Emergencies
WHO is committed to saving lives and protecting health in times of crisis – whether caused by outbreaks, conflicts or disasters.
The WHO Health Emergencies Programme harnesses the expertise and resources of the three
levels of WHO – country offices, regional offices and headquarters – to help Member States build the capacities required to prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from all hazards that create health emergencies. When national capacities
are overwhelmed, WHO works alongside ministries of health and partners to lead and coordinate the international health response.
Thailand’s Universal Health and Preparedness Review: Strengthening Health Security through a Whole-of-Society Approach
In April 2022, Thailand became one of the first countries in the world—and the first in Asia—to pilot the World Health Organization’s Universal Health and Preparedness Review (UHPR), an innovative mechanism designed to strengthen national preparedness for health emergencies through high-level, multisectoral dialogue and peer learning.
The UHPR was developed in response to lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and complements existing International Health Regulations (IHR) monitoring and evaluation tools by focusing on areas often overlooked in traditional assessments, including governance, financing, leadership, accountability and whole-of-society engagement. Thailand’s participation reflected its long-standing commitment to health security, universal health coverage and multisectoral collaboration.
The UHPR high-level mission took place in Bangkok from 21–29 April 2022 and brought together more than 100 participants from across government, academia, civil society, the private sector and community organizations. The review was led by His Excellency Mr Anutin Charnvirakul, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, with active participation from multiple ministries and national institutions. WHO staff from the Country Office, Regional Office for South-East Asia and Headquarters worked alongside Thai counterparts throughout the process.
The review employed a comprehensive methodology that included analysis of national policies and legislation, simulation exercises, field visits, key informant interviews and high-level consultations. Preparatory work included review of strategic plans, emergency preparedness frameworks, reports from IHR monitoring and evaluation processes and scientific evidence. The mission also included meetings with senior decision-makers and concluded with a debriefing session during which preliminary findings and recommendations were presented to stakeholders.
The review found that Thailand demonstrated strong capacities in governance, multisectoral coordination and community engagement, which contributed significantly to the country’s response to COVID-19. The UHPR highlighted the importance of high-level political leadership, decentralized decision-making, strong social capital, innovative financing mechanisms and effective collaboration between government agencies, communities and the private sector.
At the same time, the review identified opportunities for further strengthening preparedness. These included enhancing workforce development, improving data interoperability, increasing domestic production capacity for critical supplies, strengthening emergency operations procedures and ensuring that the needs of vulnerable populations remain central to preparedness planning.
Several important outcomes have already emerged from the process. The UHPR helped reinforce investment in multidisciplinary workforce development, strengthen surveillance and rapid response capacities, improve laboratory and diagnostic capabilities, advance digital health integration and promote collaboration on issues such as medical waste management. Lessons learned from the UHPR have also informed Thailand’s National Action Plan for Health Security and subsequent public health emergency planning processes.
Among its most important recommendations, the case study calls for continued high-level political engagement in preparedness, stronger representation of vulnerable populations in review processes, closer alignment between the UHPR and other IHR monitoring mechanisms, clearer guidance for participating countries and stakeholders, and exploration of regional peer review approaches that may provide more contextually relevant learning opportunities.
Thailand’s experience demonstrates the value of the UHPR as a platform for strengthening leadership, accountability and whole-of-society engagement in health security. By bringing together diverse sectors and promoting candid reflection on strengths and gaps, the UHPR has helped reinforce Thailand’s commitment to prevention, preparedness and response while contributing valuable lessons for other countries seeking to build more resilient health systems.
Universal Health and Preparedness Review (UHPR): national report of Thailand