overview
The Strategic Action Framework for Strengthening Community Engagement and Resilience to Health Emergencies in the WHO South-East Asia Region (2025-2029) has been developed in multiple rounds with technical experts from Member States in the South-East Asia (SE) Asia Region. It was developed through consultation with Consultations were also held with all three levels of WHO and partner organizations. Additionally, we provide comprehensive information on reports, publications, research papers, regional and global guidance on health security, and recommendations from experience managing the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent emergencies. A literature review was conducted.
The impacts of health emergencies are far-reaching, and mitigating and managing them requires a whole-of-society approach and multisectoral involvement. Lessons learned from the COVID 19 pandemic have identified the critical role of communities at all stages of the emergency management cycle. Community engagement and resilience are therefore now guiding the health security priorities of all key stakeholders. It has been identified as a key core health security subsystem in the Regional Strategic Roadmap for System Resilience. In the area.
The Strategic Framework of Action for Strengthening Community Engagement and Resilience to Health Emergencies in the WHO South-East Asia Region (2025-2029) advances the community engagement and resilience element of the Regional Strategic Roadmap that sets out the operational vision. , is a detailed version. Strategic investments, approaches and priority actions need to strengthen community-centred approaches to managing health emergency risks and health system resilience in the WHO South-East Asia Region.
The objective of this framework is to provide a community-centered approach tailored to the unique context and needs within WHO SE, aligned with both national and regional actions and global and regional health security frameworks and guidance. is to guide investment priority areas for health emergency risk management. Asia region.
Important community-centered guidelines. Equity, inclusiveness, and consistency. Adaptability. Responsiveness. The framework then outlines country ownership and leadership that can underpin and apply all action and investment priority areas.
The framework consists of two sections.
Part A: Country-level actions, including priority areas for investment and system enablers needed to support effective implementation of the actions. and
Part B: Regional initiatives and investments to support national action.
The WHO Southeast Asia Region Investment Framework for Strengthening Community Engagement and Resilience to Health Emergencies (CER) identifies six priority areas:
Establish sustainable and inclusive governance mechanisms. Expand and empower your community’s workforce. Define and establish mechanisms for collecting and using social, cultural, and behavioral evidence and data for evidence-based action. Strengthen community resilience to infodemics. Ensure equity, access and inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized groups. Monitor, evaluate, and document lessons learned and best practices for community-based emergency care and disaster risk management.
Evidence-based actions are suggested for each investment priority area in two stages: prevention and preparedness, and response and recovery of the emergency risk management cycle. Additionally, systems enablement including governance, legislation, financing, technical and human resources, and capacity building aligned with the building blocks of the health system to support the implementation of six priority areas of investment to strengthen CER. Investments are also prescribed to strengthen the elements. In a health emergency. Benchmark actions are proposed for each system enabler and will be prioritized and implemented in three stages: the first two years of the framework’s life, the third and fourth years, and finally the fifth year. .
Supporting and sustaining national action will require a number of significant local commitments and investments, but based on consensus reached during stakeholder consultations, three are being prioritized:
Alliance for Infodemic Intelligence and Management Community of Practice and Platform for Community Engagement and Resilience Regional Technical Advisory Committee to advance the work of community-centered approaches to health emergencies and disaster risk management.
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