JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic created an urgent response by Thais to the situation. Three provinces in northeastern Thailand responded to COVID-19 with three lessons learned for surveillance, prevention, and control of the disease.

Objective:

This study was aimed to explore the lessons learned of the community-based response and management from three provinces.

Methods:

The community-based emergency response and community engagement concepts were applied to describe the community response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data as collected by in-depth and group interview. Data analysis was using content analysis.

Results:

The 3 lessons learned were: (1) No MUK People Left Behind Project to help Mukdahan people migrate from Bangkok to Mukdahan Province for treatment. The collaboration among government, nongovernment, MUK people and the MUK network was a successful factor in managing COVID-19. (2) The conflict management on building a field hospital in the community was solved with community collaboration based on knowledge, care of their relatives, and community protection from Covid-19 leading to the community's willingness to build a field hospital. (3) The community’s COVID-19 Charter was built for surveillance, prevention, and control of COVID-19. The success of the charter implementation depended on community engagement composed of health volunteers, public health personnel, the Local Administrative Organization (LAO) and household villagers. The results involved collaboration to set up a Community Isolation (CI), Home Isolation (HI) and Center of waiting for COVID-19 laboratory reports and rehabilitation of patient with COVID-19.

Conclusions:

The successful lessons learned depended on the community engagement, social capital and network in aspects of strengthening the community, public health personnel, LAO, nongovernment organizations and the villagers. All aspects shared various resources to surveille, prevent and control COVID-19 in a community setting.