Public well being emergencies arising from multi hazards and threats proceed to be a significant concern, particularly within the African Area with greater than 100 public well being emergencies reported and responded to yearly.
To boost swift, efficient and coordinated prevention, preparation, response and restoration to those emergencies, the Worldwide Well being Rules suggest the institution of a useful Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) to function the ‘nerve centre’ for preparation and response to public well being emergencies.
Mauritius strives to have a longtime PHEOC with a well-established incident command and management system, with the mandatory effectively educated core workforce, examined normal working procedures, effectively outfitted bodily facility the place outcomes from surveillance and/or early detection of alerts could be managed in a well timed method and result in swift and efficient response of public well being emergencies to subsequently cut back the well being and socio- financial burden on the nation.
To this intention, the MOHW and WHO joined forces over the last quarter of 2023 to develop an operational handbook with key normal working procedures, triggers for activation, a communication tree and a system for incident administration. Following the event of those programs and procedures, nationwide key stakeholders were educated so {that a} essential mass of educated, expert and skilled emergency managers and responders could be obtainable on a everlasting foundation on the Ministry of Well being and Wellness and in every area to deal with any emergencies. Upon completion of the coaching, the operational handbook and key normal operational procedures had been examined by means of a tabletop train for validation.
As well as, Mauritius has now recognized the mandatory bodily infrastructure to accommodate the very first Public Health Emergency Operation Center that may also have direct collaboration with the Nationwide Emergency Operation Center (NEOC).
This intense work occurred during the last three months of the 12 months 2023, culminating within the coaching and simulation train. The following step is for all paperwork to be cleared by increased authorities in order that operationalization of the centre could be efficient in 2024.