For its third global technical consultation on Public Health and Social Measures (PHSM) during health emergencies, held on 24–26 March, WHO brought together over 120 experts from 44 Member States representing ministries of health, national institutes of public health and academia as well as civil society and international organizations.
PHSM refers to nonpharmaceutical interventions that reduce the risk and scale of infectious disease transmission and lower the number of hospitalizations and deaths. Examples include symptom screening, personal hygiene measures, surface cleaning, vector control, modifications to gatherings, and domestic or international mobility. PHSM, therefore, plays a critical role in reducing the pressure on the health-care system during health emergencies, buying time to develop and distribute vaccines and treatments, and saving lives while protecting livelihoods.
From 4 a.m. in Mexico City to 9 p.m. in Sydney, global experts came together with a shared purpose to advance and accelerate the evidence base for PHSM effectiveness, unintended negative consequences and drivers of adherence, and strengthen risk-based, evidence-informed and equitable PHSM decision-making.
Taking stock of progress and lessons learned
The first day of the consultation focused on hearing updates of the efforts of both countries and partner organizations to strengthen PHSM for the preparedness and response of public health emergencies. Participants from the Ministries of Health from India and Malaysia, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands, the University of Hong Kong, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and the UK Health Security Agency and WHO regional offices shared experiences.
Advancing effectiveness and equity of PHSM decision-making in diverse contexts
The second day focused on advancing equitable and context-specific implementation of PHSM. Experts explored how countries can select and adapt measures to their unique contexts, emphasizing that effectiveness depends not only on strong evidence but also on feasibility, public acceptance and reducing adverse health and socioeconomic impacts.
Experts were consulted on the advancement of:
- operational guidance for implementing the WHO decision framework, PHSM Decision Navigator;
- a PHSM Decision Navigator module on epidemic and pandemic influenza; and
- community-centred approaches to PHSM implementation.
This work is supported in collaboration with the Department of epidemic and emerging infectious and the Department of All-Hazards Public Health Response of the UK Health Security Agency.
Strengthening the evidence base for PHSM
The third day focused on the implementation of the World Health Assembly Resolution 78.3, Strengthening the evidence base for public health and social measures which requested the Director-General to address methodological, legal and ethical considerations to improve research on PHSM; develop flexible study protocol templates for measuring the effectiveness of PHSM implementation; and to collate, review and update good practice for research and to support countries in monitoring adverse consequences of PHSM implementation.
Experts contributed insights on:
- master protocol templates using the school reopening scenario and a user manual to adapt and conduct methodologically and publicly-acceptable trials during and ahead of health emergencies:
- country-level good practice for monitoring social determinants of health and health equity as well as real-time monitoring during health emergencies; and
- the AI-powered PHSM Knowledge Hub, a comprehensive evidence base for PHSM policy and practice.
Looking ahead
The consultation reflects a global commitment to connect experience, evidence, action and investment to strengthen PHSM research, decision-making and implementation on preparing for and preventing epidemics and pandemics, demonstrating WHO’s unique role is in convening partners, setting norms and standards, and providing guidance to countries.
The WHO PHSM Secretariat continues to make strategic investments to strengthen global and national capacities, enhance the rigour, comparability, and policy relevance of evidence, and provide robust guidance and resources for countries – translating normative leadership into sustained system-level impact, reinforcing PHSM as a strategic pillar for protecting populations and strengthening health emergency preparedness and response within, at, and across borders.