About the programme area
Every year over 100 acute public health emergencies occur in the African region. Through the Health Emergency Information and Risk Assessment (HIM) Programme area, WHO is committed to achieving one simple yet ambitious goal: to make the African Regional Office a reference point and source of knowledge for all public health emergencies in the African region. To achieve this, the HIM programme area is focused on delivering on three functional areas:
- Detection, Verification and Risk Assessment: to detect events early, the HIM Programme continuously monitor both indicator- and event-based surveillance sources and undertake risk assessments on priority events to guide a timely public health response to outbreaks and other emergencies.
- Health Operations Monitoring & Data Collection: to facilitate an effective response to outbreaks and other emergencies, the HIM Programme works to develop and disseminate tools, standards, guidance documents and other applications that can be deployed in emergencies to assist in the monitoring and evaluation of the event and public health response.
- Data Management Analytics & Products : the HIM Programme works to provide accurate and timely strategic information on outbreaks and other emergencies for evidence-based response, and enhances the visibility of the work of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme through:
- The development and maintenance of systems for routine management and analyses of health emergency data and information
- The regular production, publication and dissemination of authoritative information products on current and past outbreaks and other emergencies in the region.
For further information, please contact:
Dr Benido Impouma
Programme Area Manager, Health Emergency Information & Risk Assessment
WHO Health Emergencies Programme / WHO Regional Office for Africa
Email: impoumab [at] who.int (impoumab[at]who[dot]int)