In 2001, ADPC in collaboration of the two Regional Offices of the World Health Organization (WHO), for South East Asia (SEARO) and the Western Pacific (WPRO) developed and implemented a course on public health and emergency management for Member States of the two WHO regions. This approach gave rise to the development of the Public Health Emergency Management in Asia and the Pacific (PHEMAP) Program. The PHEMAP Steering Committee composed of representatives of WPRO, SEARO, and ADPC, and the principal development cooperation partner (most recently the Royal Government of Norway) provides leadership and direction for the PHEMAP Program which aims to strengthen national capacities for managing health risks of emergencies in the Asia and Pacific regions. The PHEMAP Program has established a technical and organizational framework for the development and implementation of inter-regional and national courses over the past ten years since 2001 and will continue its implementation up to 2015.

National PHEMAP courses have been implemented in Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Mongolia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vanuatu and Viet Nam by Ministries of Health with support from WHO and other agencies. Other activities, such as the Management of the Dead and the Missing in Disasters, have also been organized by ADPC, SEARO, and WPRO. Briefly, the PHEMAP Program?s goal is to strengthen national capacities for managing health risks of emergencies in the WHO Asia and Western Pacific regions.

Implementation of 3 project components:
1. Inter-regional Courses
2. National Coordinators Workshops
3. Support to National PHEMAP