Collaboration Program with the Private Sector for Disseminating Japanese Technology for iSPEED Disaster Medical Mission Operating System in the Philippines (April 2016–February 2017)

The Philippines is a region prone to typhoons and earthquakes. When Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines in November 2013, nearly 77 medical teams and over 1,200 medical personnel from the Philippines and abroad responded to provide support on the ground.

Despite the swift response of the domestic and international medical community, there was no efficient system to track and report medical information of the victims. Medical personnel used verbal and handwritten communication to transmit information. The haphazard method of data management promoted the Japan Disaster Relief Team (JDR) to suggest the use of the Surveillance in Post Extreme Emergencies and Disasters (SPEED) system for tracking medical information which was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Philippine government in 2010.

After the experience of Tyhpoon Yolanda, the Philippine Department of Health sought an improved model of the SPEED system. The iSPEED was developed by the Japanese firm Tokyo Electronic Systems Corporation, allowing the use of smart phones and computer servers for health care providers to enter medical information in real-time during natural disasters. IC Net worked with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Tokyo Electronic Systems Corporation to help facilitate the use of the new system through training sessions and seminars for the Department of Health and medical personnel.