Joint external evaluation of the International Health Regulations (‎2005)‎ core capacities of Bangladesh: mission report, 07-11 July 2024

Overview

Eight years after completing its first Joint External Evaluation (JEE) in 2016, Bangladesh remains at the forefront of demonstrating strong leadership in International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR (2005)) competencies and pandemic preparedness. Having completed its second JEE with the updated Version 3 tool, the country continues to strengthen its capacity through a multisectoral One Health approach, which emphasizes collaboration across the human, animal and environmental health sectors. This JEE mission represents the 157th globally, and Bangladesh is one of 19 countries to have completed a second evaluation. Noteworthy achievements include Bangladesh's exceptional immunization programme, receiving top scores in all indicators, as well as its proactive response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the country successfully vaccinated over 83% of its population. The use of veterinary laboratories for surge testing during the pandemic serves as an excellent example of the One Health approach in action, leading to more efficient outcomes. These accomplishments reflect Bangladesh's commitment to continuous improvement in health security, making it a regional leader in implementing IHR obligations and enhancing pandemic preparedness.