Distinguished Member State representatives
Development partners and technical experts
Partners from civil societies organizations,
Colleagues from sister UN agencies
WHO colleagues
A very good morning and good afternoon to you all.
We gather today at an important moment for health emergency preparedness and response in our WHO South-East Asia Region.
Our region is among the most disaster-prone in the world. Each year, we are confronted with the harsh reality of frequent infectious disease outbreaks, climate-driven hazards, and humanitarian emergencies. These test the limits of our communities and health systems.
The recent past has brought this into stark focus. Through COVID-19, dengue, Nipah virus, floods and earthquakes, we have faced difficult challenges but also shown our resilience. These emergencies have not only strained public health systems, but have also deepened inequities. Unfortunately, as we know, these emergencies disproportionately affect the most vulnerable and underserved.
Amid these challenges, one truth is increasingly clear:
A prepared and capable health emergency workforce, ready to prevent, detect and respond, is not just a technical requirement—it is a cornerstone of resilience and response.
This consultation is not merely about drafting another strategy document. It is about crafting a shared vision that places people, preparedness, and protection at the centre of our efforts.
The Health Emergency Workforce Strategy 2025–2030 will build on the lessons from COVID-19 and other past emergencies. It calls for the urgent and sustained investment of time, effort and funds. These investments will enable a well-trained, scalable, interoperable, and multidisciplinary workforce. This workforce will be able to act swiftly and effectively, where the need is greatest.
The strategy is anchored in the WHO SEAR Regional Roadmap for Results and Resilience Framework. It is strongly aligned with the Global Health Emergency Corps (or GHEC) – an initiative launched at the 2023 World Health Assembly.
We recognize that effective emergency response does not happen in silos.
It requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. It requires interoperable systems across multiple sectors, governance levels, and borders. And critically, it requires a workforce that is both technically skilled and operationally efficient.
Today’s consultation is an important step in this direction. I encourage each of you to engage actively, bring your national and local perspectives, and contribute to shaping a strategy that is both ambitious and actionable.
Together, let us forge a strategy for a stronger, safer, and more prepared South-East Asia Region. Let us ensure every country has the trained professionals, operational systems, and institutional readiness to prevent, detect and respond to health emergencies.
I hope you have constructive and insightful engagements over the next two days, and I look forward to being appraised of the outcomes.
Thank you.