Public Health Corps

The battlefield has changed. Has our medical doctrine kept up? 💡

Ukraine has been a proving ground for a hard truth: when evacuation is delayed by drones, contested airspace, or destroyed infrastructure, the medic on the ground must do far more than stabilize. They must sustain.

Prolonged Casualty Care (PCC) is emerging as one of the most important evolutions in combat medicine of our generation.

For leaders, planners, and medical professionals, this is worth understanding. The gap between injury and evacuation is no longer measured in minutes. It must be planned for in hours and days.

What steps is your organization taking to prepare for prolonged care scenarios?

𝐀 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝.

TCCC has removed the i-GEL from tactical airway recommendations. In civilian EMS it remains outstanding. But combat conditions, extreme heat, humidity, and austere logistics, change the equation.

The updated approach for tactical providers:

Basic airway maneuvers first
Nasopharyngeal airway, simple, lightweight, and durable
Endotracheal intubation when conditions permit
Surgical cricothyrotomy as the definitive backup
Constant reassessment

Evidence-based medicine means changing course when the data demands it. That is exactly what this update represents.

𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥. 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞.

Share this with your team. Stay current. Stay ready.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢 𝐩𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡?
Everything is connected.

The One Health framework recognizes that the health of people, animals, and the environment are interconnected. Changes in one part of the system can affect all the others.

This perspective is increasingly shaping how public health professionals, conservationists, veterinarians, policymakers, and environmental experts approach global challenges.

From a One Health standpoint, anti poaching is more than a wildlife conservation effort.

It can contribute to:
✓ Reducing opportunities for zoonotic disease emergence
✓ Protecting biodiversity and ecosystem stability
✓ Supporting food security and sustainable livelihoods
✓ Strengthening governance and health security
✓ Building healthier and more resilient communities

When wildlife populations decline, ecosystems are disrupted. When ecosystems are disrupted, the effects can extend to human health, economic stability, and community well being.

Protecting wildlife is not separate from protecting people.
It is part of the same system.
The challenges we face today, from emerging infectious diseases to environmental degradation and health security threats, require solutions that recognize these connections.

That is the core principle of One Health.
Healthy people.
Healthy animals.
Healthy ecosystems.
A healthier future for all.

How do you see the One Health approach shaping the future of public health and global health security?

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 "𝐩𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠," 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐬.
Few think about public health. Fewer still think about organized crime.

Wildlife trafficking is rarely an isolated issue. It connects to broader networks of illegal activity, contributing to corruption, weakening institutions, and undermining the systems communities depend on for healthcare, safety, and development.

The One Health framework helps us see what's often invisible: human health, animal health, and ecosystem health are deeply interconnected. And so are the governance structures that protect them.

Protecting wildlife isn't only about saving species. It's about safeguarding the institutions and ecosystems that allow communities to thrive.

The first step is understanding the connection.

What surprised you most about the link between wildlife trafficking, governance, and public health?

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬.

But the benefits extend far beyond biodiversity.
Healthy wildlife populations can support tourism, employment, local businesses, and sustainable livelihoods for communities around the world.
When poaching reduces wildlife populations, the impacts can ripple through local economies. Reduced tourism revenue, fewer employment opportunities, and loss of income can create challenges that affect both livelihoods and health.

Economic stability and public health are closely connected.
Communities facing economic hardship may experience:
• Increased food insecurity
• Higher risk of malnutrition
• Reduced access to healthcare
• Greater vulnerability during emergencies and crises

This is why preventing poaching is not only a conservation issue.
It is also a community development, economic resilience, and public health issue.

The One Health approach recognizes that the health of people, animals, and ecosystems are interconnected. Supporting wildlife conservation can help strengthen local economies, improve food security, and contribute to healthier, more resilient communities.

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬.
𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡.

What are some examples you've seen where conservation efforts have also supported community well being and economic resilience?

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥... 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭?

When an animal is poached, most people see it as a wildlife issue.
But what if the loss of a single species could affect our water, food supply, environment, and ultimately, our health?

The truth is, public health begins long before a patient walks into a clinic.
Every day, healthy ecosystems provide the essentials we often take for granted:
💧 Clean water to drink
🌾 Reliable food sources
🌍 Climate stability
🌿 Cleaner air to breathe

When poaching disrupts ecosystems, the consequences can ripple through entire communities. Biodiversity loss weakens natural systems, threatens food security, reduces environmental resilience, and can create long-term challenges for human health.

