Meeting Report: Inaugural Emergency Preparedness & Response Technical Advisory Group (EPR-TAG) Meeting Saly, Senegal 16-18 July 2024
The EPR-TAG is an independent advisory body to WHO/AFRO, offering strategic guidance on health emergency preparedness, detection, and response. During its inaugural meeting in Saly, Senegal (16-18 July 2024), the TAG generated recommendations endorsed by the Regional Director. Recommendations span five priority areas:
- Global developments in emergency preparedness and response (INB-IHR, Pandemic Fund)
- Sustainable health workforce for emergencies
- Immunization in humanitarian and emergency settings
- Measuring preparedness
- Collaborative surveillance
One key recommendation centers on measles. Aligned with recent advice from the Regional Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (RITAG), the EPR-TAG recommends that AFRO request a convening of experts to consider whether rising measles cases across the Region constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Another timely recommendation calls for WHO/AFRO to strengthen African Member State representation in global negotiations around a Pandemic Accord, in collaboration with the African Union. Additional recommendations focus on bolstering existing systems and programs, such as enhancing the sustainability of health emergency workforce efforts through collaboration with African Universities, addressing gaps in surveillance and simplifying the tools that are used to measure emergency preparedness.
