Strengthening South Asia’s Pandemic Prevention and Response

Commissioned by the World Bank, m4h is supporting efforts to assess and strengthen South Asia’s regional pandemic prevention and response (PPR) systems, with a focus on sustainable funding mechanisms and a One Health approach.

The challenge

South Asia, home to a quarter of the world’s population, faces significant challenges in pandemic prevention and response, particularly in its lower-income countries. The region’s densely populated cities are potential hotspots for the emergence and rapid spread of new pathogens. However, existing PPR systems and capacities are insufficient to effectively manage such scenarios. Strengthening these systems at both national and regional levels is essential for ensuring a robust global response to future pandemics.

The assignment

The World Bank has commissioned m4h to provide the following key services:

• Identifying PPR gaps: Conducting a comprehensive assessment of existing pandemic prevention and response capacities at both national and regional levels across South Asia.
• Defining essential services: Using a One Health approach, m4h will define the critical services needed to address the identified gaps and enhance regional preparedness.
• Proposing a financing mechanism: Developing a sustainable regional financing mechanism to ensure that the necessary PPR services are adequately funded over the long term.

The results

With m4h’s expertise, the following outcomes are anticipated:

1. A detailed assessment report highlighting the specific gaps in pandemic prevention and response capacities across South Asia.
2. A clearly defined set of essential PPR services, based on a One Health approach, tailored to the needs of the region.
3. A proposed regional financing mechanism designed to sustainably fund these critical PPR services, ensuring long-term preparedness and resilience.