Protecting wildlife is not just about saving animals.
It is about protecting the systems that keep people alive.
This is the foundation of the One Health approach, recognizing that the health of people, animals, and the environment are deeply connected.

By protecting ecosystems, we help:
✅ Safeguard clean water resources
✅ Strengthen food security
✅ Preserve biodiversity
✅ Improve climate and environmental resilience
✅ Support healthier communities

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭.
𝐀 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞.

What role do you think environmental conservation should play in public health policy and planning?

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢 𝐩𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡?
More than many people realize.

When people think about pandemic prevention, they often think about vaccines, hospitals, surveillance systems, and emergency response.
But prevention can start much earlier.

Many emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning they can spread between animals and humans. The conditions created by illegal wildlife hunting, trafficking, transport, and handling can increase opportunities for pathogens to cross species barriers.

History has shown how interactions between humans and wildlife have been linked to the emergence of serious diseases, including Ebola, HIV, and SARS.
This is why anti poaching is not only a conservation issue.

𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞.

Reducing illegal wildlife hunting and trade can help:
✓ Reduce opportunities for human exposure to wildlife pathogens
✓ Lower the risk of future zoonotic disease emergence
✓ Protect biodiversity and ecosystem health
✓ Strengthen global health security

This is the essence of the One Health approach, recognizing that the health of people, animals, and ecosystems are interconnected.
Preventing the next outbreak does not begin when a patient enters a clinic.
It begins by addressing the conditions that allow diseases to emerge in the first place.

Protecting wildlife today helps protect public health tomorrow.
What role do you think One Health should play in future pandemic prevention strategies?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫.

When we talk about disaster response, we often focus on collapsed buildings, injuries, disrupted infrastructure, and emergency operations.
But some of the most significant injuries are the ones we cannot see.

𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐫. 𝐀𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲. 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟. 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤. 𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲.

These are normal human responses to abnormal events.
Psychological injury is real injury, and it deserves attention as part of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
The good news is that you do not need to be a mental health professional to provide meaningful support.

The foundations of Psychological First Aid are simple:
✓ Help people feel safe
✓ Meet basic needs
✓ Listen without forcing conversations
✓ Reconnect people with family, community, and accurate information
✓ Recognize when someone may need additional support

For communities across the Philippines, resilience is not only about rebuilding structures.
It is also about helping people recover emotionally, mentally, and socially after a crisis.

This reminder is equally important for healthcare workers, barangay volunteers, emergency responders, humanitarian workers, and community leaders.

You cannot pour from an empty canteen.
Take care of others.
Take care of yourself.
Save this checklist and share it with someone who supports others during difficult times.

𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐈𝐏𝐇𝐂 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡, 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫.
The second can emerge days later through unsafe water, poor sanitation, overcrowded shelters, and disease outbreaks.

When infrastructure is damaged, access to clean water and proper hygiene becomes more difficult. Communities may face increased risks from diarrheal diseases, contaminated water sources, and other public health threats.
That is why emergency response is not only about rescue operations.
It is also about protecting public health.

Key reminders after a disaster:
💧 Treat all water as suspect until authorities confirm it is safe.
🧼 Prioritize hand hygiene and sanitation.
🏠 Maintain safe conditions in evacuation centers and temporary shelters.
🌎 Consider the One Health connection between people, animals, and the environment.

In the Philippines, where communities regularly face earthquakes, typhoons, floods, and other hazards, preparedness includes understanding how to prevent disease outbreaks before they begin.

The communities that recover fastest are often the ones that protect safe water, sanitation, hygiene, and community health from day one.

Save this checklist.
Share it with someone involved in public health, emergency management, disaster response, healthcare, or community leadership.

𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐈𝐏𝐇𝐂 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡, 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬.

𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐤𝐞, "𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞" 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧.
Roads may be blocked. Communications may be disrupted. Emergency responders may be overwhelmed.
For hours, sometimes days, the first responder is the person standing next to the injured.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.

Knowing how to control severe bleeding, recognize dangerous crush injuries, protect a suspected spinal injury, and maintain an open airway can make a life saving difference before professional help arrives.
You do not need to be a doctor, nurse, or paramedic to help.
You need knowledge, preparation, and the confidence to act safely when it matters most.

For communities across the Philippines, disaster preparedness is not only about supplies and evacuation plans. It is also about building the practical skills that help neighbors protect neighbors during emergencies.
Prepared communities are stronger communities.

Take a few minutes to review this checklist.
𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭. 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭.
Discuss it with your family, workplace, school, or community group.
The best time to learn these skills is before they are needed.

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