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.
