The Ethics of Public Health Emergency Preparedness & Response: Experiences and lessons learnt from frontline clincians in low- and middle income countires in the Indo-Pacific region during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 31)

Emergency care (EC) is the multidisciplinary, team-based provision of time-critical clinical interventions to prevent death & disability for all acute & urgent aspects of illness & injury. EC occurs at the scene of a health emergency, during transport (pre-hospital) & at facilities in emergency units &departments. For many, it is the first point of contact with the health system. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on EC in all regions of the world, disrupting usual functioning & exposing ethical challenges. This research was designed to explore the experiences of EC providers & other key LMIC stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific region responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on identifying ethical & gender issues.