Event highlights

The negative consequences of any emergency or disaster on communities and countries have continued to highlight the importance of the all-hazards risk management approach in all emergency preparedness and response actions. Strategic risk assessment is a crucial process in emergency management and it is recognized as one of the core elements of the International Health Regulations (2005). WHO’s Strategic Toolkit for Assessing Risk (STAR) is a methodology that enables public health authorities to conduct an evidence-based assessment of public health risks using an all-hazards, multisectoral and participatory approach. Countries identify hazards that pose the highest risk of leading to health emergencies, from infectious to environmental to societal hazards.

In Ukraine, the Ministry of Health has prioritized the implementation of Strategic Risk Assessments. In June 2025, the country conducted an all-hazards national strategic risk assessment using STAR. Subsequently, in September 2025, Ukraine adopted Order No. 1373 of the Ministry of Health “On approval of the procedure for assessing risks to the health and sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population and for implementing appropriate prevention, examination, consultation and other measures based on the results of such assessment”, according to which strategic risk assessments must be performed by national and regional public health authorities annually.

The first round of subnational risk assessments is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026. On 24–25 February 2026, the WHO Ukraine Country Office and WHO/Europe’s Division of Health Security supported the Lviv Center for Disease Control and Prevention in conducting its first all-hazards strategic risk assessment.

During the workshop, more than 40 experts from 14 health and non-health organizations in Lviv oblast – including the Department of Civil Protection, the main Directorate of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection and the State Emergency Service – collectively assessed the risk level of 11 priority hazards. The exercise generated a consolidated risk profile for Lviv oblast and participants jointly identified priority actions to mitigate these risks and strengthen preparedness, ensuring that oblast health systems are better equipped to prevent, detect and respond to health emergencies.

WHO/Europe’s work on health security

Health is a key pillar of our society, and immediate, decisive and coordinated action is crucial to bolstering preparedness and resilience in the Region at every level.

WHO is leading the way through the Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience framework, along with the transformative regional strategy and action plan on health emergency preparedness, response and resilience in the WHO European Region for 2024–2029 (Preparedness 2.0).

This workshop is supported through the financial assistance of the European Union and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).