Regional Roadmap and Strategic Action Framework for implementing National Respiratory Pathogen Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plans (2026–2031)
Overview
The WHO South-East (SE) Asia Region, home to nearly two billion people, remains highly susceptible to respiratory pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential. Recurrent, global public health emergencies, including influenza outbreaks, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‑CoV), avian influenza and, most recently, COVID‑19, have demonstrated the profound health, social and economic consequences of epidemics and pandemics, as well as the urgent need for strengthened, sustained and integrated preparedness systems. These risks are further exacerbated by the Region’s high population density, rapid urbanization, environmental and climate changes, and extensive cross-border mobility.
Recognizing that many respiratory pathogens of pandemic potential are zoonotic, the Regional Roadmap and Strategic Action Framework for implementing national respiratory pathogen pandemic preparedness and response plans (2026–2031) adopts a One Health approach, integrating human, animal and environmental health systems to strengthen early detection, risk assessment and coordinated response.
Over the past decade, Member States have made significant progress in strengthening pandemic preparedness, including the development of national influenza pandemic preparedness plans (NIPPPs), expansion of surveillance and laboratory networks, and improvements in emergency response coordination. The COVID‑19 pandemic accelerated many of these efforts, resulting in enhanced capacities for surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, clinical management and vaccine delivery. However, evidence from implementation of International Health Regulations (2005) [IHR (2005)] Joint External Evaluations (JEE), States Parties Self-Assessment Annual Reporting (SPAR), risk assessments using Strategic Toolkit for Assessing Risks (STAR), intra‑action reviews (IARs), after‑action reviews (AARs) and simulation exercises (SimExes) continues to highlight persistent and systemic gaps.
