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The World Health Organization's Actions Within the United Nations System to Facilitate a Whole-of-Society Response to Covid-19 at Country Level

Bibliographic Data

ID22078714
AuthorsGina Samaan (World Health Organization, corresponding author), Michelle McPherson (0000-0003-2707-2138, World Health Organization), Johan Eidman (World Health Organization), Offeibea Obubah (World Health Organization), Jean-Pierre Baptiste (Mali-Folkecenter), Lianne Kuppens, Kai Von Harbou (0000-0002-0064-8611, World University of Bangladesh), Miftahul Fahmi Sembiring (World University of Bangladesh), Shambhu Acharya (World Health Organization), Peter Graaff (World Health Organization)
Year2022
Volume9
Pages831220-831220
Publication date2022-01-18
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2021.831220
PMID35118047
OpenAlexW4206132328
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited11

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic highlighted that managing health emergencies requires more than an effective health response, but that operationalizing a whole-of-society approach is challenging. The World Health Organization (WHO), as the lead agency for health within the United Nations (UN), led the UN response at the global level through the Crisis Management Team, and at the country level through the UN Country Teams (UNCTs) in accordance with its mandate. Three case studies—Mali, Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan—provide examples of how WHO contributed to the whole-of-society response for COVID-19 at the country level. Interviews with WHO staff, supplemented by internal and external published reports, highlighted that the action of WHO comprised technical expertise to ensure an effective whole-of-society response and to minimize social disruption, including those affecting peacekeeping in Mali, livelihood sectors in Cox's Bazar, and the education sector in Uzbekistan. Leveraging local level volunteers from various sectors led to both a stronger public health response and the continuation of other sectoral work. Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) emerged as a key theme for UN engagement at country level. These collective efforts of operationalizing whole-of-society response at the country level need to continue for the COVID-19 response, but also in preparedness for other health and non-health emergencies. Building resilience for future emergencies requires developing and exercising multi-sectoral preparedness plans and benefits from collective UN support to countries. Coronavirus disease had many impacts outside of health, and therefore emergency preparedness needs to occur outside of health too

Business · Disease · Economic growth · Economics · Geography · Global health · International Health Regulations · Livelihood · Operationalization · Political science · Preparedness · Public health · Public relations · Disaster Response and Management · Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology · Medicine · Nursing · Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research

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    Open Access•Rebecca Racheal Apolot, Simon Ssentamu Kaddu et al.•International Journal for Equity…•2023

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    Open Access•Micaela Pereira Bajard, Nicola Stephens et al.•Frontiers in Public Health•2022

  • Decision-making under epistemic, strategic and institutional uncertainty during Covid-19

    Open Access•Sumegha Asthana, Sanjana Mukherjee et al.•BMJ Global Health•2025

  • Humanitarian Aid After Covid‐19

    Open Access•R F Inglehart•Sociology Compass•2025

  • Containment strategy during the Covid-19 pandemic among three Asian low and middle-income countries

    Open Access•Jun Jiao, Leiyu Shi et al.•Journal of Global Health•2022

  • Comparing the impacts of Covid-19 on residential rental market across rental sectors

    Open Access•Junfeng Jiao, Xiaohan Wu et al.•Cities•2024

  • Work and Nonwork Contributory Factors to Health Care Workers’ Mental Health

    Kevin R H Teoh, Alina G Vasconcelos et al.•American Journal of Public Health•2022

  • Collaborative Governance in Theory and Practice

    Christopher Ansell, Chris Ansell et al.•Journal of Public Administration…•2007

Unique citing works7
Citations per year1,75
Citation span2022 - 2025 (4)
Citation velocityrecent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 6
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