Epidemic Prevention

Legal

Laws and regulations should make epidemic prevention and response more effective—not slow it down.

The challenge

Without the right legal frameworks, administrative barriers can delay critical action against epidemic threats, putting lives and livelihoods at risk.  

The solution

Our legal experts partner with governments and civil society organizations to strengthen legal frameworks, aligning national laws with global standards and country-specific needs.  

The impact

Stronger legal frameworks empower governments to act swiftly and effectively to stop infectious disease outbreaks and prevent epidemics.   

Legal strategy in action

More stories 

Participants in "Law & Health Security: Strengthening Nigeria's Legal Preparedness."

How Kano became the first state in Nigeria to pass landmark health security law

Kano is the first state in Nigeria to adopt comprehensive subnational health security legislation.

The Gambia: modernizing laws to enable public health action

Effective COVID-19 response means having not only necessary equipment but also laws.

Explore

12 characteristics of an effective public health emergency law

Our guide to support policymakers with the design of effective public health laws and legal frameworks.  (PDF)

NCDC’s Legal Adviser, Safiya Musa, represented by Amira Abubakar, facilitates a session highlighting Nigeria's legal preparedness activities.

The amended international health regulations: Implications and challenges for domestic legal frameworks

Our paper highlights how recent IHR amendments strengthen multisectoral coordination and subnational action to improve national health security.

Cédric Aperce, Senior Legal Advisor at Resolve to Save Lives, delivers a session on the role of law in health security.

Partners

World Health Organisation (WHO)

Benchmarks for health emergencies

We partner with the World Health Organization to standardize best practices for preparedness, including developing a benchmarking tool to simplify and accelerate preparedness planning under International Health Regulations.

The cost of health care worker infections

In our advocacy efforts to protect health care workers, we released a joint report with the World Bank to calculate the true cost of health care worker infections during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as wider socioeconomic implications.

How the right laws and regulations save lives

Robust legal systems protect communities from the devastating impacts of epidemics by providing governments with the authority and flexibility needed to:  

  • Respond swiftly and effectively to emergencies 
  • Maintain preparedness during non-crisis periods 
  • Coordinate action across multiple sectors 
  • Balance risk with potential socioeconomic impacts 
  • Support statutory financing 

How we support laws and regulations 

Our legal team supports countries in creating, revising and implementing laws that address country-specific contexts and comply with global health security standards.  

We use a collaborative approach to support governments to strengthen health security legal frameworks at national and subnational levels. We work with our partners to:   

  • Map and assess  
    In-depth evaluations of existing laws identify gaps and barriers that limit effective epidemic prevention and response.  
  • Engage stakeholders  
    Engaging government officials, local lawyers, civil society and community leaders ensures that legal reforms are inclusive, practical and widely supported.  
  • Draft and amend 
    Technical assistance to governments in drafting or amending laws in close partnership with their local counterparts prioritizes clarity, flexibility and alignment with global standards.

Our partners have passed landmark health security bills and demonstrated improvements in their Joint External Evaluation (JEE) and State Party Self-Assessment Annual Reporting (SPAR) scores, reflecting stronger national health security.