The World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region (SEAR), encompassing 11 Member States with diverse sociocultural contexts, houses a quarter of the global population. South-East Asia Region is vulnerable to outbreaks of endemic diseases as well as emerging and re-emerging diseases, infectious diseases, conflicts, food safety issues, antimicrobial resistance, and chemical or radio-nuclear incidents. Additionally, the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters compound vulnerabilities. Climate change leads to more intense and frequent extreme weather events and environmental conditions, such as El Niño and La Niña, and rising sea level disproportionately affect many Member States in this Region.. Factors like rapid urbanization, aging populations, and unplanned development contribute to diminished resilience. Addressing acute emergencies in SEAR requires robust readiness and response mechanisms.

The Emergency Operations (EMO) unit within the World Health Emergencies (WHE) in SEAR adopts a multifaceted approach in strengthening coordination, scaling health emergency workforce capacities, operational support and mobilizing logistics for efficiently responding to health emergencies. EMO invests in building the capacity of health systems, training personnel, and strengthening infrastructure to respond effectively during crisis. EMO collaborates closely with Member States and both national and international partners to address the health needs of the affected population and support the national health authorities in efficiently managing emergencies.

Acute emergencies responded recently in South-East Asia Region of WHO:

• Earthquake, Myanmar, March 2025
• Measles Outbreak, Sri Lanka, November 2023
• Earthquake, Nepal, November 2023
• Dengue outbreak, Bangladesh, August 2023
• Cyclone Mocha, Myanmar, 2023
• Circulating vaccine Derived Polio Virus type 2 (cVDPV2), Indonesia, November 2022