkit for Assessing Risks (STAR) with the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) Facilitated Exercise. In doing so, STAR-Plus supports country-level operationalization of the Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC) and helps build and sustain a workforce ready to respond to health emergencies.

This work was supported by GHEC and carried out with facilitators from the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, WHO Country Offices in Indonesia and Viet Nam, Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang, and GOARN partner, the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory at the Peter Doherty Institute in Australia, with the generous support of the Gates Foundation and the Institute of Philanthropy.

The initiative supports broader efforts in Viet Nam to strengthen implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) and advance a whole-of-government, One Health approach to health emergency preparedness.

The facilitators trained in Da Nang will support the implementation of future workshops at national and subnational levels, helping ensure preparedness efforts are tailored to local risks and capacities. Ho Chi Minh City plans to conduct its own STAR-Plus workshop in December 2026.

In Cam Thanh Commune, Hoi An City, in Da Nang Province, mobile health workers use motorbikes and continue on foot to reach patients. Strong preparedness helps ensure health workers can reach communities and continue providing essential services when they are needed most. Credit: WHO / Loan Tran 

About the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).

GOARN is a WHO-coordinated network that brings together more than 390 partner institutions, including national public health agencies and health departments, academic and research institutions, non-governmental organizations, Red Cross and UN Agencies. Since its establishment in 2000, the GOARN mandate continues to be to strengthen global health security by advancing preparedness for and response to public health emergencies worldwide. Find out more about GOARN: https://goarn.who.int/