For the first time, the EMT Type 2 field hospital was activated in a training environment, offering participants a rare opportunity to operate within a fully functional, WHO-verified facility. 

The exercise, hosted by the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC), drew clinical professionals, logisticians and emergency responders from across the country and from Japan and Korea to Darwin for a hands-on simulation of real-world deployment conditions. 

“This represents a major step forward for Australia’s deployable medical capacity,” says Kath McDermott, Acting Director Disaster, Preparedness and Response at NCCTRC. “Operating in a remote, austere and self-sufficient environment allows us to test every element of our system — from logistics to surgery — with total confidence.” 

DR ESTHER APUAHE, THE FIRST FEMALE SURGEON FROM PAPUA NEW GUINEA, TOOK PART IN THE AUSMAT SURGICAL TRAINING 

SURGEONS FROM AROUND AUSTRALIA TOOK PART IN THE SCENARIOS FOR RESPONDING IN AN AUSTERE ENVIRONMENT TO HEALTH EMERGENCIES 

Australia is one of only three Indo-Pacific nations, alongside Japan and China, with a WHO-verified EMT Type 2 capability. 

The hospital, first deployed in 2013 to the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan, has since become a global benchmark for field medical response. Its verification was reaffirmed by WHO in 2023, and it remains accredited by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards. 

The National Field Exercise featured three intensive training courses: 

• AUSMAT Health Logistics Course (18–25 July): Focused on equipping logistics personnel with the skills to establish and maintain the field hospital. 
• AUSMAT Surgical Team Member Course (28 July–1 August): Prepared surgical and anaesthetic professionals for high-pressure, resource-limited environments. 
• AUSMAT Team Member Refresher Course (11–15 August): Delivered updated protocols and simulations to maintain a deployable workforce. 

“This exercise brings theory into practice,” says Rhiannon Winter, Acting Director Education Strategic Projects. “Participants operated within a facility capable of delivering primary health care, emergency, surgical, obstetric and general medical services on the ground.” 

The EMT Type 2 hospital includes: 

• Up to 60 personnel across disciplines 
• 60 beds, including inpatient and surgical capacity 
• 24-hour emergency and inpatient care 
• Maternal and child health services 
• Rapid deployment within 24 hours 
• Heavy cargo capability and full compliance with EMT minimum standards 
• Aaron Perry, Director Emergency Management and Logistics, emphasised the importance of the exercise. 

“It’s a rare opportunity to test every element of our system and ensure that when AUSMAT deploys, we do so with total confidence in our capability.” 

As global health emergencies grow more complex, AUSMAT’s continued investment in training and infrastructure ensures Australia remains at the forefront of humanitarian medical response. TQ 

THE EMT TYPE 2 AUSMAT FIELD HOSPITAL