This Multi-Hazard Emergency Response Plan is a sectoral document designed to establish an effective and efficient framework for preventing, preparing for, and managing public health threats, with the overarching goal of reducing health risks, morbidity, and mortality and strengthening the resilience of Malawi’s public health system. The Plan sets out strategic objectives, operational guidelines, and resource allocation mechanisms to support timely, coordinated, and effective action during emergencies. It promotes collaboration, information sharing, local knowledge, and community engagement as essential elements for strengthening preparedness and response to a wide range of hazards. It also provides a legal and institutional framework for the prevention, detection, and management of public health emergencies, reflecting Malawi’s commitment to addressing health crises at both national and international levels. As a multisectoral framework, the Plan defines the processes for preparedness, response, and recovery, establishes the organizational arrangements for emergency management, and clarifies the roles and responsibilities of relevant stakeholders. The Plan sets out the following strategic objectives (i) provide clear guidance for timely alerting, detection, monitoring, rapid risk assessment, and grading of all public health emergencies at all levels; (ii) provide guidance on cooperation and coordination among relevant authorities to prevent, respond to, and mitigate outbreaks and other public health events at national, district, and community levels; (iii) provide guidance for the transition to post-emergency recovery and the management of the impacts of public health hazards; and (iv) undertake resource mapping and mobilization to ensure the availability of resources required to manage public health emergencies. The Plan adopts the One Health approach as a core framework for public health emergency preparedness and response by integrating human, animal and environmental health systems. It establishes multisectoral coordination mechanisms between the health sector, animal health authorities and environmental stakeholders, including collaboration through the health cluster, the National Disaster Preparedness and Relief Committee, and dedicated One Health coordination structures. Surveillance activities are expanded beyond human health to cover zoonotic diseases, animal health events, food-borne diseases, environmental hazards and antimicrobial resistance, supported by the One Health Surveillance Platform that integrates human, animal and environmental surveillance data. The Plan promotes joint disease detection, reporting, risk assessment and outbreak investigation through multidisciplinary Public Health Emergency Rapid Response Teams that include epidemiologists, clinicians, environmental health officers and animal health experts. It also strengthens veterinary laboratory networks, zoonotic disease surveillance, surveillance at points of entry, and electronic reporting systems linking multiple sectors. In addition, the Plan supports information sharing and coordinated response among relevant ministries and agencies, recognizes the need to improve coordination among One Health stakeholders at district level, and identifies the rollout of a One Health electronic surveillance platform and the integration of animal and human health data as key readiness and capacity-building measures for managing public health emergencies that affect people, animals and the environment.
ملاوي · 2023-01-01