Emergencies

Operations

In today’s globalized world, there are myriad opportunities for the rapid spread of diseases and other threats to health security. In the event of an emergency, public health emergency operation centres are a place for emergency management personnel to coordinate operational information and resources.

WHO’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre Network (EOC-NET) promotes best practices and standards for emergency operation centres and builds Member States’ capacity to rapidly respond and detect to public health emergencies as mandated by the International Health Regulations.

WHO’s Strategic Health Operations Centre (SHOC) is the heart of this network. SHOC monitors global public health events around the clock and facilitates international collaboration during public health emergencies.

Following the detection of a potential major public health event, SHOC provides the communications platform to obtain further information from the affected country and other authoritative sources. Once that information is received, SHOC uses emergency management tools to support risk assessments and any required WHO response. Beyond response operations, SHOC is involved in identifying and tracking resources and appraising public health threats.

WHO uses an Incident Management System (IMS) to organize and manage each emergency response. Every individual working in emergencies for WHO (including non-WHO staff who deploy as part of the response team) must be familiar with the IMS structure and roles.  

News

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11 March 2026
News release

Conflict deepens health crisis across Middle East, WHO says
4 February 2026
News release

Preventive cholera vaccination resumes as global supply reaches critical milestone
3 February 2026
News release

WHO launches 2026 appeal to help millions of people in health emergencies and crisis settings
2 February 2026
Statement

Six years after COVID-19’s global alarm: Is the world better prepared for the next pandemic?

Publications

Emergency response framework (‎ERF)‎, Edition 2.1
12 February 2024

Emergency response framework (‎ERF)‎, Edition 2.1
The ERF provides WHO staff with essential guidance on how the Organization manages the assessment, grading and response to public health events and emergencies...
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WHO's Operational Update on Health Emergencies

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Monthly operational update on health emergencies - December 2022

31 December 2022
 | Emergency situation update
Monthly operational update on health emergencies - December 2022
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Overview

The Monthly Operational is broadening its scope and now features articles on WHO’s work in all health emergencies, inclusive of the COVID-19 pandemic response.

In this edition of the Monthly Operational Update, highlights of country-level actions and WHO support to countries include: 

  • WHO and partners deploy medical personnel and supplies in solidarity with Tuvalu’s COVID-19 response effort in the Western Pacific region.
  • WHO and AIRA host workshops on the ‘co-design’ approach on content development for Infodemic management in Nigeria.
  • WHO/Europe carries out its Regional Joint Assessment and Detection of Events (JADE) simulation exercise for the first time since the pandemic.
  • WHO conducts an assessment visit in Bhutan, ahead of the installation of the country’s first onsite medical oxygen generation system.
  • A nurse’s role in counteracting myths about COVID-19 vaccination in Honduras: “We talked for an hour, and I managed to vaccinate them against COVID-19”.
  • Local health workers in the Philippines champion COVID-19 safety on remote islands.
  • Fostering and mentoring laboratory leaders in Central Africa.
  • WHO launches emergency-use protocol for tecovirimat to support mpox response efforts globally.
  • Peru responds to mpox by engaging affected communities.
  • The WHE Balkan Hub builds local and long-term public health capacity for mpox prevention and control.
  • WHO publishes public health advice on preventing and addressing stigma and discrimination related to mpox.
  • WHO contributes to cholera outbreaks response across the world.
  • WHO at the forefront of the cholera response in Lebanon.
  • WHO/Europe hosts a strategic and operational planning and Monitoring and Evaluation workshop for refugee-hosting countries responding to the crisis in Ukraine.
  • Rapid response teams bolster Uganda’s response to Ebola Disease Outbreak.
  • WHO undertakes a measles-rubella campaign to prevent disease outbreaks in flood-affected Pakistan.
  • Ethiopian Emergency Medical Teams provides support to drought-affected areas as part of its deployment.
  • Global Health Cluster conducts a successful first all-women Health Cluster leadership training.

 

WHO Team
Emergency Response (WRE)
Editors
WHO
Number of pages
20
Copyright
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO