Risk-based approach to international travel-related measures

Project details

Year: 2023

Client: World Health Organization - Country Office in Kyrgyzstan

Objectives:

  • Perform a review of published experiences, good practices, and recommendations to implement a risk-based approach to international travel-related public health measures;
  • Develop a consensual strategy and standard operating procedure to implement a risk-based approach to international travel-related public health measures in Kyrgyzstan.

Deliverables:

  • Rapid review report on risk-based approaches to international travel-related measures;
  • National multisectoral strategy for international travel-related measures in Kyrgyzstan;
  • Standard operating procedure for the risk assessment of a threat abroad and consideration of international travel-related health measures.

Performed activities

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most countries have implemented international travel-related health measures, including blanket restrictions and travel bans. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized the need for risk-based, evidence-informed and context-specific policies when implementing international travel-related measures.

To support the Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan in implementing a risk-based approach for international travel-related public health measures, we first conducted a review of related published experiences, good practices, and recommendations.

Flowchart of included documents and extracted data

Figure 1. Flowchart of included documents and extracted data

Thirty-four documents were included in the review (Figure 1), among which:

  • Fifteen provided information on experiences of in-country activities related to a risk-based approach for international travel-related health measures (Figure 2);
  • Twenty provided guidance or recommendations for such a risk-based approach.
Experiences of risk-based approaches to international travel-related health measures

Figure 2. Experiences of risk-based approaches to international travel-related health measures

We extracted and compiled recommendations from all documents included in the review on the following activities:

  • Performance of dedicated risk assessments, including objectives, modalities, data sources, and assessment criteria;
  • Decision-making, including modalities and factors to be considered;
  • Implementation and evaluation of measures.

The results of the review informed the development of:

  • A national multisectoral strategy for international travel-related measures in Kyrgyzstan;
  • A standard operating procedure for the risk assessment of a threat abroad and the consideration of international travel-related health measures (Figure 3).

These two documents were presented to national stakeholders in Kyrgyzstan to gain consensus on their content and were finalized accordingly.

Proposed process for the risk assessment of a threat abroad and the consideration of international travel-related health measures

Figure 3. Proposed process for the risk assessment of a threat abroad and the consideration of international travel-related health measures