A global analysis of COVID-19 intra-action reviews: reflecting on, adjusting and improving country emergency preparedness and response during a pandemic

WHO started developing the Guidance for conducting a country COVID-19 intra-action review (IAR) in April 2020 when it became clear that the COVID-19 pandemic would be a protracted acute emergency. In conducting an IAR, countries have the opportunity to bring all stakeholders together from different parts of government, the private sector and civil society to collectively reflect on their response, identify best practices, challenges and lessons learned, and recommend both immediate and middle- to long-term actions to continually improve their COVID-19 preparedness and response in real time. This report aims to outline how governments worldwide not only used existing systems and resources, but also developed innovative new solutions and strategies during the pandemic. This report also examines the views of countries on how the COVID-19 IAR was customized to fit their needs, as well as the value of the IAR process to their COVID-19 response and beyond. Important topics of interest that are rarely or inadequately reviewed during an IAR, such as provision for vulnerable and marginalized populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, are also considered.