CORE-PNG
Civil-Military Operations for Response to Health Emergencies in Papua New Guinea
Field Epidemiology in Action (FEiA) is leading a first-of-its-kind civil-military training initiative in Papua New Guinea (PNG) to strengthen coordination between defence and civilian health responders in the face of public health emergencies.
Known as CORE-PNG, the program brings together military and civilian health professionals to build a faster, more connected emergency response system — protecting lives in PNG and contributing to regional stability across the Pacific.
The Program
CORE-PNG is funded by a grant through the Australian Government's Strategic Policy Grants Program.
The program is delivered in partnership with:
PNG National Department of Health (NDoH)
Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF)
Australian Defence Force
What we're doing
CORE-PNG integrates Papua New Guinea's Rapid Response Teams (RRT) and Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) with defence emergency operations, building the coordination, legal frameworks, operational systems and technical skills needed to respond effectively to a public health emergency.
Training is practical, hands-on and collaborative. Military and civilian health professionals train side by side through immersive, scenario-based exercises — including a real-life field simulation to contain a disease outbreak following a natural disaster — testing coordination across sectors under real-time pressure.
Training activities include:
Tabletop exercises and real-world field simulations
Workshops on coordination, legal frameworks and operational systems
Joint training to clarify roles and responsibilities across civilian and military teams
Integrated Rapid Response Team and Emergency Medical Team (RRT/EMT) training workshops
Why this matters
PNG faces significant and recurring risks from natural disasters and disease outbreaks. Effective emergency response depends on civilian and military teams working together — sharing information, resources and decision-making in real time.
CORE-PNG builds the foundations for that coordination: strengthening PNG's domestic capacity to respond to emergencies such as pandemics or natural disasters, while contributing to a more resilient Pacific region.
