The document discusses the need for improved global health security and preparedness. It notes that public health emergencies can arise from infectious diseases, contaminated food/water, environmental/technological hazards, and humanitarian disasters. While preparedness is better than in the past due to frameworks like the IHR, capacity remains inadequate. Greater emphasis on political commitment to preparedness is needed. A multi-sectoral approach involving government and non-traditional partners is imperative to build trust and share resources. Preparedness must be elevated in priority and focus on strengthening capabilities for all emergencies through frameworks and country collaboration.

1. Global Health Security
Preparedness
‘Prepare well, Respond well’
David R Harper

2. The global challenge
 Public health emergencies start for many
reasons:
– infectious disease outbreaks
• SARS, pandemic influenza ….
– contaminated food or water
• E. coli food contamination in Europe ….
– environmental and technological hazards
• chemicals, radio-nuclear incidents ….
– natural or man-made humanitarian disasters
• earthquakes, floods, deliberate use of biological
agents, conflict, migration ….
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3. Stark assessment
"The world is ill-prepared to respond to a severe influenza
pandemic or to any similarly global, sustained and threatening
public-health emergency."
Report of the Review Committee on the Functioning of the
International Health Regulations (2005) in relation to Pandemic
(H1N1) 2009
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4. Overview
 End to public health risks not foreseeable
 Public health preparedness and responsiveness better
than ever before
– International Health Regulations (2005)
– Regional frameworks such as APSED (Asia Pacific Strategy for
Emerging Diseases)
 But still remains inadequate on many levels
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5. What is needed?
 Greater emphasis on preparedness
– Political commitment is imperative
 Implementation of existing public health frameworks and
initiatives as main approach to strengthen capacity
systematically
– IHR, PIP Framework, health systems …..
 Greater multi-sectoral, ‘whole-of-society’ and ‘whole-of-
government’ engagement
 Country collaboration
– IHR monitoring, sharing procedures and resources
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6. Multi-sectoral participation
 Challenges too large & complex to approach otherwise
– need ideas, innovation, skills, capacities, competencies
– need support
 Need to normalize concept of traditional & nontraditional
parties working together
 Imperative to increase trust
– by bringing in those on ‘outside’
– by recognizing and acting on potential conflicts of interest
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7. Preparedness
 Need to elevate its prominence
– from ‘Prevention and Control’ to ‘Preparedness, Prevention and
Control’
 Need to focus on strengthening those capabilities that are
broadly essential for all emergencies
 Need to prioritize specific risks and ensure preparedness by
focusing on unique aspects
– for example, pandemic vaccine, severity, phases ….
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8. WHO Vision
 Countries with improved capabilities, better prepared to
respond to public health emergencies of all kinds
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9. Preparedness, surveillance and response
 WHO Twelfth General Programme of Work (2014-2019)
CATEGORIES
1 2 3 4 5
Communicable Noncommunicable Health through Health systems Preparedness,
diseases (HIV, diseases the life course surveillance and
TB, malaria) response
 Preparedness, Surveillance and Response has to be:
Comprehensive Multi-sectoral
All-hazard Sustainable
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