Organisational models for managing Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEICs) in the South-East Asia Region (SEAR) nations: protocol for a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction The current literature suggests that the frequency and complexity of public health emergencies are rising and this trend will likely continue. From 2000 to 2023, seven events have been declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO). Organisational models such as the Incident Management System, Incident Response System and Incident Command System or country-specific models are essential in managing PHEIC.The review aims to achieve four key objectives. First, identify and describe the organisational models used in the South-East Asia Region (SEAR) nations defined by WHO as Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste and DPR Korea for managing PHEICs. Second, explore the indicators used to gauge the effectiveness of these models. Third, assess how these indicators impact the overall success of organisational models. Finally, the review will delve into the implementation aspects gaining a deeper understanding of how the organisational models are put into practice to manage PHEICs in the SEAR region.Methods and analysis Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols guidelines, a qualitative evidence synthesis will be conducted. A defined search strategy will be employed to conduct a comprehensive literature search of the following academic databases: PubMed (MEDLINE), Excerpta Medica Database, Cochrane CENTRAL, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, WHO Library Database, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and Web of Science; as well as non-academic databases including Google Scholar, Evidence Aid, Epistemonikos, Shodhganga and ResearchGate. This review will employ the SPIDER-D tool for searching qualitative studies. Two reviewers will check the quality of included studies and will be appraised using standard critical appraisal tools. In case of any difference between the two reviewers, a third reviewer will take the decision.Ethics and dissemination No ethical approval is required. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated through a workshop for stakeholders and policymakers.PROSPERO registration number CRD42023394418.