Government officials tasked with strengthening national preparedness for health emergencies face operational, technical and political challenges. Their success is largely dependent on their ability to juggle competing demands and emergencies, work across governance sectors, build collaborative systems and manage multiple frameworks, but there are limited opportunities to develop these capacities, engage in practical learning and come together with colleagues focused on similar goals.
PMEP—Program Management for Epidemic Preparedness—is a leadership and management program that provides teams with thoughtful peer exchange and practical learning to accelerate epidemic preparedness. More than 350 health security leaders from 47 countries have benefited from the program, which just completed a five-day regional training in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
From June 16-20, 34 participants from six countries—and four RTSL partners—WHO EMRO, WHO AFRO, WHO HQ and Africa CDC—spent five days together, doing a deep dive into topics including domestic financing for health security, implementing 7-1-7 and maintaining National Action Planning for Health Security (NAPHS) monitoring systems.
“This training expanded my perspective by shifting my focus from technical preparedness to a more strategic, systems-based approach,” said Dr. Omera Naseer, a senior scientist at Pakistan’s National Institute of Health. “I gained practical skills in stakeholder engagement, resource alignment and tools like the RACI matrix and NAPHS monitoring systems.”
Several participants mentioned that the training provided invaluable insights into power structures. “One thing I’ll definitely be sharing with colleagues is [the importance of] including all stakeholders,” said Emmanuel Ladu Legge Loro, director of pollution control and One Health focal point at South Sudan’s National Ministry of Environment and Forestry. “We have to recognize hidden powers…and the diversity, talent and strength that people have.”