Overview
The International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) are legally binding regulations developed by the World
Health Organization. They are aimed at helping countries prevent, detect and respond to public health
risks that have the potential to cross borders and affect international health. A critical component of the
IHR monitoring and evaluation framework is the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) tool, 3rd edition. This
voluntary assessment tool evaluates a country’s progress in meeting the core capacities outlined in the
IHR 2005. It serves as a mechanism for countries to measure their capacity to handle public health risks,
as well as identify strengths and weaknesses in their public health systems. The JEE process includes
both self-assessment and external expert evaluation, providing a realistic overview of how a country is
performing in relation to the IHR 2005. The agreed-upon scores assigned in the JEE serve as benchmarks
that countries can use to measure progress over time and make targeted improvements.
Eswatini’s public health system has made significant progress over recent years, primarily through the
adoption of a multisectoral approach to health security. This approach brings together key sectors such
as agriculture, environment, health, security forces and others to ensure a coordinated response to public
health risks. Central to these efforts is the Eswatini Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC),
which was established in response to lessons learned from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The
PHEOC serves as the country’s primary hub for coordinating preparedness and response activities,
ensuring real-time communication and decision-making during emergencies.