WHO’s work in emergencies
Seamlessly integrated into all of WHO/Europe’s work around health emergencies are the four phases of the health emergency cycle - prevent, prepare, respond, recover - which make up the backbone of the programme.
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Health hazards: infectious
High-threat infectious hazards are emerging and re-emerging diseases that not only threaten health and life locally, but may have devastating consequences in multiple countries simultaneously, or worldwide in the case of pandemics.
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Health hazards: non-infectious
Non-infectious health hazards describe a variety of occurrences which can be divided into those caused by natural phenomena and those caused by human activity. The WHO Regional Office for Europe works closely with Member States and international and national partners to help communities.
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Health systems for emergencies
Emergency preparedness and health systems strengthening are two sides of the same coin. By developing strong preparedness and response capacities as defined by the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005), we develop greater health system resilience.
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International Health Regulations
The International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) play a key role in shaping the way the world prepares for and responds to emergencies. An international legal instrument, IHR (2005) provides a unique global framework to protect people from health emergencies of any type.
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Partners and expert networks
No single country and no single organization alone can protect people’s health in emergencies. An effective response is dependent on the work of many partners dedicated to improving the health and well-being of populations affected by crises.
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Preparedness for emergencies
Health emergency preparedness in Europe means ensuring that all countries in the Region have the capabilities to manage any type of health emergency. Each country’s health system needs to be resilient and equipped.
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Risk communication in emergencies
Communicating risks effectively in emergencies by engaging communities is a vital public health intervention. It can save lives during emergency situations and, as such, should be considered an investment in people’s health, safety and security.
