The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands faced back-to-back super typhoons in 2026, putting its health system and infrastructure under significant strain. Esther Muna, CEO of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Health Corporation and Territorial Health Official for CNMI and an ASTHO board member, discusses how the territory prepared for the storms and responded to their aftermath. We also hear from two other members of the CNMI hospital emergency preparedness program team: Warren Villagomez, the director for public health and Hospital Emergency Preparedness, and Patrick Fitial, the senior planner. The team describes efforts to activate emergency operations, protect healthcare facilities, plan workforce coverage, and secure vulnerable populations before the storms arrived. They also discuss challenges including prolonged power and water disruptions, damaged roads and ports, limited communications, and supply chain disruptions. Mobile clinics, medical reserve corps volunteers, nonprofit organizations, and federal, territorial, and local partners helped bring healthcare and public health services directly to communities during the recovery.
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