To help countries meet their International Health Regulation commitments for developing national risk assessment capacity, WHO provides risk assessment support in the form of technical guidance and operational support on the ground.

WHO’s support is tailored to the specific context of each country, and enables countries to manage and reduce the impact of acute public health risks. 

WHO detects public health events, assesses the risks, and provides authoritative information for public health decision-making. Progress is measured through the percentage of important public health events for which health risks are assessed and communicated, with the target rising from 85% in 2018 to 100% in 2019.

WHO has made substantial progress towards robust risk management processes for public health emergencies. During 2017, 113 rapid risk assessments were conducted, and very high-risk events were reported to the United Nations Secretary-General's Office.