Advancing Disaster Health Knowledge Management: The Role and Future Vision of ASEAN Journal of Disaster Health Management (AJDHM)

Introduction: In a disaster-prone region, ASEAN has committed to disaster risk reduction through the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Disaster Health Management (ALD-DHM) since 2017. This declaration emphasizes the critical role of Knowledge Management (KM) in DHM and outlines necessary regional and national actions in the adopted Plan of Action (PoA). However, there is a pressing need to transform fragmented experiential knowledge into systematic scientific understanding among healthcare practitioners, policymakers, and academics in DHM. To overcome these challenges, the AJDHM publication program was launched in early 2024, mandated to implement the PoA for disseminating research. Methods: This study aimed to describe the scope, accessibility, and quality of AJDHM. To achieve this, a comprehensive review was conducted to analyze the editorial and operational dimensions of the journal. Results: ASEAN established the ASEAN Academic Network on DHM (AANDHM) to implement KM activities, supported by a Steering Committee (SC) from each Member State focused on empowering emerging health practitioners. Its scope primarily aligns with the WHO Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management framework. The AJDHM’s Editorial Board (EB) is composed of designated academics and practitioners related to DHM, recommended by the SC of AANDHM, including academicians from Japan. External reviewers are selected based on the EB’s recommendations. The journal’s digital platform is maintained by the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, using the Open Journal System, and it has acquired an ISSN. AJDHM’s inaugural publication is scheduled for 2025. Conclusion: In conclusion, AJDHM seeks to bridge scientific, policy, and practical insights within ASEAN contexts, positioning itself as a vital platform for retaining lessons learned and enhancing the capacity of emerging researchers.