Pandemic Preparedness and Response

A community health volunteer picking up supplies during a seasonal malaria chemoprevention campaign

Our COVID-19 Solutions: Pandemic Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

MSH offers a full range of COVID-19 solutions based on our decades of experience supporting country responses to HIV, tuberculosis, Ebola, avian flu, and other public health emergencies. We focus on policy, regulation, coordination, and implementation planning; costing, procurement, supply chain, and logistics; vaccine introduction; safety monitoring; risk communication; and safe vaccine service delivery at the national, local, and facility levels. Our approach to Pandemic Preparedness and Response focuses on improving local readiness and agency. We also advocate for and support investments in primary health care systems and policies that advance universal health coverage and engage governments and communities to demand greater accountability.

Prioritizing Local Readiness

While the science and know-how to detect outbreaks exist, adequate leadership and coordination for pandemic preparedness and response remain a major challenge. Diseases start and spread at the household and community levels, so it is vital for local communities to have the tools and culture—maintained through training, drills, supply maintenance, and ongoing review even during non-event periods—to prevent the spread.   

By integrating pandemic preparedness with all health systems functions, we support our country partners in fostering a state of constant readiness and local agency, equipping local leaders, communities, and health care providers with the knowledge, skills, and plans to take immediate action. Our programs build capacity at all levels of a health system to: 

  • Strengthen disease surveillance systems 
  • Reinforce strong national public health systems and workforces  
  • Introduce and scale new tools to prevent and control infectious diseases 
  • Support local leadership in fostering a state of constant readiness even if help isn’t available right away from national or international levels 

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