When WHO lifted the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) status for COVID-19 on 5 May 2023, it signalled a transition from the acute phase of the pandemic towards a period of sustained response and recovery.
As part of this move, WHO/Europe published a regional transition plan in June 2023 that outlined a comprehensive roadmap for the year to May 2024. The key goal was to ensure resilient health systems, able to respond to future emergencies and maintain essential services at all times, through strategic and sustainable investment.
Now, 18 months on, WHO/Europe has published a new report identifying the milestones, lessons learned and challenges which occurred as part of the implementation of the WHO European Region COVID-19 transition plan.
Summing up the report, Nhu Nguyen Tran Minh, Manager for WHO/Europe’s Infectious Hazards Management programme area, part of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, said: “The implementation report paints a good picture of how the Organization and the Region have transitioned since the worst days of the pandemic, as well as showing us the extent to which COVID-19 surveillance and response systems have now been integrated into broader health security systems.
“However, while it shows that much has been achieved, it reveals that more still needs to be done to ensure we are better prepared for the next pandemic or health emergency,” he warned.
Strategic shifts to make the Region stronger
Within its transition plan, WHO/Europe identified 13 strategic “shifts” to be integrated in its routine work for supporting countries and communities, as Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe explains:
“These strategic shifts were designed through the lens of the 5 core subsystems of the global architecture for health emergency prevention, preparedness, response and resilience (HEPR) framework: build collaborative surveillance systems; enhance community protection; ensure safe and scalable care; enhance access to countermeasures; and strengthen effective emergency coordination. When combined, these were designed to help the Region emerge stronger from the COVID-19 emergency and better prepared for any future crisis.”
To measure how successful the transition was in these areas, 3 key indicators were defined:
Implementation challenges
One of the main challenges in implementing this plan has been the global move away from the COVID-19 pandemic as other pressing emergencies have emerged, resulting in reduced funding to sustain country support and to provide the same level of COVID-19 related capacity-building. Likewise, country willingness to invest in and implement recommended activities has also decreased, particularly in the areas of vaccine uptake and maintaining laboratory capacities.
Analysis
The study found that overall, the control of COVID-19 has largely been integrated into broader prevention and control measures for respiratory viruses, such as influenza and RSV. However, the gains from the pandemic response have only been sustained to a limited extent in day-to-day public health operations and health services.
Indeed, this is perhaps not surprising, as Dr Kluge acknowledged: “The COVID-19 pandemic response required extensive funding and human resources which were difficult to maintain once the PHEIC was lifted and other priorities took over. It has therefore not always been possible to retain many of the gains that were made during the period when the PHEIC was active. However, it would be a mistake for our Member States not to now do all they can to maintain and build on those gains that remain”