Risk analysis and documentation of major health emergencies and factors contributing to health system resilience in East and Southern Africa
An increased risk of health emergencies has been reported in the East and Southern Africa Region. Many infectious diseases are widespread, such as cholera, malaria and measles and other humanitarian crises also affect the region. These health emergencies impact both outbreak response efforts and delivery of routine healthcare activities by increasing inequalities and yielding a negative impact on the overall health of the populations. The COVID-19 pandemic has further burdened the already precarious health systems.
The project aimed to identify the major risks faced by countries in order to improve emergency preparedness and strengthen the resilience of immunization programs for epidemics and health emergencies, while maintaining primary health care services.
To achieve this objective, we conducted a risk analysis of epidemics and other humanitarian crises in 7 countries in the region, and developed a risk-ranking tool for use by national managers. We assessed the impact of COVID-19 on health services and identified factors that foster continuity of services. The recommendations will enable country teams to put in place appropriate measures to contribute to the resilience of health services.
