Emergency ready primary health care operational guide
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World Health Organization
Abstract
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xi, 70 p.
Health emergencies are increasing in frequency, complexity and interconnectedness, placing growing demands on health systems and exposing critical gaps at the frontline of care. This framework presents an approach to strengthening primary health care (PHC) systems so they can effectively prevent, detect and respond to emergencies while maintaining essential services. It defines emergency-ready PHC as a system capable of delivering rapid detection and response, safe service provision and the ability to manage surges in demand under crisis conditions across the full emergency cycle. The document outlines four interdependent capacities—connect, detect, protect and treat—structured within an all-hazards approach that integrates community engagement, surveillance, infection prevention and control, case management and continuity of care. It examines how these capacities function as an integrated cycle embedded in routine PHC operations, supported by governance, workforce, infrastructure and information systems. Aligned with global health security and PHC frameworks, it describes implementation considerations across different contexts and system levels, including roles, financing and monitoring. A complementary operational guide provides practical tools to support contextualized application. Intended for policymakers, health managers and frontline actors, the framework supports countries in embedding emergency readiness into everyday PHC practice to strengthen resilience, equity and continuity of care.
Health emergencies are increasing in frequency, complexity and interconnectedness, placing growing demands on health systems and exposing critical gaps at the frontline of care. This framework presents an approach to strengthening primary health care (PHC) systems so they can effectively prevent, detect and respond to emergencies while maintaining essential services. It defines emergency-ready PHC as a system capable of delivering rapid detection and response, safe service provision and the ability to manage surges in demand under crisis conditions across the full emergency cycle. The document outlines four interdependent capacities—connect, detect, protect and treat—structured within an all-hazards approach that integrates community engagement, surveillance, infection prevention and control, case management and continuity of care. It examines how these capacities function as an integrated cycle embedded in routine PHC operations, supported by governance, workforce, infrastructure and information systems. Aligned with global health security and PHC frameworks, it describes implementation considerations across different contexts and system levels, including roles, financing and monitoring. A complementary operational guide provides practical tools to support contextualized application. Intended for policymakers, health managers and frontline actors, the framework supports countries in embedding emergency readiness into everyday PHC practice to strengthen resilience, equity and continuity of care.
Keywords
Primary Health Care, Emergencies, Disaster Planning, Delivery of Health Care, Health Planning, Health Policy, Program Development, Organizational Innovation, Health Services Accessibility, Public Health Practice, Community Participation, Public Health Surveillance, Risk Assessment, Financing, Government, Leadership, Guideline, organization and administration, standards, methods, prevention and control