The NDC will bring together members and partners from across the WHO European Region for a 2-day online strategy conference on 24 and 26 November 2025. The NDC is a member-driven platform that fosters collaboration and peer learning among its members – national public health institutions, ministries of health and partners – to enhance regional health security. It supports countries in aligning practices, sharing knowledge and advancing collective preparedness under WHO/Europe’s Preparedness 2.0 framework.
From collaboration to strategy: enabling the next chapter of regional health security
The upcoming strategy conference represents a pivotal step in shaping the NDC’s first 5-year strategy (2026–2030), a framework that will define its mission, outcomes and priorities for strengthening collective preparedness and response capacities across the Region.
Hosted by the WHO European Centre for Preparedness for Humanitarian and Health Emergencies in Istanbul, Türkiye, the virtual conference will serve as a participatory forum where members, affiliates and partners will review the draft mission statement, discuss the theory of change guiding the strategy, and identify the enabling conditions required for effective collaboration. Through this process, participants will help shape a shared vision for how the NDC can translate peer learning, trust and collaboration into stronger systems for preparedness and response.
The strategy will consolidate the NDC’s role as a facilitative, member-driven platform, connecting national public health institutes, academia, civil society and international partners. Its 3 working groups – Collaborative Surveillance, Emergency Coordination, and Access to Countermeasures – will continue to act as engines for thematic collaboration and structured peer exchange, ensuring coherence across sectors and alignment with WHO/Europe’s Preparedness 2.0 and Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience (HEPR) frameworks.
By early 2026, the strategy will be finalized and presented to the NDC Steering Group for endorsement. It will serve as a living framework guiding member-led action plans and regional initiatives through 2030, ensuring that the NDC remains agile, inclusive and responsive to emerging health threats.
WHO/Europe’s work on advancing preparedness through networks
The NDC is an initiative to support the operationalization of Preparedness 2.0, WHO/Europe’s regional strategy and action plan to strengthen health emergency preparedness, response and resilience in the WHO European Region. By connecting institutions, facilitating learning and promoting coherence across borders, the NDC supports countries in anticipating, detecting and responding to health threats collectively, reinforcing regional solidarity and shared accountability for health security.