This presentation presents the investment case for health emergency preparedness and response in Albania.

1. WHO Health Emergencies Programme
at country level
Investing for a safe and
healthy Albania
Dr Raúl González Montero
WHO Representative
WHO Country Office – Albania

2. The European Region is vulnerable to
health threats
• Infectious diseases and measles epidemics
• Outbreaks of West Nile Virus (WNV) and
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF)
• Natural disasters (earthquakes, floods,
forest fires, landslides)
• Man-made disasters (chemical or radiation
leaks)
• Armed conflicts and spill over from
neighbouring emergencies

3. Health emergencies affect
lives and livelihoods
In a typical year, Europe
suffers economic losses
of € 10 billion* from
disasters and
emergencies, and
hundreds of people die
or become severely ill
March 2018.* Estimate quoted in EFDRR. High-Level Dialogue Communiqué from 2017. European Forum for Disaster Risk
Reduction, Istanbul, 26–28 March 2017.

4. 15 European
countries and
areas have
been
identified by
WHO for
priority action
1All references to Kosovo in this document should be understood to be in
the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999)

5. Albania country profile
Population• : 2.88 million (INSTAT, 1 January
2017)
Capital:• Tirana
Area:• 28 748 km² (Land: 27 398 km² Water: 1
350 km² (4.7%)
Location:• South-east of Europe (West Balkan)
Land characteristics:• Mountains, hills and
plains
Climate:• Mediterranean, characterized by
warm to hot, dry summers and mild to cool, wet
winters

6. Albania is prone to specific health threats
• Earthquakes
• Extreme weather / climate
change
• Deforestation
• Soil erosion
• Water and food pollution
• Infectious diseases
– Measles • WNV • Avian Influenza •
CCHF • M. meningitis • Salmonellosis •
Shigellosis • Rotavirus • Anthrax •
Brucellosis
Albania flood hazard map
data.euro.who.int/e-atlas/europe

7. • Outbreaks 2017–2019: measles; WNF; CCHF; norovirus and other
foodborne diseases; waterborne outbreaks and contamination
• Earthquakes 2015, 2018 (4 districts affected), 2019 (3 districts
affected)
• High snowfall 2012, 2016 (7 districts affected)
• Floods:
– March 2013 (5 districts affected)
– February 2015 (3 districts affected)
– March 2016 (6 districts affected)
– March 2017 ( 6 district affected)
Main emergencies in Albania 2013–2019

8. IHR core capacities: what and why?
Structures, skills and people needed for•
health system to prepare for, detect
and respond to health emergencies
Legal obligation under the• International
Health Regulations of 2005 (IHR)
Capacities all WHO Member States•
committed to build, maintain and
report on annually

9. All countries report on 13 capacities
1. Legislation and financing
2. IHR Coordination and National Focal Point (NFP) functions
3. Zoonotic events and the human–animal interface
4. Food safety
5. Laboratory
6. Surveillance
7. Human resources
8. National Health Emergency Framework
9. Health service provision
10. Risk communication
11. Points of entry
12. Chemical events
13. Radiation emergencies

10. Why must Albania strengthen its
IHR core capacities?
Protect lives and livelihoods1.
Achieve best value2. -for-money
health investment
Show leadership & commitment3.
Observe legal obligations under4.
IHR treaty
Meet GPW5. 13 goals, help
achieve UHC and other SDG
goals

11. Health emergency capacity:
a “best buy” health investment
• Many emergencies are
preventable, or can be mitigated
• Well-prepared countries see
fewer deaths and less disruption
Analysis by WHO shows $ 1 spent on health
emergency capacity produces a return of $ 8.30*
*WHO. A Healthier Humanity: The WHO Investment Case for 2019–2023, pp. 24–28. Geneva: World Health
Organization; 2018.

12. WHO’s “Triple Billion” is every country’s
2023 target*
• 1 billion more people benefiting from UHC
• 1 billion more people better protected
from health emergencies
• 1 billion more people enjoying better
health and well-being
*WHO General Programme of Work for 2019–2023 (GPW 13)

13. Protecting people from health
emergencies contributes to SDGs

14. All countries committed to the Action Plan
to Improve Public Health Preparedness and
Response in the WHO European Region
VISION
GOAL
A WHO European Region where the impact of
health emergencies is prevented or minimized
Strengthen and maintain adequate capacities in
the European Region to effectively prevent,
prepare for, detect and respond to public health
threats and to provide assistance to affected
countries, when necessary, through three strategic
pillars

15. Public health
needs to be
protected across
the whole health
emergency cycle

16. “Two sides of the same coin”
• Strengthening health emergency capacity strengthens health
system resilience and UHC
• Strengthening health systems strengthens capacity to
prepare and respond to emergencies

17. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?
Albania’s road to stronger health emergency capacities
@WHO/Jaqueline Christensen @WHO/Mihail Grigorev @WHO/Margarita Spasenovska @WHO/Jerome Flayosc

18. • 55% of reporting countries have preparedness
and response plans at all levels
• 73% of reporting countries have response
coordination and incident management at all
levels
• In 60% of reporting countries, all levels have
access to resources with which to mount a
response
• 50% of reporting countries have case
management services for all hazards at all
levels
©WHO
Progress towards protecting people in Europe

19. • Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of Albania’s IHR core capacities
completed in 2016
• National Roadmap to strengthen capacities and coordination between
animal health and public health developed in 2018
• Joint UN Assessment on Asylum and Mixed Migration Situation in
Albania, Initial Rapid Assessment performed. Published June 2018
• The final draft of the Albanian NAPHS took place in May 2019
Albania invested in IHR
monitoring and evaluation

20. Albania’s recognized strengths
Good reputation of WHO in the country, especially at•
health institutions. WHO has been active in the country
since 1997
Recognition and good cooperation with health•
institutions, veterinary services, civil emergency and
other sectors on emergency risk management

21. How do Albania’s capacities need to be
further strengthened?
Specific capacities identified by
JEE for strengthening
JEE’s cross-cutting recommendations on
capacity strengthening
Antimicrobial resistance Increase resources for health-related laws and
procurement of laboratory kits, reagents & quality
assurance
National laboratory systems Further develop and formalize contingency plans
Emergency response operations Apply web-based reporting for surveillance
Chemical safety Train and continue professional development across
all sectors
Multisectoral coordination Increase multisectoral collaboration and coordination

22. • Establishment of National Emergency Medical Centre
• Development of Nation Action Plan for Health Security
(NAPHS) based on overriding issues addressed by JEE Albania
• Development of National Roadmap (IHR-PVS) to Strengthen
Capacities, Collaboration and Coordination between Animal
Health and Public Health Service
Albania’s success stories

23. Conclusion: the opportunity is there
• Crucial for the Albanian government to adopt National Action Plan
on Public Health Emergency Preparedness
– Shows political commitment and leadership
– Basis for finding resources
• WHO and partners offer advice and technical support but domestic
resources are key
– Health emergency capacity is part of UHC: needs to be sustainable
• Long-term well-funded strategy on health emergency capacity
strengthening will save lives and protect Albania’s economy

24. WHO Health Emergencies
Programme in the
European Region
http://www.euro.who.int/e
n/health-topics/health-
emergencies
WHO Country Office for
Albania
http://www.euro.who.int/e
n/countries/albania
Thank you