The World Health Organization (WHO) is hosting an ad hoc consultation on Community - centered approaches to health emergencies on 31 March 2021 from 13:00-17:00 CEST. This is an event open to all GOARN partners and members of the public with the aim to rethink of the role of communities in early disease detection, readiness, response and recovery during outbreaks of new and re-emerging infectious diseases. Drawing on experiences of COVID-19 and other disease control efforts, the event will signpost the vital role of trust, agency, social cohesion, plural forms of knowledge and resilience for inclusive, people and community centred approaches to readiness and response. Topics covered will include best practice for readiness community-based disease surveillance, transmission prevention, including contact tracing, and care provision in community settings. A key outcome will be to specify the evidence needs and research agenda to drive and better support community-led initiatives, programmes and responses.
The goals of the meetings are to:
• Identify knowledge gaps and evidence needs that can be addressed through interdisciplinary or social science research
• Understand the experience gained through local, regional, and national approaches, strategies and initiatives for inclusive, people and community centred responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious disease outbreaks.
• Inspire new perspectives to tackling pandemic challenges through citizen engagement and participation.
Register early to participate in the event at the following link: https://who-e.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4J8ax0XuThCQbgBPDYDAMQ
