MoHP and WHO finalize SOPs for HEOCs to strengthen emergency preparedness in Nepal

Dhulikhel, Bagmati province - The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), and WHO Country Office for Nepal, organized a two-day workshop on 16-17 January to finalize two key documents supporting the overall public health emergency management strategy in Nepal: Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Health Emergency Operation Center (HEOC) and Public Health Emergency Management Directive. Officials from MoHP, HEOC, provincial ministries and health directorates, and Provincial HEOCs (PHEOCs) reviewed and refined the guidelines, to enhance coordination with clearly defined responsibilities and communication protocols. The SOP, in line with the recommendations from the Joint External Evaluation, will serve as a foundational framework for HEOCs, strengthening their capacity to manage emergencies effectively and fostering improved synergy across emergency and non-emergency settings. The finalized SOP for HEOC and directive, incorporating feedback from key stakeholders, will be submitted to the Minister of Health and Population for approval. A framework outline for the SOP of PHEOCs was also formulated in the workshop. WHO will continue to support the orientation, capacity building and testing of these documents at various levels once they receive official endorsement. This activity was supported by the European Commission.