Pandemic-MHEW

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A new project, funded by the EPSRC, UKRI GDRF, set out with the aim of
improving COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness and response through the
downstream of multi-hazard early warning systems.

Many countries now recognise the need for improved pandemic
preparedness. The WHO has declared COVID-19 a pandemic, but its
underlying factors, vulnerabilities and impacts go far beyond the health sector.
COVID-19 has overwhelmed health systems and caused widespread social &
economic disruption in Sri Lanka, including an estimated Rs 900billion / 6%
GDP to the economy, especially the tourism, agriculture, garment and service
sectors.

By putting societies and economies on hold, Sri Lanka has curtailed the virus’
spread. These defensive measures have helped to limit the short-term impacts
of the virus, but also resulted in a shift of priorities that disproportionately
affect disadvantaged groups, including people in poverty, displaced people
and refugees, who most often live in overcrowded and under resourced
settings.

Current COVID-19 measures have also exposed gaps in the country’s DRR
(disaster risk reduction) strategies, which have failed to address pandemics and
other biological hazards. Government agencies are already stretched trying to
manage theCOVID-19 response, but how would they cope if another natural
hazard occurred concurrently, such as the seasonal Southwest Monsoon
which is expected to increase dengue cases? COVID-19 protocols may create
ambiguity or confusion with regards to other hazard warning services, as well
as with response actions like evacuation for tsunami.

There are also opportunities for pandemic preparedness and response to make
better use of the existing infrastructure, including other hazards’ early warning
protocols. Addressing these will require the integration of pandemics into a
multi-hazard, national and local strategy for DRR, advocated in SFDRR, but not
implemented. It will also necessitate a multi-stakeholder approach to
collectively examine impacts, coordinate fiscal, monetary, and social measures,
share practices and lessons learned.

Disclaimer:
UK Research and Innovation accepts no liability, financial or otherwise, for
expenditure or liability arising from the research funded by the Grant except as
set out in these Terms and Conditions, or otherwise agreed in writing

Consortium

The project continues for 18 months with many identified deliverables from the consortium. The consortium comprises of the University of Huddersfield (the Lead partner), University of Colombo, University of Moratuwa and the Ministry of Health Sri Lanka as the co-investigators and the Disaster Management Centre, Sri Lanka, the federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities, Sri Lanka, the Association of Disaster Risk Management Professionals of Sri Lankan, Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, Thailand, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, UK, Public Health England, UNDRR, the ICG/IOTWMS of the IOCUNESCO Working Group 1 as the other partners during this 18 months period.

Lead

University of Huddersfield
UK

Co-Investigators

University of Colombo
Sri Lanka

University of Moratuwa
Sri Lanka

Other partners

Ministry of Health
Sri Lanka

Disaster Management Centre,
Sri Lanka

Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government
Sri Lanka

The Association of Disaster Risk
Management Professionals of
Sri Lanka (ADRiMP)

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre,
Thailand

Greater Manchester Combined
Authority (GMCA), UK

Public Health,
England

UNDRR (The United Nations
Office for Disaster Risk Reduction)
& ESTAG (Science & Technology
Advisory Group) of UNDRR

The Intergovernmental Coordination
Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami
Warning and Mitigation System
(ICG/IOTWMS) of The
Intergovernmental Oceanographic
Commission of UNESCO
(IOCUNESCO), Working Group 1:
Tsunami Risk, Community Awareness
and Preparedness

Project Members

Work packages

The research has 6 Work Packages (WP) that correspond to the objectives of the project. The WP structure,

Work Package 1

Description	Research question	Objectives
WP1 will provide a common conceptual basis for the multi-disciplinary team that facilitates an inter-disciplinary approach to delivering the project. The team will develop a conceptual framework on the key actors and processes involved in COVID-19 and other pandemic warning and dissemination processes. This will be based on desk studies and interviews. The framework will reflect natural hazard/pandemics interface, and how DRR and resilience building interventions can be re-oriented to meet the challenges of recent COVID pandemic. We will also establish baseline practices and capacities, challenges and gaps, and existing best practices and develop systems thinking-based activities that can be piloted with relevant stakeholders to facilitate the articulation of connections (e.g. through influence diagrams).	RQ 1 - Who are the key actors and what are the processes involved in the preparation of COVID-19 and other pandemic warning and dissemination processes?	To identify the key actors and what are the processes involved in the preparation of COVID-19 and other pandemic warning and dissemination processes

Work Package 2

Description	Research question	Objectives
WP2 will address RQ2 using a desk-based policy analysis and focus group discussion. It will explore the extent to which pandemic threats are integrated within national and local DRR strategies. We will also examine ongoing prevention and preparedness measures at the national and local level. Our strong links with MH and DMC of Sri Lanka will help us identify boundaries and respondents. This WP will also develop recommendations to mainstream pandemics within national to local DRR strategies.	RQ 2 - How are COVID-19 and other pandemic threats integrated within national and local disaster risk reduction strategies?	To propose recommendations to mainstream COVID-19 and other pandemic threats to be integrated within national and local disaster risk reduction strategies

