© Lynn Cruchten / RTL
Representatives from the WHO concluded a two-day review in Luxembourg, focusing on the country's crisis management capabilities as part of a global preparedness initiative.
Luxembourg has participated in a World Health Organisation (WHO) initiative designed to strengthen global preparedness for health emergencies. The two-day visit, part of the "Universal Health and Preparedness Review" (UHPR), made the Grand Duchy the second country after Portugal to undergo this assessment.
The programme, coordinated by the Ministry of Health and Social Security, involved high-level discussions and analyses at Senningen Castle with national representatives from the hospital sector, the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS), defence, and research.
The review had a dual focus: evaluating Luxembourg's response to the Covid-19 pandemic and identifying areas for future improvement. Minister of Health Martine Deprez highlighted several key dependencies, noting that the country relies heavily on staff from abroad and needs to improve its data networking systems. She also stressed that preparedness must extend beyond viruses to include climate crises and global conflicts.
To practice these improvements, participants engaged in a fictional crisis scenario involving a virus outbreak within a large hospital that spreads nationally. The exercise aimed to clarify critical communication chains, determining who needs to be informed, when, and how.
Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, stated that the mission to Luxembourg offers valuable insights for the WHO itself. He explained that as a small country, Luxembourg's situation clearly illustrates the dependencies and the essential need for cross-border cooperation during a crisis.
Minister Deprez added that the exercise is equally beneficial for Luxembourg, as it will provide knowledge on how other nations confront emergencies. The next country to participate in the UHPR initiative will be Sri Lanka.
