Emergency care is powerfully aligned with the primary health care agenda as it provides first contact clinical care for those who are acutely ill or injured. Pre-hospital and facility-based emergency care is a high impact and cost-effective form of secondary prevention.
The Basic Emergency Care Course (BEC) is a joint WHO/ICRC/IFEM learning programme for first contact health workers who care for patients with acute illness or injury. BEC teaches a systematic approach to the initial assessment and management of time-sensitive conditions where early intervention saves lives.
WHA 76.2 “Integrated emergency, critical and operative care for universal health coverage and protection from health emergencies,” passed with unanimous support during the 76th World Health Assembly in 2023, represented a powerful call for near-term action to strengthen health systems for delivery of high-quality emergency, critical and operative (ECO) care. In 2024, WHA 77(8) built on ...
Overview Developed by WHO and ICRC, in collaboration with the International Federation for Emergency Medicine, Basic Emergency Care (BEC): Approach to the acutely ill and injured is an open-access training course for first contact healthcare providers who manage acute illness and injury with limited resources. Integrating the guidance from WHO Emergency Triage, Assessment and Treatment (ETAT ...
Los Angeles Times: Primary Care, Urgent Care, and Emergency Care: Knowing Your Care Options
The 44th meeting of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR or Regulations) on the international spread of poliovirus was convened by the WHO Director-General on 14 January 2026 with eight out of nine Committee members and the adviser meeting via video conference with affected countries, supported by the WHO Secretariat.
Concurring with the advice unanimously expressed by the Committee during the meeting, the WHO Director-General determined that the upsurge of mpox 2024 continues to meet the criteria of a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and, accordingly, on 9 June 2025, issued temporary recommendations to States Parties.
Intensifying support to earthquake–hit Myanmar, the World Health Organization (WHO) has provided nearly 100 tons of medicines, medical devices and tents so far, and is assisting in coordination and deployment of emergency medical teams on the ground to meet the growing and evolving health needs of the nearly 12.9 million people in need of humanitarian health assistance.Photo credit - WHO ...
Emergency planning is critical This rapid, coordinated response was only possible because of Romania’s investment in emergency preparedness – early warning systems, trained responders and cross-agency collaboration – all of which played a critical role in reducing casualties during these unprecedented floods.
Discover when to visit primary care, urgent care, or the ER, and make the smart choice for your symptoms and budget today.