IHR (2005) SPAR core capacity scores for food safety

Score

In response to the Seventy-third World Health Assembly resolution on “Strengthening efforts on food safety” (WHA73.5), the WHO global strategy for food safety 2022–2030 (GSFS) was adopted in 2022. The GSFS includes three high-level targets, two of which rely on data collected from the revised International Health Regulations (IHR) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. Data obtained through the IHR State Party Self-Assessment Annual Reporting Tool (SPAR) is used as a source for the capacity indicator on multisectoral collaboration mechanism for food safety events, with a target of 100% of countries with at least 80% capacity by 2030. To learn more about the SPAR, please visit: https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/sdgihr2021.

Percentage of the core capacity scores for food safety that have been attained at a specific point in time. Food safety is one of the 15 capacities defined under the IHR (2005).

Core capacity: the essential public health capacity that States Parties are required to have in place throughout their territories pursuant to Articles 5 and 12, and Annex 1A of the IHR (2005) requirements by the year 2012. Fifteen core capacities and 35 indicators are defined in this document. Indicator: a variable that can be measured repeatedly (directly or indirectly) over time to reveal change in a system. It can be qualitative or quantitative, allowing the objective measurement of the progress of a programme or event. The quantitative measurements need to be interpreted in the broader context, taking other sources of information (e.g. supervisory reports and special studies) into consideration and they should be supplemented with qualitative information. Attributes: one of a set of specific elements or characteristics that reflect the level of performance or achievement of a specific indicator. The capability levels: each attribute has been assigned a level of maturity, or a ‘capability level.’ Attainment of a given capability level requires that all attributes at lower levels are in place. In the checklist, the status of core capacity development is measured at five capability levels, each of the 5 levels used is described by specific indicators, according to related capacity.

WHO receives the data sent from each State Party by the designated National IHR Focal Point (NFP) or designated officers who have access to the e-SPAR page for online reporting. After submission of data by States Parties, WHO acknowledges receipt and reviews all data received, in coordination with WHO Regional and Country Offices, and produces a global report to be submitted for adoption by the World Health Assembly. All data are recorded safely in the e-SPAR platform and are available through the e-SPAR webpage.

Computation Method: INDICATOR LEVEL. The score is based on the assessment of a level of performance for food safety indicators on a scale of 1 to 5. When processed, the score of each indicator level is classified as a percentage of performance along the scores 1-5. For example, for a country selecting level 3 for indicator 13.1, the indicator level will be expressed as: 3/5 x 100=60%.

Aggregate of each score per indicator/capacity, by country/number of countries submitted the questionnaire out of the 196 IHR State Parties by WHO administrative regions or other groups.

Annual

Annual

fbd-burden@who.int

Charlee Roberts

1) States Parties interpret the SPAR tool differently based on their contexts. 2) It relies on self-assessment and self-reporting by the State Party. 3) The questionnaire was revised in 2018 and has been used for reporting in 2018 and 2019 with the same format, differing from the questionnaire used from 2010-2017. This change limits the comparison of scores between reports from the 2010-2017 period and those after 2018.