Infectious Hazard Preparedness unit at EMRO organized the first Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP)/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) meeting to discuss influenza and other respiratory preparedness and response regional programme management in Casablance-Morocco between 3-5 July 2023 with the presence of PIP focal points at country offices, an expert at Regional and HQ level, CDC and PIP secretariate teams at HQ.

During the three-day meeting, the participants had the opportunity to deep dive into what has worked and what has not and to discuss country-specific achievements, opportunities, and challenges in great detail, this includes addressing policy and planning, collaborative surveillance, community protection and access to countermeasures. As well as advancing the M&E skills related to PIP plan implementation. Moreover, The regional office launched a new project management tool, which will help in advancing the project architecture together with the management of the PIP plans and coordination and reporting mechanisms.

In the opening remarks of the WHO Representative of Morocco,  Dr Maryam Bigdeli, said “As we come to the end of High-Level Implementation Plan II and welcome a new cycle of planning, we have an opportunity to reflect on the successes and challenges of the past 10 years. In the face of numerous emergencies and competing priorities in our region, we have made significant strides in pandemic preparedness and response, building on PIP infrastructure and funds.”

At the end of the meeting, participants reached a consensus that preparedness, prevention, and response activities must not be the responsibility of the health sector alone, and committed to the collaborative responsibility across all sectors. Participants took on an integrated approach to strengthening pandemic planning, by applying common systems, strengthening capacities, and advancing knowledge about the groups of pathogens, based on their mode of transmission. Participants came up with list of recommendations, to use synergistic approaches and strategies to allow more coherent and efficient actions, with the objective of strengthening capacities and systems, especially in countries in emergency settings.

Furthermore, the group prioritized focus on overcoming the limitation in genomic/epidemiological data sharing, under the "One Health" approach, by means of improving collaboration among relevant stakeholders from across sectors, including human and animal sectors, and developing regional policies to prepare for future pandemics and advocate to keep pandemic preparedness a top priority.