Strategic Tool for Assessing Risks (STAR)

Strategic risk assessments are undertaken before an event occurs and are used to guide risk-informed programming to catalyse action to prevent, prepare for and reduce risks associated with a specific hazard and its consequences on health.

The Strategic Tool for Assessing Risks (STAR) tool has been developed by WHO to support Member States in risk assessment using a standardized methodology. It enables countries to conduct an evidence-based assessment of a specific risk in a comparable, reproducible and defensible manner. This tool provides:

• a systematic, transparent and evidence-based approach to identifying and classifying priority risks;
• a description of the level of national preparedness and readiness to mitigate specific hazards;
• guidance on the implementation of a comprehensive and strategic risk assessment to inform preparedness and response plans.