The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on the 24th that it will undergo a joint external evaluation by the World Health Organization (WHO) from the 25th to the 29th. The evaluation will assess the ability to respond to public health crises. Korea first underwent a joint external evaluation by the WHO in 2017 after experiencing a MERS outbreak.
This joint external evaluation is being conducted for the first time in 8 years. Fourteen experts from seven countries, including the WHO, France, Australia, Finland, China, Japan, and Argentina, will participate. The evaluation will cover 19 areas, including public health crisis management, zoonotic infectious diseases, antibiotic resistance, and food safety. The results will be announced on the WHO website.
As of July this year, 128 countries have undergone a joint external evaluation by the WHO. Im Seung-kwan, the head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, noted, "This is an opportunity to showcase the enhanced capabilities for responding to health crises after the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). We will share the strengths and work on improving any weaknesses."