^{The WHO-trained Tonga Emergency Medical Assistance Team (TEMAT) prepares to deploy to the Ha’api island group, the area worst-affected by the volcanic eruption and tsunami.}
Photo credit: WHO/Yutaro Setoya.

The Tonga Emergency Medical Assistance Team (TEMAT) was formally launched in September 2018. WHO supported the Ministry of Health to ensure that the TEMAT roster was regularly updated and, in 2018 and 2019, WHO facilitated team member trainings for TEMAT’s multidisciplinary team members including doctors, nurses, and logisticians in collaboration with colleagues from Australia and New Zealand. WHO purchased and pre-positioned supplies and in 2019, TEMAT was equipped with deployment equipment such as tents, backpacks, water treatment supplies and backup power equipment, allowing for self-sufficiency during deployments. WHO Regional Office then provided ongoing trainings and technical support for TEMAT and other Pacific EMTs though webinars and regular online meetings.

"It would seem like nothing could prepare you for the kind of apocalyptic scenario we faced here in Tonga following the volcanic eruption and tsunami but, in fact, the Ministry of Health's preparedness efforts, supported by WHO over many years, set them up for a successful response. The deployment of the Tongan Emergency Medical Assistance Team within 48 hours of the eruption demonstrated the progress that has been achieved in how emergencies are handled in Tonga -- no longer do they need to wait for outside assistance, Tonga now has the capacity available in-country"

- Dr Yutaro Setoya, WHO's Country Liaison Officer to Tonga

When the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted, the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga responded quickly and decisively. The acute emergency response was based on years of preparedness efforts made to build core International Health Regulation (IHR) capacities under WHO's Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Public Health Emergencies. TEMAT was deployed by a naval vessel under His Majesty’s Armed Forces (HMAF) to provide medical aid and psychological support to the most-affected communities in the Ha’apai islands within 48 hours of the eruption and tsunami. The Government also urged the public to take precautions such as staying indoors, wearing masks when going out, and drinking bottled water to avoid the consequences of a massive ashfall that reached all corners of the widely dispersed island Kingdom. WHO's Country Liaison Officer, Dr Yutaro Setoya, was physically in Nuku'alofa when the volcanic eruption and tsunami occurred. He was able to provide ongoing technical support to the Ministry of Health. As one of the only people with a satellite phone when the phone lines and internet went down, he was also able to funnel information and advice between the broader UN and the government.

When a crisis strikes, Emergency Medical Teams rapidly deploy to wherever they are needed and provide crucial clinical care. In the Pacific, we are seeing worsening natural disasters due to climate change and the emergence of infectious disease outbreaks such as measles, dengue and now COVID-19. Having well-prepared and well-equipped EMTs ready for immediate deployment can make the difference between life or death”

-          Sean Casey, World Health Organization’s (WHO) EMT Focal Point in the Western Pacific Region.

Prior to the establishment of TEMAT and 10 other similar EMTs across the Pacific, Pacific island countries and areas often had to rely on the deployment of outside emergency medical personnel to provide life-saving care in times of emergency. As TEMAT was already positioned in Tonga, it was able to deploy a team within 48 hours of the volcanic eruption. TEMAT’s swift response ensured that the people in the worst-affected areas of the country were able to immediately receive medical attention and did not have to wait for support to arrive from outside the country, saving lives.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Division of Pacific Technical Support continues to actively support Tonga's TEMAT and the development and deployment of emergency medical teams (EMTs) across other Pacific Island countries as they establish and strengthen national EMTs. Many of these teams have already been instrumental in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in the region, as well as other outbreaks and disasters. By having this capacity available in-country, Pacific Island nations are better prepared to face potential future emergencies, such as volcanic eruptions, super storms caused by climate change, and pandemics.