Joint external evaluation of the International Health Regulations (2005) core capacities of Eswatini Mission report23–27 September 2024

Overview

The International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) are legally binding regulations developed by the World Health Organization. They are aimed at helping countries prevent, detect and respond to public health risks that have the potential to cross borders and affect international health. A critical component of the IHR monitoring and evaluation framework is the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) tool, 3rd edition. This voluntary assessment tool evaluates a country’s progress in meeting the core capacities outlined in the IHR 2005. It serves as a mechanism for countries to measure their capacity to handle public health risks, as well as identify strengths and weaknesses in their public health systems. The JEE process includes both self-assessment and external expert evaluation, providing a realistic overview of how a country is performing in relation to the IHR 2005. The agreed-upon scores assigned in the JEE serve as benchmarks that countries can use to measure progress over time and make targeted improvements.

Eswatini’s public health system has made significant progress over recent years, primarily through the adoption of a multisectoral approach to health security. This approach brings together key sectors such as agriculture, environment, health, security forces and others to ensure a coordinated response to public health risks. Central to these efforts is the Eswatini Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC), which was established in response to lessons learned from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The PHEOC serves as the country’s primary hub for coordinating preparedness and response activities, ensuring real-time communication and decision-making during emergencies.