Eswatini Strengthens Emergency Response Capacity Following WHO Assessment

In response to the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2018, Eswatini has taken proactive measures to bolster its emergency response capabilities. The evaluation, conducted by global and local experts, identified significant gaps in the country’s capacity across various indicators, prompting a focused effort on addressing deficiencies in public health emergency management.

To bridge these gaps, 25 technical officers underwent specialized training in responding to emergencies, contributing to a pool of over 3000 emergency responders trained across the African region. Notably, the training included participants from Boitekanelo College in Botswana, who will undertake subsequent training in public health emergency management within their country.

Drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO African Region (AFRO) collaborated with the Africa CDC to launch an Emergency Preparedness and Response Flagship initiative. The initiative comprises three core components: Promoting Resilience of Systems for Emergencies (PROSE), Transforming African Surveillance Systems (TASS), and Strengthening and Utilising Response Groups for Emergencies (SURGE). These components focus on preparedness, detection, and response to emergencies, respectively, aiming to fortify the continent’s crisis response infrastructure.

In line with this initiative, WHO has been collaborating with member states to strengthen response infrastructure, emphasising Africa’s pivotal role in global health security. The AVoHC SURGE training, aimed at training 3000 African responders, stands as a key component of this initiative. These responders, at least 50 per country, are primed for deployment within 24 to 48 hours of an emergency.

Eswatini conducted its training between October and November 2023, graduating 26 participants equipped to serve as African Health Volunteers Corps (AVoHC) SURGE emergency responders. The training, facilitated by regional Public Health EOC Network technical officers, WHO Africa Region representatives, and the WHO country office, focused on honing core capacities and skills required to effectively manage public health emergencies.

The training was organized into two phases: the on-boarding phase, covering four modules, and specialised training specific to disciplines. Topics encompassed an introduction to the WHO emergency response framework, risk assessment, emergency management planning, legal frameworks, communication, procurement, and infection prevention and control (IPC). Employing participative methodologies with presentations, group work, and practical sessions, the training aimed to provide comprehensive knowledge and practical skills.

Dr. Velephi Okello, Director of Health Services, inaugurated the training, emphasising its importance, while Dr. Gcinile Buthelezi, Ministry of Health CDC COAG Chief of Party, closed the session. Dr. Buthelezi commended the technical and financial support from the World Bank and WHO, urging prioritisation of the remaining modules for Eswatini’s team to graduate phase one.

Speaking at the event, World Bank technical officer Tengetile Tsabedze highlighted the bank’s grant aimed at preparing Eswatini for future pandemics. She acknowledged the Ministry of Health’s commendable efforts in learning from COVID-19 and initiating preparedness for forthcoming health crises.

Dr. Susan Tembo, WHO Representative, underscored the criticality of building member states’ capacity to prevent, prepare for, detect, and respond to health emergencies, particularly in a region where numerous emergencies occur annually.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), Mr. Victor Mahlalela, affirmed NDMA’s commitment to supporting preparedness initiatives, aligning with the International Health Regulation (IHR) to bolster the country’s emergency response capacity.

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source: WHO+Africa