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Unit 2: Framework for public health planning and operations

Public health preparedness for an international sporting event is a unique enterprise for each host city, and planning must account for a multitude of factors, including the needs of the population, cultural considerations, political and organizational context and structures, personalities involved, and the public health and other infrastructure and resources in the country.  Although there is no single model for planning and operations, the literature derived from past events suggests certain critical factors and preconditions for success that are common to most events as well as strategic, organizational, and tactical “lessons learned” that can be applied to future gatherings.

Based on these experiences, the IANPHI/HPA workgroup developed a model framework for planning and managing public health preparedness efforts at international sporting events.   The goal is to develop and maintain effective mechanisms to monitor and protect health among both visitors and residents, and to take swift action in the event of disease outbreaks or natural or manmade disasters.

The framework is organized as a structure with four main levels of involvement:  health representation on the highest-level government committee, development of a governance structure for the health sector, and operational work groups managed by a high-level steering committee.  Each level requires a plan that includes strategic, tactical, and operational elements, as well as timelines, deliverables, and resource requirements.  The plans are integrated at the governance level.  Legacy and communications issues are cross-cutting. 

The purpose of this framework is to ensure a common vision, consistent leadership, strategic direction, and technical coordination for policies, capacity building, and operations.  The following units provide details on and suggest resources to support each of the activities.