A regional strategy for integrated disease surveillance: overcoming data fragmentation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Resolution REGIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE EM/RC68/R.3 EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN October 2021 Sixty-eighth session Agenda item 3(b) A regional strategy for integrated disease surveillance: overcoming data fragmentation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region The Regional Committee, Having reviewed the technical paper on a regional strategy for integrated disease surveillance: overcoming data fragmentation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region;1 Recalling World Health Assembly resolutions WHA71.1 on the Thirteenth General Programme of Work, 2019–2023, and its “triple billion” goal of one billion more people benefiting from universal health coverage, one billion more people being protected from health emergencies and one billion more people enjoying better health and well-being, WHA59.22 on emergency preparedness and response, WHA64.10 on strengthening national health emergency and disaster management capacities and the resilience of health systems, and WHA58.1 on health action in relation to crises and disasters, as well as Regional Committee resolution EM/RC59/R.3 on health systems strengthening; Recalling the conclusions of the 49th session of the Regional Committee , which recognized the benefits of an integrated surveillance approach; Concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, occurrence of epidemics and other public health emergencies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region with negative impacts on people’s health and livelihoods, as well as their social and economic burden on Member States; Concerned about the negative consequences of epidemics and other public health emergencies on vulnerable populations in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, who already experience a large burden of disease and are exposed to multiple public health risks; Recognizing the need to strengthen integrated disease surveillance as an integral part of building resilient health systems that can better address the potential impact of pandemics, epidemics and other health emergencies; Noting that regional and global health security depends on timely local actions to rapidly detect, report, confirm and respond to public health events at source; 1 EM/RC68/5. - 2 - Cognizant of current global and regional initiatives that present opportunities for strengthening national capacities for integrated disease surveillance as an integral part of enhancing national health information systems; Aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed serious gaps and weaknesses in countries’ surveillance capacities, as reported by the Review Committee on the Functioning of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) during the COVID-19 response, the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, and the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response during the Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly; Recognizing the cross-border, regional and global risks posed by emerging infectious diseases; 1. ADOPTS the regional strategy for integrated disease surveillance: overcoming data fragmentation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, as proposed in document EM/RC68/5; 2. URGES Member States to commit to taking the necessary steps to achieve effective, integrated national surveillance systems that connect to global surveillance systems by the end of 2025 through: 2.1 Establishing multisectoral governance and coordination mechanisms for integrated disease surveillance as the reference approach for national public health surveillance; 2.2 Allocating the necessary skilled human, infrastructure and financial resources in a sustained manner; 2.3 Choosing a reference electronic system for the collection, transmission, analysis and presentation of data, ensuring interoperability between existing ones or developing one de novo if needed; 2.4 Developing or updating technical guidance, standard operating procedures and innovative tools for implementing integrated disease surveillance; 2.5 Ensuring the diversification of sources of information in strengthening the event-based component of the surveillance system and in supporting the active participation of community members in detecting, reporting, responding to and monitoring health events; 2.6 Securing effective laboratory diagnosis capacity through a national public health laboratory policy and ensuring a single system to consolidate laboratory and epidemiological data; 2.7 Establishing mechanisms to use the results of the surveillance for decision-making; 2.8 Implementing a mechanism for monitoring and evaluation of the integrated disease surveillance system; and 2.9 Sharing information collected through integrated disease surveillance with WHO and partners on a timely and transparent basis, consistent with obligations under the IHR (2005); 3. REQUESTS the Regional Director to: 3.1 Integrate surveillance programmes within the Organization through a working group; 3.2 Provide Member States with guidelines, procedures, training and tools to support the integrated collection, management, analysis and dissemination of surveillance information; - 3 - 3.3 Provide technical expertise upon request by Member States to assess, plan, implement, monitor and evaluate national integrated disease surveillance; 3.4 Assist Member States in the development of a financing strategy, including (1) improving efficiencies and (2) raising domestic and international financial resources; 3.5 Mobilize technical and financial partners to support the integration of the various national surveillance systems; and 3.6 Report to the Regional Committee at its 70th and 72nd sessions on progress in implementing the strategy.