During the 2024–2025 biennium, El Salvador made significant progress in strengthening its national capacity to prevent, detect, and respond in a timely manner to public health emergencies through the institutionalization of an early action review under the 7-1-7 metric. The country became the first in the Region to initiate implementation of this approach.

PAHO’s technical cooperation included normative and strategic guidance for the adoption and operationalization of the 7–1–7 methodology, in coordination with strategic partners such as Resolve to Save Lives, through a memorandum of understanding that enabled the implementation of a dedicated support project for the country. This process laid the groundwork for the systematic application of the early action review in line with global guidance, strengthening institutional capacity to identify critical gaps and accelerate corrective actions throughout the response cycle.

These advances contribute to a structural improvement in the preparedness and response of El Salvador’s health system to emergencies, promoting more timely, coordinated, and effective responses, with particular emphasis on protecting populations in situations of vulnerability and ensuring the sustainability of results within the framework of the International Health Regulations and the regional health security agenda.

Photo caption. Implementation of the joint emergency response operations system.
Credit: PAHO/El Salvador