Ready4Response is a multi-tiered core curriculum that aims to develop consistent learning standards across the emergency response workforces at national level. It equips participants with essential competencies needed to work within public health emergency response.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted that all countries are challenged in their abilities to respond to emergencies. Having access to the right people, with the right skills and training, at the right time and location is essential to saving lives and protecting the health of people, societies and economies during an emergency.
Tier 1 provides context and principles of the all-hazards approach to emergency response, outlining the various actors involved, their roles and structural relationships. It also examines in-depth WHO's role in response, and discusses core ethics and principles all responders must follow.
Photo credit: WHO/Blink Media - F. Monir
Language: English
Health topic
Course information
This course is also available in the following languages:
Português - ພາສາລາວ - Français - العربية - Українська
Overview: Ready4Response aims to develop consistent learning standards across the emergency response workforce, equipping participants with essential competencies needed to work across the various levels of response. In Tier 1 you will learn about the emergency response context and principles, focusing on the all-hazards approach. Through examining the various response actors, their roles and structural relationships, you will become more familiar with how to best manage a response and maximize intersectional cooperation.
Learning objectives: By the end of Tier 1, you will be able to:
- describe the principles of all-hazards emergency response;
- explain the humanitarian principles and key principles of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law to health emergency response;
- describe the commitments that key stakeholders have under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) in detecting, notifying and responding to public health events; and
- describe the roles and responsibilities of organizations that make up the health emergency landscape and architecture at national, regional and global levels.
Course duration: Approximately 7 hours.
Certificate: A Record of Achievement certificate will be available to participants who score at least 80% of the total points available across all quizzes. Participants who receive a Record of Achievement can also download an Open Badge for this course. Click here to learn how.
Other Tiers of the Ready4Response core curriculum that are currently available can be accessed below:
Disclaimer: Please note that this course includes photographic depictions of emergency response scenarios prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. Please adhere to your local national guidelines on COVID-19 precautions, including physical distancing of at least 1 metre as well as appropriate usage of masks when indicated.
Course contents
Introduction: Welcome to Ready4Response:
This module offers an introduction to the Ready4Response core curriculum.Module 1: All-hazards emergency response:
This module consists of 3 units: the nature of emergencies; principles of all-hazards response; and the national response structure.Module 2: International support to response:
This module consists of 4 units: overview of responders; the humanitarian systems; the Cluster system; and partner networks.Module 3: WHO's support to response:
This module consists of 3 units: WHO's role in response; WHO's role in radiation and chemical events; and WHO's role in foodborne illness response.Module 4: Ethics and principles of a response:
This module consists of 5 units: the International Health Regulations (2005); international laws and conventions; human rights in health response; humanitarian principles; and WHO charter, UN values and sexual exploitation and abuse.Module 5: Case studies:
This module offers a series of 3 case studies for you to read through in reflection of what you have learned in Tier 1.
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Certificate Requirements
- Gain a Record of Achievement by earning at least 80% of the maximum number of points from all graded assignments.
- Gain an Open Badge by completing the course.