WHO European Region Member States adopt two landmark health emergency action plans: Preparedness 2.0 strategy and action plan and the Emergency Medical Teams regional action[...]

Today, in Copenhagen, at the 74th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, a major milestone was achieved for the WHO European Region - the Member States adopted 2 critical strategies aimed at enhancing health emergency preparedness and response regionwide. The adoption of both the Preparedness 2.0 regional strategy and action plan on health emergency preparedness, response and resilience (2024-2029), and the Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) regional action plan 2024-2030 underscores the ongoing commitment of the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region to building resilience and bolstering health security for individual countries and the Region as a whole.

Preparedness 2.0: strengthening regional readiness

Preparedness 2.0 is WHO/Europe's new regional strategy and action plan for health emergency preparedness, response and resilience for the next 5 years (2024-2029). Designed to elevate efforts in the Region to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and become more resilient to health emergencies, this forward-thinking plan takes preparedness to the next level as it builds on the lessons learned from recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic. This will help to close gaps in health security and strengthen collective readiness for future threats, such as the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events due to climate change and the emergence of novel pathogens with the potential to cause significant outbreaks and pandemics. Preparedness 2.0 was developed in close consultation with Member States, and tailored to their unique needs and contexts, with the aim of supporting countries in the WHO European Region to build national preparedness and response plans and systems that are fit for purpose.

Preparedness 2.0 responds to a review of recommendations and lessons learned, conducted jointly between the Health Emergencies division at WHO/Europe and the Preparedness 2.0 Technical Advisory Group, and is grounded in a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

The result is a WHO European Region-specific adaptation of the WHO global Health Emergencies Preparedness and Response framework, guided by 5 core components - the so-called "five Cs": Collaborative surveillance, safe and scalable Care, Community resilience and protection, access to medical Countermeasures, and emergency Coordination. This approach also integrates health systems, research and digital health innovations as essential cross-cutting elements, ensuring that the plan adapts to the diversity of needs within the pan-European Region.

Preparedness 2.0 provides an implementation support package, which ensures that WHO/Europe's assistance to Member States is readily available. It will also help to strengthen the Pan-European Network for Disease Control, launched in 2024, and create a more robust health emergency workforce. It encourages Member States to adopt a whole-of-government approach, ensuring that all sectors - not just health - are involved in health security planning.

"Preparedness 2.0 is our chance to build a better future for the European Region, with collective resilience, solidarity and trust," said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. "We have an opportunity to absorb and implement the lessons of COVID-19 and other health emergencies, and apply them in a strategic, ambitious yet practical way to ensure that we are better prepared for whatever may come our way, even as we safeguard everyday essential health systems to provide core services regardless of, and even during, emergencies."

EMT regional action plan 2024-2030: bolstering EMTs

Immediately after the adoption of the new Preparedness 2.0 regional strategy and action plan, the Regional Committee took the first joint step of operationalizing Preparedness 2.0 by adopting the EMT regional action plan 2024-2030. EMTs provide life-saving care in the immediate aftermath of health emergencies, including natural disasters, outbreaks, and conflicts.

The WHO European Region is already home to one of the world's strongest EMT networks, comprising over 85 teams with more than 75 000 highly trained medical professionals. The EMT regional action plan 2024-2030 seeks to further regionalize the global EMT strategy, ensuring that national EMT capacities are fully integrated into health systems. This will build long-term resilience and prepare countries to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies. The plan was crafted by a wide-ranging community of practice through a collaborative effort involving WHO counterparts, national governments, and technical experts, reflecting a whole-of-government approach.

"With the adoption of Preparedness 2.0 and the EMT regional action plan 2024-2030, the Member States of the WHO European Region came together to build a more resilient future for the Region, ensuring that as crises continue to evolve, countries will not face health emergencies alone, but instead avail of networks of support and best practices shared among countries and health partners," said Gundo Weiler, Regional Emergency Director at WHO/Europe. "By strengthening regional cooperation and fostering a culture of preparedness, rather than unilateral action and working in silos, we are all the stronger."

The Regional European EMT Capabilities Hub (REECH) based in Türkiye will provide the training and expertise needed to strengthen EMT capacities across the Region. The Knowledge and Information Management Emergency Platform (KIMEP) will help to coordinate teams in the field, monitor progress, and ensure that EMT systems are sustainable and meet WHO standards of care.