Question

“In United States, there is strong tradition of use of police powers to protect the health of public in all civilized societies and there is also a strong tradition of individual liberty and civil rights. Politics determines the path the government will take in balancing these traditions. Public health is not based on scientific facts alone. It depends on politics to choose the values and ethics that determines how science will be applied to preserve people’s health while protecting their fundamental rights.” Please reflect on this statement by writing a critique essay on, is this a realistic view or pure exaggeration? Express your opinion taking into account current event(Public Health “preparedness for fighting COVID-19 Pandemic?) not less than 3 pages.

Answer 1

Ans) COVID-19 preparedness and response:

- Health Cluster teams and partners are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide within the framework of the Global Humanitarian Response Plan, towards the following strategic priorities:

- Contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and decrease morbidity and mortality.
Decrease the deterioration of human assets and rights, social cohesion and livelihoods.
Protect, assist and advocate for refugees, internally displaced people, migrants and host communities particularly vulnerable to the pandemic.

- To help alleviate suffering and save lives, WHO has been working night and day in five key ways:

1. Helping build countries' capacity to prepare and respond

2. Providing accurate information and fight the infodemic, together with numerous partners

3. Ensuring supplies of essential medical equipment for frontline health workers.

4. Training and mobilizing health workers.

5. Accelerating research and development.

HEALTH CLUSTER ROLE
The Health Cluster is coordinating and supporting partners to implement essential health service to achieve Strategic Priority 1 and supporting inter-cluster action required to achieve Strategic Priorities 2 and 3.

- To date, the Health Cluster has had the following role:

Raising awareness and disseminating technical guidance (all levels);
Aligning with national Incident Management Teams and multi-sector coordination platforms;
Preparedness and response planning to operationalize the strategic preparedness and response plan at country level;
Partner mapping, training and simulation exercises with health actors (country, regional, global); and,
Business continuity planning for existing humanitarian action.
In countries with activated clusters, the Health Cluster will be the initial platform to coordinate the response with additional technical capacity to address the specific needs as required. Currently the degree of cluster integration and participation in COVID-19 preparedness and response varies depending on country contexts.

- IfIf Global Health Cluster partners have a presence in countries, they will be liaising with the designated multi-sectoral coordination platform for COVID-19 through already existing platforms such as the health cluster. Existing cluster capacities will be leveraged for COVID-19 preparedness and response.