Preparedness 2.0

Preparedness 2.0 is the new 5-year regional strategy and action plan to strengthen health emergency preparedness, response and resilience in the WHO European Region (2024–2029). It renews focus on strengthening health security capacities in the Region and aligns with relevant strategies and ongoing processes and work streams on strengthening the health security architecture at all levels.

Preparedness 2.0 is a strategic framework that suggests targeted actions for Member States and the WHO Secretariat for the next 5 years. It supports countries in enhancing capacities enabling agile health systems to manage the “dual track” – entailing the maintenance of essential health services while effectively managing the emergency response.

The Preparedness 2.0 Strategy and Action Plan is not a legally binding document. It compiles a set of recommended actions for Members States and the WHO Secretariat. Preparedness 2.0 relies on political commitment and engagement of Member States, which will be essential for its success.

The Preparedness 2.0 Strategy and Action Plan is targeted at national stakeholders in charge of strategic planning in the fields of emergency preparedness, response and resilience.

The Preparedness 2.0 Implementation Support Guide aims to support technical teams in navigating best practice in the development and strengthening of efforts for enhanced preparedness, response, resilience and recovery related to health and other all-hazard emergencies.

Preparedness 2.0 is not a static set of guidelines but a dynamic framework that integrates efforts across various WHO programmes into actionable steps. It is designed to be adaptable to different national contexts and governance arrangements, ensuring that all Member States, regardless of their health system’s maturity or economic status, can build and maintain robust emergency preparedness and response capabilities.

The Preparedness 2.0 Strategy and Action Plan should be read together with its Implementation Support Guide. The Implementation Support Guide compiles resources, guidance and tools that are important and useful in meeting the objectives and implementing the actions detailed in the Strategy and Action Plan.

The Implementation Support Guide provides a compilation of existing guidance and tools that support operationalizing the Strategy and Action Plan. It is a go-to tool that is designed to be read alongside the Strategy and Action Plan and was designed to support technical teams in navigating best practice in the development and strengthening of efforts for enhanced preparedness, response, resilience and recovery related to health and other all-hazard emergencies. Preparedness 2.0 is a living document, and its Implementation Support Guide will be regularly updated.

NAPHS is a national action plan to strengthen national health security, while Preparedness 2.0 is a strategic framework that suggests targeted actions for Member States to strengthen health emergency preparedness, response and resilience. One such action for Members States, which have not done so already, is to develop and implement a NAPHS. Therefore, NAPHS and Preparedness 2.0 are fully aligned and complement each other.

Implementation of Preparedness 2.0 is monitored through the mandatory States Parties Self-Assessment Annual Report in accordance with Article 54 of the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005), and through other established and voluntary monitoring and evaluation tools outlined in the IHR Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

The use of these and other existing tools and approaches avoids duplication and additional administrative burden for Member States. In addition, routinely collected monitoring and evaluation data will be used to update the Implementation Support Guide to ensure the relevance and contextual accuracy of Preparedness 2.0.

The collective implementation of Preparedness 2.0 will be evaluated by the Preparedness 2.0 Secretariat and presented to the WHO Regional Committee for Europe through a midterm report at its 77th session in 2027 and through a final report at its 79th session in 2029.