WHO issues recommendations for healthcare pandemic preparedness

The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced the issue of several policy recommendations on building resilient health systems based on primary health care. The WHO indicated that the reasons for the recommendations were that the COVID-19 pandemic created new health care challenges in many countries, with access to health care being an issue globally. In summary, the WHO indicated that some countries were generally reactionary to COVID-19 and were not prepared. The WHO said that the level of preparedness needed to be strengthened.

Regarding this, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said.

“The pandemic has been a significant setback in our efforts to support Member States to progress towards universal health coverage. We cannot build a safer world from the top down; we must build from the ground up. Preparing for, preventing, detecting and responding rapidly to epidemics starts with strong primary health care and public health systems, skilled health workers, and communities empowered and enabled to take charge of their own health. That must be the focus of our attention, and our investment.”

In relation to the recommendations made, the WHO outlined the following:

• Leverage the current response to strengthen both pandemic preparedness and health systems
• Invest in essential public health functions including those needed for all-hazards emergency risk management
• Build a strong primary health care foundation
• Invest in institutionalized mechanisms for whole-of-society engagement
• Create and promote enabling environments for research, innovation and learning
• Increase domestic and global investment in health system foundations and all-hazards emergency risk management
• Address pre-existing inequities and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on marginalized and vulnerable populations

The WHO said that the COVID-19 experience highlights the need for countries to take every opportunity to rebuild their health systems sustainably, more equitably and closer to communities.

The WHO indicated that countries should have health systems that serve the needs of the population, before, during and after public health emergencies, encompassing capacities for the following:,/p>

• Essential public health functions that improve, promote, protect and restore the health of all people
• Building strong primary health care as a foundation for bringing health services closer to communities
• All-hazards emergency risk management that strengthens the ability of countries to prevent and tackle health emergencies, and can surge to meet the additional health security demands imposed by health emergencies
• Engaging the whole-of-society so that all sectors work together towards a common goal of health for all

The WHO said this a crucial time to provide leaders and policymakers with recommendations on positioning health within the wider discussions on socioeconomic recovery and transformation. Loop News Cayman