With a focus on addressing gaps where they exist, this outcome seeks to ensure that Member States have systems, capacities, plans, and mechanisms in place to ensure that the Region of the Americas are better prepared to mount a multisectoral response to existing and emerging threats and shocks. This approach aims to build up and reinforce the systems needed to prevent and mitigate the impact of adverse health security events of any origin, including highly infectious hazards with epidemic and pandemic potential. This requires the leveraging of stakeholders from within the health sector and beyond, including through incorporation of an approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, as applicable, complemented with investments, bearing in mind the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the following actions will be taken:

1. Increase national capacity in emergency planning, including risk assessment and management, and testing at all levels and across all health emergency phases including through full implementation for State Parties of the International Health Regulations (IHR), WHO Pandemic Agreement, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, incorporating an approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, while building on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. PAHO will strengthen country capacities under the IHR monitoring and evaluation framework to identify and address gaps in governance, preparedness, and readiness capacity.
2. Incorporate comprehensive risk reduction actions using sound risk assessment practices, and an approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health into national and territorial policies and strategies to reduce disaster risks and prevent epidemics/pandemics. Risk reduction measures will include increasing the resilience of health facilities to health emergencies and disasters while incorporating steps to safeguard access for all during emergencies for persons in situations of vulnerability; clinical management; infection control and prevention; whole-of-society resilience; and the reduction of emergency impacts, while ensuring the continuity of essential health services across all levels.
3. Bolster disease and event surveillance through the incorporation of an approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health by strengthening epidemiological surveillance and public health laboratory systems; strengthening diagnostic laboratory networks for epidemic-prone and emerging pathogens (including zoonotic pathogens) under biosafety, biosecurity, and quality assurance policies; expanding genomic surveillance; leveraging technological innovation; and ensuring that interconnected information and analyses feed into forecasting and prediction, early warning, detection, and characterization of diseases and infectious risks.
4. Engage and empower communities in evidence-based risk reduction, preparedness, readiness, and response to health emergencies and disasters through efficient differentiated risk communication and community engagement strategies that strengthen feedback loops. Special attention will be paid to populations in situations of vulnerability that are often disproportionally affected by adverse events, such as women, children, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people living with noncommunicable diseases, older adults, people on the move, and other groups.
5. Coordinate across sectors and stakeholders to improve subregional, regional, and global health security and access for all to countermeasures and supplies during epidemics, pandemics, and other health emergencies.