Guidance on law and public health emergency preparedness and response

This paper gives guidance on law and public health emergency preparedness and response. In line with developments in general disaster risk management (DRM), it is important that the management of PHEs addresses: reducing the risk of PHEs occurring in the first place (PHE risk reduction); ensuring countries are prepared to respond to PHEs (PHE preparedness); effectively responding to PHEs (PHE response); and supporting recovery from the impacts of PHEs (PHE recovery). These four key phases are referred to collectively in this Guidance as PHE risk management.

This guidance aims to support countries to review and strengthen their existing laws, policies and plans relating to PHE risk management. The principal aims of this Guidance are to: identify key legal elements that underpin and support effective PHE risk management; serve as an assessment tool for those undertaking reviews of domestic laws, policies and plans relating to PHEs; and provide guidance on how to implement relevant international obligations and standards including the IHR, the Sendai Framework and the Bangkok Principles.