The announcement below is forwarded from WHO:
Read online: https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2025/08/28/default-calendar/...
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WHO EPI-WIN Webinar
WHO Infection prevention and control (IPC) and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in Health Emergency Readiness for Response Operations Capabilities Checklist: launch
13:00 – 14:15 CEST (Geneva)
Thursday 28 August 2025
Please copy this registration link if you would like to share: https://who.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eYeq3yddQ1KJRuAWbJA7lg
Description of this webinar
Background
Infectious disease outbreaks continue to challenge fragile health systems, especially in low-resource, humanitarian, and emergency settings. Despite advancements in surveillance and clinical management, gaps in infection prevention and control (IPC) and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) readiness persist—often exacerbating the impact of epidemics on communities and health systems.
To strengthen IPC and WASH readiness and response capabilities globally, the World Health Organization (WHO), through the Safe and Scalable Care Unit and IPC/WASH teams, has developed a practical new tool : the Infection prevention and control (IPC) and Water, sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Health Emergency readiness for response operations capabilities “IPC & WASH HERO CAPE) Checklist available on WHO partners platform as both online “digital” and offline “excel sheet” forms. This checklist was structured based on WHO Framework and toolkit for infection prevention and control in outbreak preparedness, readiness and response at the national level.
This tool helps countries and partners assess and enhance their IPC and WASH readiness capabilities across health systems before and during outbreaks, with emphasis on real-time implementation, coordination, and frontline capacity strengthening.
Objective
The objective of this webinar is to launch, disseminate and promote the IPC and WASH HERO Checklist as a key tool for operationalizing IPC/WASH readiness and response. The session will provide:
• A high-level overview of the WHO IPC Framework for Outbreak Preparedness, Readiness, and Response,
• An introduction to the HERO Checklist—its components, target users, use cases, and implementation strategies,
• Country experiences from Rwanda and Sierra Leone, highlighting real-world application, achievements, and lessons learned.
Participants will be able to ask questions, share feedback, and understand how to adapt the tool for their own settings.
Speakers
Opening Remarks: Dr Altaf Musani, Director of Humanitarian and Disaster Management department, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, WHO Headquarters
Overview of the Framework and Toolkit for IPC in outbreak preparedness, readiness and response at national level: Dr April Baller, Team Lead, IPC & WASH, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, WHO Headquarters
Introducing the IPC & WASH HERO Checklist - Purpose, components, target users, and use: Dr Mahmoud Hamouda, Health Systems Officer, IPC/WASH Team, WHO Health Emergencies Programme
Country Experience: Rwanda - Applying HERO for national IPC readiness and response to Marburg outbreak: Alphonsine Mukamunana, Environmental Health Specialist, Ministry of Health Rwanda
Country Experience: Sierra Leone - Applying HERO for national IPC readiness and response to Mpox outbreak: Bobson Fofanah, IPC officer WHO country office Sierra Leone
Interactive Q&A Session: Moderator - Anthony Twyman, United Kingdom Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST)
Technical closing remarks: Dr Janet Diaz, Unit Head, Safe & Scalable Care Unit, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, WHO Headquarters
Participants will be able to submit questions during the webinar by using Zoom's "Q&A" feature. You may also submit questions in advance by sending them to epi-win@who.int
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Best wishes, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org