Implementing the CAREC Health Strategy
Implementation of the CAREC Health Strategy has happened in various ways, across the four pillars and cross-cutting topics of the Framework.
Governance and Workforce (Pillar 1)
- To disseminate and implement the CAREC Health Strategy some countries started to reflect CAREC Regional Health Cooperation in their National Health Strategies. Georgia has picked up some recommendations from the strategy in their recently approved National Health Strategy.
- To identify opportunities to scale up existing training institutes in the region which offer classes on health security, a repository of available reputable/certified training programs was put together, including One Health trainings, public health emergency management, labs and others.
- To enrich knowledge on COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Behavior Change Communication, a Webinar on this topic was carried out.
- To enrich knowledge on strengthening Health Supply Chain Management and Regional Collaborative Procurement, several webinars on this topic were conducted (featuring speakers from development partners, think tanks and ADB’s procurement department.
- To enrich knowledge on Practical Epidemiology for COVID-19 and regional collaboration on surveillance several webinars were carried out.
- A sub-working group on Human Resources for Health has been established in 2024 to advance regional cooperation in the area of health workforce development.
Further steps to be implemented soon.
Technical Preparedness (Pillar 2)
The Regional Health Security project in the Kyrgyz Republic supports the implementation of the strategy in aspects of surveillance and laboratory capacity and harmonization of standards under the Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor (ABEC) (Pillar 2) and border health (Pillar 4).
To enrich knowledge on Practical Epidemiology for COVID-19 and regional collaboration on surveillance, several webinars were carried out.
Further steps to be implemented soon.
Access to Supply and Surge Capacity (Pillar 3)
- A sub-working group on Procurement and Supply Chain Management will oversee the development of a regional risk management plan for health supply chains and develop a platform to facilitate regional sharing of market information for selected hard-to-access medical products among CAREC countries. The group will also do a feasibility study on cross-border collaborative procurement.
- To enrich knowledge on strengthening Health Supply Chain Management and Regional Collaborative Procurement, several webinars on this topic were conducted (featuring speakers from development partners, think tanks and ADB’s procurement department.
- To enrich knowledge on Strengthening Drug Regulatory Capacity to ensure quality of imported medicines in CAREC countries and the Caucasus, several webinars were conducted.
- A sub-working group on Procurement and Supply Chain Management has been established in 2024 to oversee the development of a regional risk management plan for health supply chains and develop a platform to facilitate regional sharing of market information for selected hard-to-access medical products among CAREC countries. The group will also guide a feasibility study on cross-border collaborative procurement.
Further steps to be implemented soon.
Vulnerable Populations and Border Health (Pillar 4)
The Regional Health Security project in the Kyrgyz Republic supports the implementation of the strategy in aspects of surveillance and laboratory capacity and harmonization of standards under Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor (ABEC) (Pillar 2) and border health (Pillar 4).
Further steps to be implemented soon.
Cross-Cutting Issues
Digital Health
- To enrich knowledge on Data Standards and Interoperability as Catalysts for Innovation in Digital Health, webinars were conducted.
Further steps to be implemented soon.