27 September 2024, Salalah, Oman – Strengthening global health security requires a coordinated response to public health emergencies. Recognizing this, the World Health Organization's Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean conducted a subregional training workshop in Salalah, Oman, focused on enhancing the capacities of national International Health Regulations (IHR) focal points.
Held from 22 to 26 September 2024, the training brought together 27 participants from 7 countries – Iraq, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen – alongside WHO country office representatives and regional experts.
The workshop aimed to equip IHR national focal points with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively detect, assess and respond to public health events. Through a combination of interactive presentations and simulation exercises, participants gained a deeper understanding of:
IHR legal frameworks and the legal obligations and global standards that underpin international public health security;
emergency response optimization – assessing and refining existing national and cross-border emergency response mechanisms to enhance preparedness; and
real-world application – applying IHR principles in practical scenarios through simulation exercises, strengthening IHR focal points’ ability to manage complex health crises.
The goal of the training was to equip IHR national focal points with the knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of international public health law and ensure a coordinated response to global health threats. By strengthening their familiarity with IHR responsibilities, including timely reporting and the effective management of health threats, national focal points are better prepared to contribute to global health security.
The training underscored the importance of international collaboration and evidence-based approaches to preventing disease spread and minimizing disruptions to travel and trade. By promoting a unified approach to health emergencies, it has paved the way to a more robust and collaborative response to future health threats.
As well as enhancing national capacities, the subregional training helped foster stronger collaboration between countries and WHO. It represents a significant step towards ensuring that national focal points across the Eastern Mediterranean Region are equipped to play a leading role in strengthening global health security.
