Resource Library

Joint External Evaluations (JEE)

Reviewing Health Security Capacities in Nigeria Using the Updated WHO Joint External Evaluation and WHO Benchmarks Tool: Experience from a Country-Led Self-Assessment Exercise

Health Security

Nigeria’s experience with a self-assessment of pandemic preparedness underscored the need for investment and stakeholder involvement to strengthen health systems. Writing for Health Security, our colleagues at Nigeria Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reviewed Nigeria’s experience conducting a midterm self-assessment of its pandemic preparedness using a modified World Health Organization (WHO) Joint External Evaluation (JEE) framework and the WHO benchmarks tool. The assessment identified improvements in 11 out of 19 technical areas between 2017 and 2019 and culminated in the development of a 12-month operational plan aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s pandemic readiness.

Protecting the world from infectious disease threats: now or never

BMJ Global Health

There is an urgent need for global cooperation, leadership, and sustainable financing to address critical gaps in health preparedness as revealed by the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Joint External Evaluation (JEE). Writing in BMJ Global Health, experts at Resolve to Save Lives highlight the results of WHO’s JEE process, in which 100 countries assessed their ability to handle epidemics and ultimately identified over 7,000 priority actions to address critical gaps. Despite these diagnoses, few actions have been addressed, exposing significant vulnerabilities in global health systems. We emphasize the urgency of strengthening core capacities such as laboratory surveillance and workforce training, as well as the need for global coordination, donor support, and effective leadership to ensure readiness for future outbreaks, as well as more sustainable, long-term financing to bolster public health infrastructure.

Nigeria’s joint external evaluation and national action plan for health security

Health Security

Nigeria’s adoption of the World Health Organization’s Joint External Evaluation (JEE) and National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) will strengthen its national health security efforts. Writing in Health Security, experts at Resolve to Save Lives document the process of completing a JEE with partners in Nigeria in 2017 and subsequently creating a NAPHS to improve prevention, detection, and response in 2018. The process included developing a 5-year implementation plan, creating management teams, drafting outbreak legislation and training professionals at subnational and local levels. Strategic use of international assistance, coupled with reviews of major outbreaks, will strengthen Nigeria’s ability to prevent and respond to health security threats, and regular review and adaptation of its 5-year plan will be essential to ensure sustained progress.

Investing in global health security: Estimating cost requirements for country-level capacity building

PLOS Global Public Health

A targeted investment of $124 billion over five years will enable 196 countries to strengthen their core capacities across the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Joint External Evaluation (JEE) indicators. Writing in PLOS Global Public Health, experts at Resolve to Save Lives estimated the costs required to strengthen country-level health security and identified associated cost drivers. The cost of building public health capacity was estimated based on investments needed, per country, to progress towards “demonstrated capacity” across all WHO JEE indicators. Personnel costs, including skilled health, public health, and animal health workers, are the single most influential cost driver, comprising 66% of total costs. These findings provide cost estimates to inform ongoing health security financing discussions at the global level and highlight the significant need for sustainable financing mechanisms.

Building National Health Security Through a Rapid Self-Assessment and Annual Operational Plan in Uganda, May to September 2021

Health Security

While long-term planning for health security is indispensable, focused short-term operational planning can be a tremendous asset for developing actionable and realistic strategies to improve readiness for public health emergencies. Despite limited funding and an overwhelming list of action items, Uganda successfully enhanced its epidemic readiness by 20% with a focused 1-year operational plan developed after a rapid self-assessment, tackling 72 of the 264 activities in their 5-year NAPHS. By concentrating on a smaller number of high-impact activities, Uganda demonstrated that it is possible to strengthen long-term health security capacities with focused short-term planning, showcasing a model for other countries facing similar challenges.

Association Between Preparedness and Response Measures and COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality

medRxiv

The COVID-19 pandemic was the most disruptive global health crisis in a century. Analysis of publicly available data by experts from Resolve to Save Lives revealed that alongside preparedness capacities, governance and leadership capacities independently contributed to lower COVID-19 cases and deaths. Both preparedness and governance are essential for effective pandemic control, requiring stronger public health systems and leadership.

Joint External Evaluation

Resolve to Save Lives

An overview of the Joint External Evaluation (JEE).

Évaluation Externe Conjointe

Resolve to Save Lives

Fiche d’information sur l’évalution externe conjointe (EEC).