Ensuring Health Security in the African Region: WHO Emergency Preparedness and Response Progress Report (Q2, 2023)
The World Health Organization African Region (WHO AFRO) carries the highest burden of public health emergencies globally, with more than 100 events occurring annually. These emergencies often severely impact vulnerable populations, strain fragile healthcare systems, disrupt essential health services, and threaten economies. WHO AFRO supports Member States to prepare for, detect, and respond to public health emergencies while working simultaneously to address systemic inadequacies in the health emergency architecture. This report summarizes progress in implementing emergency preparedness and response (EPR) programs across the African region in the second quarter of 2023.