Outbreak response capacity of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network across WHO’s South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions

Authors

  • Amy Elizabeth Parry Department of Applied Epidemiology, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, College of Health and Medicine, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6641-7149
  • Sai Campbell Department of Applied Epidemiology, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, College of Health and Medicine, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5231-0869
  • Stefan Thottunkal Department of Applied Epidemiology, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, College of Health and Medicine, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3277-8610
  • Partha Pratim Mandal World Health Organization South-East Asia Regional Office, New Delhi, India
  • Sharon Salmon World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines; Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australia, Canberra, Australia; UNSW Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5365/wpsar.2024.15.5.1109

Keywords:

health workforce, emergencies, training programs, outbreak response, deployment, COVID-19 pandemic, Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network

Abstract

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic challenged the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network’s (GOARN) mechanism used to rapidly deploy technical support for international responses and highlighted areas that require strengthened capacity within the Network. GOARN’s partners in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions were engaged to explore their levels of preparedness, readiness and ability to respond to international public health emergencies.

Methods: Consultative discussions were held and a survey was conducted with GOARN’s partners from the two WHO regions. Discussion topics included partners’ capacity to support and participate in a GOARN deployment, training, research and collaboration. Descriptive and content analyses were conducted.

Results: Barriers to engaging in GOARN’s international outbreak response efforts included limited numbers of personnel trained to respond to outbreaks; institutional, financial and administrative hurdles; and limited collaboration opportunities. Partners identified innovative solutions that could strengthen their engagement with deployment, such as financial subsidies, mentorship for less experienced staff, and the ability to provide remote support.

Discussion: GOARN plays an important role in enabling WHO to fulfil its international alert and response duties during disease outbreaks and humanitarian crises that have the potential to spark disease outbreaks. Yet without systematic improvement to strengthen national outbreak capacity and regional connectedness, support for international outbreak responses may remain limited. Thus, it is necessary to integrate novel approaches to support international deployments, as identified in this study.

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Published

12-08-2024

How to Cite

1.
Parry AE, Campbell S, Thottunkal S, Mandal PP, Salmon S. Outbreak response capacity of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network across WHO’s South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions. Western Pac Surveill Response J [Internet]. 2024 Aug. 12 [cited 2026 Apr. 7];15(5). Available from: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/1109

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 5 (2024): Special Edition: Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN)

Section

Original Research

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