Work Package 3

Description	Research question	Objectives
This WP will address RQ3, 4 & 5. Data and insights arising from WP1 and WP2, supported by interviews with DM and health officials and experts, will lead us to evaluate and deliberate on the Impact of COVID on the response capabilities for other hazards, including potential issues such as resources, risk communication, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs)/community mitigation strategies, legal authority analysis and guidance, disease surveillance and epidemiologic analysis. We will use these issues to develop and then explore potential scenarios associated with bringing COVID19 & Pandemics within exiting MHEW systems. The impact on the MHEW downstream response and mass evacuation will be explored through multi-hazard scenario workshops with key actors, including response trade-offs and preparedness challenges, compounded vulnerabilities of most-at-risk groups, institutional coordination and collaboration with civil society, challenges to frontline workers, and the governance systems. We will also explore scenarios to understand what happens when crises occur simultaneously. Contingency planning will be looked into including special provisions for older people and high-risk groups. Impact on the downstream will be captured via a survey with communities.	RQ 3 - What is the impact of COVID-19 on the response capabilities for other hazards, either multiple simultaneous events, or cascading impacts? What components of early warning system are greatly affected due to dual challenges associated with COVID-19? RQ 4 - How can public health actors be better included within a multi-hazard early warning environment? RQ 5 - How would social distancing and other pandemic response measures impact the downstream response to other hazards, including mass evacuations with increased capacity of shelters, camps? How could we overcome these tensions in an emergency situation?	To explore the impact of COVID-19 on the response capabilities for other hazards, either multiple simultaneous events, or cascading impacts and to understand what components of early warning system are greatly affected due to dual challenges associated with COVID-19 To identify how would pandemic response measures impact the downstream response to other hazards, including mass evacuations with increased capacity of shelters, camps and to identify measures to overcome these tensions in an emergency situation

Work Package 4

Description	Research question	Objectives
An interdisciplinary cross-sector approach will be required, supported by inputs from WP1, 2 & 3, to develop and implement a synergised COVID-19 and public health surveillance system with “the last mile” of MHEW. This includes where community networks, communication systems, and citizen behaviours can be utilised for pandemic EWS at the community level. We intend to provide recommendations on how to address disaster risks in an era of COVID-19, stimulating a reinvigorated localisation agenda. This includes undertaking a consultative process on the revision of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and contingency plans to incorporate containment measures for COVID-19, such as physical distancing and provision of PPE. We intend to provide recommendations in strengthening healthcare facility capacity for emergency response including development of communication material on COVID-19 and general preventive measures for the general public, training modules, slide sets and videos for training of health workers, other field level social workers. We will also address special measures to target marginalised and disadvantaged groups who do not have access to regular channels of media communication. WP4 will use multiple data sources such as public engagement events and round table dialogues. We expect to have validation exercises in Sri Lanka, which will be facilitated by the project Advisory Board and high-level Sri Lanka partners respectively.	RQ6 How can the COVID-19 and public health surveillance system be synergised with “the last mile” of multi-hazard early warning systems, where community networks, communication systems, and citizen behaviours can be utilised for pandemic EWS at the community level?	Develop and implement a synergised COVID-19 and public health surveillance system with “the last mile” of MHEW

Work Package 5

Description	Research question	Objectives
Dissemination including planned deliverables across all other WPs are identified as the project’s WP5. The emerging results around the six research questions will provide a basis for at least five high quality, peer reviewed multi-institution, multi-disciplinary journal papers in high-impact journals. WP2 will lead to a briefing paper and a policy dialog on current status and recommendations on the integration of pandemics within the national/local DRR strategies. Drawing upon WP3, a vision paper will set out the future integration of pandemics into a MHEW environment. There will also be at least four oral presentations in leading international conferences. We intend to issue a call for a special issue of a Scopus indexed International Journal, which will encourage on-going scientific dialogue around pandemics and the nexus with other hazards. Also, as part of our dissemination strategy, a dedicated project website will be established to gain visibility and to disseminate project outcomes to a broader academic and user community. It will employ a range of communication channels including social media, flyers, news articles, adapted conference presentations, journal publications (and summaries), infographics and social media to promote the project itself, as well as key outcomes emerging from it. The project team will also work with Advisory Board members and other partners to identify and utilise their organisational channels and dissemination networks to reach a wider audience. in this way, the team will make sure the deliverables will lead to benefits relating to the health, social, economic, cultural and environmental impacts of the COVID outbreak within the project duration and beyond, in Sri Lanka and beyond.

Work Package 6

Description	Research question	Objectives
Project management will be achieved through WP6. The Steering Committee (SC) will be chaired by Amaratunga and include all Co-Is. The SC is responsible for technical, contractual, ethical and financial management of the consortium matters. This includes monitoring and coordination, as well as overseeing the project impact through planned activities. It will manage IPR, manage project funds, carry out due diligence and follow agreed dispute resolution procedures if a conflict arises. The SC will meet face-to-face every 6 months of the project and will supplement this with virtual meetings as necessary. Risk management will be the responsibility of the SC. It will keep a project-wide risk register, review and assign remediation activities to WP teams. The Advisory Board (AB) will provide independent, expert input while maximising opportunities to benefit from the results of this research beyond Sri Lanka.

Contact Us

Professor Dilanthi Amaratunga
d.amaratunga@hud.ac.uk
Global Disaster Resilience Centre
School of Applied Sciences,
University of Huddersfield, UK

Professor Richard Haigh
r.haigh@hud.ac.uk
Global Disaster Resilience Centre
School of Applied Sciences,
University of Huddersfield, UK

Improving COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness and response through the downstream of multi-hazard early warning systems