When health emergencies strike across Asia and the Pacific, countries lead the response, supported by a range of partners and coordination mechanisms. Each brings real value, but they work in different ways, which can slow surge support and make it harder to act together quickly.
At the Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework (APHSAF) Stakeholders Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on 11 June 2026, World Health Organization (WHO) Member States agreed to keep developing the Joint Emergency Risk Management Action Plan (JERMAP): a practical approach, as part of implementing APHSAF, to help partners support nationally-led responses more predictably through scenario-based planning.
JERMAP explained
JERMAP is a scenario-based action plan, developed with Member States and partners. Working through realistic emergency scenarios, it sets out in practical terms how partners can support a nationally-led response to different types of hazards: who can provide what, how to access it, and how that support connects to national systems. It builds on the mechanisms countries already have, giving the region a ready, tested answer to “who does what, where, and when,” based on each partner’s assets and capabilities.
Member States and partners have shared what makes the difference in practice: relationships built before an emergency, coordination measured in hours rather than days, more predictable funding for smaller emergencies, and clear, commonly understood roles. These lessons are shaping JERMAP, with Member States driving the agenda.
“China is actively contributing to the JERMAP Technical Working Group to strengthen regional coordination by identifying gaps and testing how systems perform in realistic scenarios,” said Zhen Xu, Deputy Director of the Centre for Global Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “Through scenario-based planning, we aim to generate more reliable, evidence-informed responses from partners that reflect the operational realities across the Western Pacific and Asia.”
Bob Williams, Secretary of Health for Cook Islands, described the importance of JERMAP to Pacific island countries: “Our 2025 dengue response was swift and successful because we had an established operational multisectoral incident management response team and plan ready to go, but long-term readiness requires relationship-building before an event and proactive planning for staff turnover. Small Pacific island countries need guaranteed, assured access to emergency supplies and specialized expertise.”
A diverse Technical Working Group, drawing on Member States, partner organizations, and academic institutions, is taking the approach forward. Reiterating the value of JERMAP, Dr Gina Samaan, Regional Emergency Director for the WHO Western Pacific Region, noted: “The region’s real strength is its partners and the mechanisms already in place. JERMAP simply helps them work in concert in support of countries, so that when the next crisis strikes there is a shared, tested answer to ‘who does what, and how do we act together.’ This is about turning collective commitment into collective action, and the momentum from Member States at the APHSAF Stakeholders Meeting in Kuala Lumpur shows the region is ready.”