The draft action plan to improve public health preparedness and response in the WHO European Region, 2018–2023, aims to strengthen national and regional capacities to effectively prevent, prepare for, detect and respond to public health threats and emergencies and to provide support to affected countries, when necessary. It takes into account actions taken and lessons learned in the European Region since the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) entered into force in 2007, and as presented in the guiding document EUR/RC67/13, on accelerating implementation of the IHR (2005) and strengthening laboratory capacities for better health in the European Region, at the 67th session of the Regional Committee for Europe (RC67) in September 2017. It builds on the five-year global strategic plan to improve public health preparedness and response, 2018–2023, and is tailored to the needs of the European Region.
The present document outlines the draft action plan to be implemented by States Parties and the WHO Regional Office for Europe in collaboration with key partners and in line with the requirements of the IHR (2005). It is structured around the three strategic pillars described in the global strategic plan: (1) building and maintaining States Parties’ core capacities required by the IHR (2005); (2) strengthening event management and compliance with the requirements under the IHR (2005); and (3) measuring progress and promoting accountability. The action plan will be accompanied by a monitoring framework with indicators for each technical area of the strategic pillars.
The regional action plan incorporates feedback received from the Member States during the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee (May 2018) and through previous web-based and face-to-face consultations on the global strategic plan. The revised regional action plan, incorporating the feedback received, is submitted to the 68th session of the Regional Committee for Europe, accompanied by a draft resolution for its adoption.