Key approaches to strengthening emergency preparedness and response
Whole-health
The whole-health approach advocates that the emergency preparedness planning process, the overall coordination procedures, and the surge and operational platforms are led and coordinated by an emergency body at the central and local level, which involves and coordinates all relevant disciplines of the health sector and deals with all potential health risks. WHO is the Health Cluster lead in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), a partnership between United Nations agencies, international organizations and NGOs working for health.
All-hazard
The all-hazard approach acknowledges that while hazards vary in source (natural, technological, societal), they often challenge health systems in similar ways and demand a multisectoral response. Thus, risk reduction, emergency preparedness, response actions and community recovery activities are usually implemented using the same model, regardless of cause. Hand-in-hand, strengthening country health emergency preparedness and implementing the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) across sectors ensures country capacities are in place for all-hazard emergency risk management.
Whole-of-government and whole-of-society society approaches
Emergencies have widespread effects on many parts of society, and the health sector has an important role to play in all of them. Integrated support for emergency preparedness across all sectors of government and society is paramount. Engagement of communities is essential and nongovernmental and private sector organizations all have a role to play.
The focus should be on building relationships between health and non-health sectors, and on coordinating planning and implementation of emergency preparedness. This coordinated planning involves, among others, the sectors responsible for:
- public health;
- food safety;
- veterinary medicine;
- emergency management;
- environment;
- international borders, ports, airports and ground crossings;
- customs;
- economy and trade;
- agriculture (including animal health);
- radionuclear safety and chemical safety;
- industry;
- transportation.
Interactions between countries’ ministries of health and all stakeholders at all levels of the system are critical to emergency preparedness and response, and help reduce the consequences of outbreaks and other emergencies – not only for the health and well-being of communities, but also for economies, livelihoods, the environment and other social assets.
A One Health approach
A One Health approach is based on the recognized link between human health and the health of animals and the environment. WHO works in close collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to promote cross-sectoral cooperation in reducing and addressing risks posed by zoonoses and other existing and emerging threats to public health at the human–animal ecosystems interface.
