In a significant stride towards strengthening global health security, Zambia successfully concluded its second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of the International Health Regulations (IHR) core capacities, using the cutting-edge JEE 3.0 tool on 6 October 2023. The comprehensive assessment was conducted from 2 to 6 October 2023 at the Radisson Blu in Livingstone, by twelve external evaluators lead by Dr Allan Mpairwe of the WHO Regional Hub.  

The workshop that brought together over 80 participants from different sectors including the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Environment, Defense forces, Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), Zambia Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, WHO, UK- Health Security Agency, ECSA-Health Community, Africa CDC, USAID among others, marked Zambia’s unwavering commitment to enhancing public health and fostering collaboration. 

In his opening remarks, Dr Mwaba, ZNPHI Board Chairperson emphasized the need to enhance the nation's preparedness and response capabilities for potential public health events. 

“The Joint External Evaluation is not just an assessment but a strategic opportunity for Zambia to identify gaps and strengthen existing capacities, with the aim of promoting public health,” he said.  

Collectively, the representative speakers of UKHSA, WHO, FAO, Office of the Vice President, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Agriculture, all echoed the need for multisectoral collaborative efforts and transparency throughout the JEE process.

Emphasis was given to the significance of the priority actions over the next five years, which are required be incorporated into the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS), to enhance health security across the relevant sectors. 

Dr Allan Mpairwe, team lead of the JEE process congratulated Zambia for their openness and transparency during the process.

“It has been a very good process, and because of the openness and transparency, Zambia has now identified its critical gaps and prioritized them for action. They have a very good basis for the development of their National Action Plan for Health Security,” said Dr Mpairwe.  

The WHO Country Representative, Dr Nathan Bakyaita thanked all participants for their commitment and dedication to fulfilling the IHR obligations. 

“Thank you to all participants and the Zambian team for their openness. This second JEE underscores Zambia’s transparency and accountability to strengthening its core capacities, its collaboration and cooperation in advancing health security and positioning itself to combat emerging health threats,” he said.

The successful conclusion of Zambia's second JEE does not only highlight the country's progress in strengthening its health systems but also serves as a basis to elevate their global health security standing. The findings and recommendations from the evaluation will inform Zambia's future strategies, guide targeted investments and capacity-building initiatives and areas of improvement.