Implementation of the new Regional Health Security Roadmap 2023–2027

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Abstract
The Seventy-fifth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia at Paro, Bhutan, endorsed the ‘Regional Strategic Roadmap on health security and health system resilience for emergencies 2023–2027’ and the WHO South-East Asia Regional Roadmap for diagnostic preparedness, integrated laboratory networking and genomic surveillance 2023–2027’.The implementation of the technical components of the regional roadmaps at the national and regional levels have begun, utilizing the available, revised and newly developed International Health Regulations (2005) IHR Monitoring and Evaluation Framework tools for the relevant mandatory and voluntary assessments of multi-hazard risks, and strengths and gaps in core capacities. This is being followed by the development of evidence and risk informed national action plans on health security with whole-of-government and whole-of society engagement, aligned with interventions for health system strengthening and resilience to emergencies, and focused on primary health care with a ‘One Health’orientation.The Health Emergency Preparedness, Readiness, Response and Resilience (HEPR) Framework is being effectively utilized to enable the identification of critical systems and capacities that need to be developed at regional, national and subnational levels. This would be done through institutional strengthening and development of human resource through utilization of existing and planned global and regional capacity-building and training programmes that are in line with the regional strategic roadmaps.Through national- and regional-level consultations with Member State nominees, experts and other internal and external stakeholders, regional action frameworks for implementation of interventions required to enhance specific IHR Core Capacities such as surveillance, laboratory networks, emergency operations, risk communication and community engagement and infodemic management (RCCE-IM), etc. are being developedand endorsed. Additionally, the regional mechanisms that are needed for country-level support, efficient sharing and transfer of best practices and enabling economies of scale in operations are also being developed or strengthened in collaboration with departments at the Regional Office.As requested by the Regional Committee at its Seventy-fifth session in 2022, the proposal for the establishment of the Regional Health Emergency Council (RHEC) of Heads of Government/State was drafted by the Secretariat, extensively consulted with Member State officials and experts, and suggestions and feedback received and processed. Based on the feedback, the draft proposal on the Regional Health Emergency Council was fine-tuned and presented to the High-Level Preparatory Meeting for its observations, comments and guidance. The HLP Meeting reviewed the Working Paper and the revised RHEC proposal and made the following recommendations of actions to be taken by Member States and WHO for the consideration of the Seventy-sixth Session of the Regional Committee:Actions by Member States(1) Continue to strengthen health emergency preparedness and response capacities, guided by both the regional roadmaps: ‘Regional Strategic Roadmap on health security and health system resilience for emergencies 2023–2027’ and ‘South-East Asia Regional Roadmap for Diagnostic Preparedness, Integrated Laboratory Networking and Genomic Surveillance 2023–2027’.Actions by WHO(1) Continue to provide technical assistance to Member States for strengthening IHR core capacities and implementation of the National Action Plan for Health Security(2) Continue to effectively implement the regional components of the ‘Regional Strategic Roadmap on health security and health system resilience for emergencies 2023–2027’and ‘South-East Asia Regional Roadmap for Diagnostic Preparedness, Integrated Laboratory Networking and Genomic Surveillance 2023–2027’.This Working Paper and the RHEC proposal along with the HLP Meeting recommendations are submitted to the Seventy-sixth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia for its consideration and decision.Citation
World Health Organization. Regional Office for South-East Asia. (2023). Implementation of the new Regional Health Security Roadmap 2023–2027. World Health Organization. Regional Office for South-East Asia. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/373148