25.1.a. Median number of days between onset of substantiated public health event and date information first received or detected by PAHO
Baseline
15 days
Target
12 days
25.1.b. Proportion of National IHR Focal Point (NFP) responses to request for verification of events received within 24–48 hour
Baseline
55%
Target
60%
25.1.c. Percentage of public health hazards/events/acute crises for which relevant operational and epidemiological information is made publicly available to decision makers by PASB, in any format, starting within 48 hours of grading or of posting on the Event Information Site (EIS)
Baseline
100%
Target
100%
25.2.a. Percentage of Grade 2 and Grade 3 emergencies from any hazard with public health consequences, including any emerging epidemic threat, in which PASB meets performance standards
Baseline
100%
Target
100%
25.3.a. Percentage of protracted-emergency countries in which PASB meets performance standards
Baseline
100%
Target
100%
25.4.a. Number of PAHO/WHO Representative Offices that meet minimum readiness criteria
Baseline
27
Target
27
How PASB will deliver
Key Technical Cooperation Interventions
Step up leadership
Ensure timely and authoritative situation analysis, risk assessment, and response monitoring for all acute public health events and emergencies. In cases of graded and protracted emergencies, PASB will provide data management, analytics, and reporting platforms to produce and disseminate timely standardized information products for all events, including updated situational analysis, risk assessment, and mapping of available health resources and response capacities. Moreover, PASB will monitor and disseminate information on public health indicators during emergencies and disasters. The Bureau will also provide technical cooperation to scale up and adapt data management and surveillance capacities during emergency response.
Monitor for signals of potential public health events and, in support of Member States, coordinate surveillance networks to establish early warning systems. PASB will maintain 24/7 availability for urgent event-related communications with Member States to verify threats, coordinate risk assessment, and disseminate accurate and timely information on potential public health events of international concern.
Support countries
Support countries and territories to strengthen national- and subnational-level capacities for detection, verification, risk assessment, and information dissemination on potential public health emergencies of international concern (PHEIC) in compliance with the International Health Regulations (2005).
Provide timely, effective, and efficient technical and operations support to countries to ensure that emergency-affected populations have access to an essential package of life-saving health services. This includes, but is not limited to, establishment of comprehensive IMS and coordination of health emergency partners on the ground within 72 hours of grading for all graded risks and events. It also entails developing and implementing strategic response and joint operations plans, and providing operational support and critical specialized health logistics services as required (including fleet, accommodation, facilities, security, information and communications technology, and effective supply chain management). Technical assistance will be provided to develop strategic guidelines and standard operating procedures, based on evolving public health needs, for all graded and protracted emergencies.
Support countries to increase the resilience of health systems in fragile, vulnerable, and conflict-affected settings and reduce the risks to affected populations from health emergencies. PASB will work with partners to mitigate the impact of protracted emergencies and prolonged disruption of health systems in these settings by improving access to quality and sustainable health services based on expanding primary health care services. The Bureau will also contribute to the development of humanitarian response plans for countries in protracted humanitarian emergencies and strengthen the delivery of life-saving and life-sustaining emergency operations, while continuing to provide equity approaches and gender-responsive and disability-inclusive programming.
Produce technical products on norms and standards, data, and research
Work to continuously improve public health intelligence systems and processes, including through the use of new technologies for detecting, verifying, and assessing potential public health events. Overall, PASB will carry out the core public health function of detecting, analyzing, assessing, interpreting, and generating information for action and dissemination, which is complemented by relevant operational and risk communication.
Enhance the Bureau’s capacity to lead, monitor, coordinate, and manage emergency response, with a strong focus on ensuring continued and optimal operation of the PAHO Emergency Operations Center and the capacity to establish and operate Incident Management Systems (IMS) at national, subregional, and regional levels. PASB will work to strengthen the organizational model for IMS to allow the Bureau to operate on a sustained basis during long-term public health emergencies. Efforts will also be made to strengthen PAHO’s response capacity at all functional levels, including surge capacity response mechanisms such as its regional health response team and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), as well as emergency management and response systems, to allow for the implementation of WHO’s critical functions in humanitarian emergencies. PASB will also ensure that relevant policies, processes, and mechanisms are in place to guarantee that essential operations support and logistics will be established, and emergency supplies distributed to points of service, within 72 hours of grading for all graded risks and events.
