The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 takes an all-hazards approach to disaster risk reduction across four priority areas, including enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response. The Sendai Framework’s recognizes the critical importance of health emergency preparedness and the significant linkages between DRR and preparedness. Therefore, WHO has been collaborating with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) to support countries to integrate the prevention of health emergencies and disease outbreaks into disaster risk management strategies and to take a stronger account of actions needed to reduce health-related disaster risks.

As part of this ongoing support to member states, WHO in collaboration with UNDRR, prepared a Working paper titled, ‘Inclusion of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and health services in reporting for Sendai Framework Monitoring in 2021’, to provide guidance for countries to submit their data from 01 January - 31 December 2020 for the reporting milestone of the Sendai Framework Monitor (SFM) in 2021. The data submitted to the SFM is used to report on progress towards multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators related to preparedness and the data is shared with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). It further serves as an input to the Report of the Secretary-General on SDG Progress, which is presented at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development every year in July.

The purpose of the Working paper is to ensure UN system-wide consistency in country reporting on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic between the information gathered through the Sendai Framework Monitor (SFM) and the data reported through other mechanisms by Ministries of Health to WHO. The key message for the users of the SFM is the need for effective coordination for COVID-19 reporting between the national SFM coordination institution and the national Ministry of Health. The Working Paper focuses on three key indicators A2 (Number of COVID-19 deaths), B2 (Number of COVID-19 cases) and D7 (Disruption to health services).

UNDRR and the WHO conducted three webinars to train over 150 participants, representing all the 6 WHO regions on the working paper and data entry in the SFM. Regional offices and the Incident Management System Team provided valuable inputs in response to queries raised by participants during the sessions.