Debre Markos University (DMU), in collaboration with the Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Referral Hospital and the Ethiopian Society of Emergency & Critical Care Professionals, recently concluded a high-impact, two-day training program focused on Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) Management.

The training was prepared to equip healthcare providers with the standardized scientific protocols necessary to manage sudden, large-scale emergencies effectively.

It is noted that the training was a direct result of an externship program completed by Mr. Mengistu Abebe, a lecturer at the College of Health Sciences. By engaging himself in practical industrial environments, Mr. Mengistu successfully secured funding and partnership from local health institutions to bring this professional training to reality.

During the opening ceremony, Dr. Melkamu Bezabih, Vice President of Research and Technology Transfer at DMU, emphasized that the training aims to fill critical knowledge and skill gaps. He urged trainees to embrace both the theoretical and practical components to ensure they can provide “standard treatment” during unpredictable disasters.

Ato Andualem Geremew, General Manager of Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Referral Hospital, on his part, noted that Mass Causality Incident Management training is timely and basic, as it enables professionals to work and provide treatment effectively when faced with emergencies.

The training coordinator, Ato Mengistu Abebe, highlighted that the broader goal of the training is to empower regional health institutions to handle emergencies locally, thereby strengthening the referral hospital system.

Trainees, including Emergency Department Coordinator Ato Mihret Adane and Dr. Abaynesh Alem, praised the program and noted that the training provided essential solutions for managing both man-made and natural disasters, significantly improving the hospital’s readiness to save lives.