Kyrgyzstan
WHO/Melitta Jakab
WHO/Europe has been active in Kyrgyzstan since 2005. It assists the Ministry of Health in strengthening the country’s disaster preparedness and response capacities and coordination mechanisms. Recent activities included an in-depth assessment of health security and crisis management capacities and technical support to prepare for and mitigate the consequences of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza. WHO/Europe lead the Health Cluster response following the Kyrgyz-Uzbek violence in Southern Kyrgyzstan in June 2010.
WHO leads the health sector within the country’s United Nations Disaster Response Coordination Unit (DRCU) and coordinates health-related DPR activities of different stakeholders in the country.
WHO/Europe carried out:
Review of crisis preparedness programme
In cooperation with the Ministry of Health and other relevant stakeholders, a review of the national health system’s crisis preparedness programme has been carried out. This covered capacity building on both policy and operational levels. In late 2009, these capacities were assessed, strengths and weaknesses indentified and proposals for further strengthening them elaborated. The results of this assessment were presented to Ministry of Health and other relevant stakeholders in a follow-up workshop. During the workshop, the Ministry of Health, relevant stakeholders and WHO agreed on an action plan to strengthen the health system’s crisis preparedness and response capacities. WHO experts also provided technical assistance for the implementation of the agreed measures.
Health facility strengthening
Strengthening the resilience and safety of 25 facilities to ensure that they continue to function in the event of a disaster included assessing the resilience of selected key health facilities using the WHO Hospital Safety Index. Based on this analysis, a work plan was developed, containing interventions to improve the safety of the facilities, and a workshop on hospital safety was conducted.
Assessment of health-system crisis preparedness
Update of the 2009 health system capacity for crisis management assessment based on the new 2012 assessment tool published in 2012.
Public health and emergency management (PHEM) course
Participation of representatives of Ministry of Health and Ministry of Emergencies in the sub-regional course Public Health & Emergency Management, held in Russian language on 16 - 21 September, 2013, Issyk Kul Area, Kyrgyzstan.
Joint project on “Enhancing Coordination for Disaster Preparedness and Response in the Kyrgyz Republic” in cooperation with UNDP, UNHCR, OHCHR, WFP and UNICEF
WHO Country office and WHO/Europe work closely with other UN agencies and actively participate in the UN support group for strengthening disaster preparedness and response coordination in Kyrgyzstan. As well as represent WHO in the IASC (International Agency standing committee) working group coordinated by the regional OCHA office in Almaty.
