Japanese WHO Collaborating Centres (WHO CCs) fight against COVID-19

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Global Health Security
• Health Systems Strengthening

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated enhanced collaboration among global health organizations.
• WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WPRO) convened a virtual meeting with WHO Collaborating Centres (WHO CCs) on August 25, 2020.
• The meeting aimed to foster networking and share experiences in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To facilitate the exchange of COVID-19 response experiences among WHO CCs in the WPRO region.
• To identify opportunities for strengthening collaboration between WPRO and its WHO CCs.
• To promote a health systems approach in regional COVID-19 response strategies.

Main Methods:

• An online meeting was organized by WPRO, bringing together WHO CCs.
• Presentations included regional updates on the COVID-19 situation and responses.
• The National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM) presented survey results on COVID-19 activities of Japanese WHO CCs, categorized by collaboration with WHO, R&D, public health, and clinical services.

Main Results:

• WHO CCs shared diverse COVID-19 response activities, including consultant deployment (GOARN), strengthening testing capacity, and guideline development.
• Research and development efforts included establishing a nationwide registry for COVID-19 clinical data.
• NCGM reported enhanced engagement as a WHO CC following the meeting.

Conclusions:

• WHO CCs possess broad expertise valuable for health system strengthening in the region.
• Integrating a health systems approach into existing work plans is recommended for WHO CCs supporting regional COVID-19 responses.
• Enhanced collaboration between WPRO and WHO CCs is crucial for effective pandemic preparedness and response.