Manuscript Topics

Disasters and public health emergencies (PHEs), from natural hazards to outbreaks and technological incidents, severely challenge global health and well-being. They create immediate crises, expose healthcare vulnerabilities, require rapid policy adaptation, and test health system resilience. Understanding this interplay is vital for effective preparedness, response, and recovery.
These events immediately overwhelm health services by damaging infrastructure, limiting access, and causing resource scarcity (supplies, personnel). This disrupts routine care (chronic diseases, maternal/child health, non-disaster emergencies) and creates a surge in demand for acute care, trauma services, and public health functions (surveillance, vector control), often necessitating temporary facilities and rapid staff mobilization. Mental health needs also significantly increase.
Health policy is crucial for mitigating impacts, guiding preparedness, coordinating response, and facilitating recovery. Key aspects include national/sub-national plans, clear command structures, defined roles, resource allocation, supply procurement, workforce deployment, and communication strategies. Policies must also address vulnerable populations, ensure equitable access, and incorporate lessons learned. Instruments like the International Health Regulations (IHR) provide a global framework.
Health system resilience—the ability to withstand, adapt, and recover—is critical. Resilient systems have robust infrastructure, a sufficient and trained workforce, efficient supply chains, reliable information, and strong governance. They maintain essential functions, scale capacity, and coordinate across sectors. Building resilience requires sustained investment in preparedness, primary healthcare, surveillance, and community engagement, as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Long-term recovery involves restoring/strengthening services and systems, rebuilding infrastructure, replenishing resources, addressing long-term physical/mental health, and implementing policy changes based on lessons learned. The interconnectedness of health services, policy, and systems is evident in crises, underscoring the need for an integrated preparedness and response approach.
This Special issue will explore the new challenges in Shaping Health Services, Policy, and Systems during, under, and after Disasters and Public Health Emergencies.

Main Topics for Submitted Papers  

1.Impact of Disasters and PHEs on Health Service Delivery: Examining disruptions, surge capacity needs, maintenance of routine services, and the specific challenges faced by different service types (e.g., chronic care, maternal health, emergency).
2.Adaptation and Innovation in Health Services: How health services innovate and adapt to continue functioning and meet new demands during crises.
3.The Role of Health Policy in Disaster and Emergency Preparedness: Analysis of national and sub-national plans, legal frameworks, resource allocation policies, and the development of command structures.
4.Health Policies for Effective Crisis Response and Coordination: Policies guiding resource deployment, communication strategies, inter-agency coordination, and rapid decision-making during emergencies.
5.Policy Frameworks for Long-Term Health Recovery: Examining policies needed to rebuild infrastructure, restore services, address long-term health needs, and incorporate lessons learned into future planning.
6.Building and Assessing Health System Resilience: Research on what makes health systems resilient, methods for assessing resilience, and strategies for strengthening system capacity to withstand shocks.
7.Addressing Health System Vulnerabilities Exposed by Disasters/PHEs: Identifying and analyzing specific weaknesses in infrastructure, workforce, supply chains, or information systems revealed during crises and how to mitigate them.
8.Workforce Challenges and Solutions: Papers focusing on the health workforce, including training, deployment, mental health support, ethical considerations, and recruitment/retention in emergency contexts.
9.Supply Chain Management and Resource Allocation: Research on ensuring availability of essential medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and equipment during crises, including procurement and distribution challenges.
10.Information Systems and Data Management: The use of surveillance systems, data collection, sharing, and analysis to inform decision-making during and after disasters/PHEs.
11.Governance, Leadership, and Inter-sectoral Coordination: The critical role of leadership structures, governance models, and coordination between health and other sectors (e.g., emergency services, social services, infrastructure) in emergency management.
12.Addressing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Needs: Focused papers on the mental health impact of disasters/PHEs on affected populations and responders, and strategies for providing care.
13.Ensuring Equity and Supporting Vulnerable Populations: Research on how disasters/PHEs disproportionately affect vulnerable groups and strategies to ensure equitable access to health services and support.
14.Lessons Learned from Specific Disasters or Public Health Emergencies: Case studies and analyses of specific events (like COVID-19 or major natural disasters) and the key lessons for services, policy, and systems.
15.The Role of International Cooperation and Frameworks: Papers examining the application of international regulations (like IHR) and the role of international organizations and partnerships in global health security and emergency response.

Research Methodology (Empirical, Qualitative, Quantitative)

For an issue focusing on “Disasters and Public Health Emergencies: Shaping Health Services, Policy, and Systems”, empirical research is highly encouraged, as the core of the topic is understanding real-world impacts and adaptations. Furthermore, both qualitative and quantitative methodologies are relevant and valuable, and the choice should depend entirely on the specific research question.

Keywords: disasters and public health emergencies; health services; health policy; health systems; preparedness; response; recovery; resilience

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