Joint External Evaluation-Development and Scale-Up of Global Multisectoral Health Capacity Evaluation Process

Abstract

The Joint External Evaluation (JEE), a consolidation of the World Health Organization (WHO) International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR 2005) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and the Global Health Security Agenda country assessment tool, is an objective, voluntary, independent peer-to-peer multisectoral assessment of a country's health security preparedness and response capacity across 19 IHR technical areas. WHO approved the standardized JEE tool in February 2016. The JEE process is wholly transparent; countries request a JEE and are encouraged to make its findings public. Donors (e.g., member states, public and private partners, and other public health institutions) can support countries in addressing identified JEE gaps, and implementing country-led national action plans for health security. Through July 2017, 52 JEEs were completed, and 25 more countries were scheduled across WHO's 6 regions. JEEs facilitate progress toward IHR 2005 implementation, thereby building trust and mutual accountability among countries to detect and respond to public health threats.

Keywords: Global Health Security Agenda; International Health Regulations; Joint External Evaluation; global health; global health capacity.

Figure 1

JEE process. Each JEE follows a standardized process that aligns with the principles of transparency, multisectoral engagement, and public reporting of the International Health Regulations 2005 (2) and the Global Health Security Agenda (https://www.ghsagenda.org/). JEE, Joint External Evaluation; WHO, World Health Organization.

Figure 2

JEE continuum iterative process to identify and fill gaps in addressing requirements for each indicator under 19 technical areas. Each JEE follows a standardized process that aligns with the principles of transparency, multisectoral engagement, and public reporting of the International Health Regulations 2005 (2) and the Global Health Security Agenda (https://www.ghsagenda.org/). The process to improve health security capacity requires continuous evaluation of capabilities and (re)alignment of resources. JEE, Joint External Evaluation; WHO, World Health Organization.

Figure 3

JEE scale-up over time. Each JEE follows a standardized process that aligns with the principles of transparency, multisectoral engagement, and public reporting of the International Health Regulations 2005 (2) and the Global Health Security Agenda (https://www.ghsagenda.org/). JEE, Joint External Evaluation.