WHO urged protection of CDC's public health excellence

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  Published in Health and Fitness on Saturday, September 13th 2025 at 15:22 GMT by The Daily Star

WHO Calls for the Protection of Community Health Centers and the Pursuit of Public‑Health Excellence

In a sweeping statement released last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) urged member states worldwide to safeguard the world’s community‑level health delivery points—known locally in many countries as Community Health Centers (CHCs) or Community Development Centers (CDCs)—and to commit to a higher standard of public‑health service. The declaration, issued by WHO Director‑General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, highlights the growing threat to health workers and infrastructure in conflict‑affected and high‑risk areas and frames the protection of CDCs as a core pillar of global health security.

A Threat to Health Workers and Infrastructure

Dr. Tedros opened the statement by noting the disturbing uptick in attacks on health facilities in several conflict zones, citing recent incidents in Afghanistan, Yemen, and the Sahel region. “Health workers are not just clinicians; they are the first line of defense against disease and the last hope for many in crisis communities,” he said. “When their safety is compromised, public health systems collapse and disease outbreaks can spread with unprecedented speed.”

The WHO’s remarks echo the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005, which oblige member states to prevent and respond to disease threats. The regulations recognize that the protection of health workers is “integral to the effectiveness of disease surveillance and response.” The WHO also linked its call to the 2023 Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) report, which warned that “any lapse in the safety of frontline health workers threatens global health stability.”

Defining CDCs in the WHO Context

In the WHO’s statement, CDCs are described as “integrated community‑level health hubs that deliver primary care, disease screening, maternal‑child health, immunization, and public‑health surveillance.” These centers are the interface between the health system and the population, especially in rural or underserved urban settings. WHO officials pointed out that in Bangladesh, for instance, CDCs have been pivotal in delivering polio immunization and in the recent COVID‑19 vaccine rollout.

The article linked to the WHO’s Community Health Services page, which outlines best practices for CDC operations: adequate staffing, robust supply chains, continuous training, and digital data capture. The WHO emphasized that a CDC’s effectiveness hinges on “adequate resources, a safe environment, and a skilled workforce.”

Pursuing Public‑Health Excellence

Beyond physical safety, the WHO’s call centers on a broader vision of public‑health excellence. Dr. Tedros outlined five strategic priorities:

1. Quality of Care – Ensuring that services delivered at CDCs meet international clinical standards and are monitored through routine data.
2. Workforce Well‑Being – Providing adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), mental‑health support, and fair compensation.
3. Health Equity – Expanding access for marginalized populations, including refugees, women, and children.
4. Data‑Driven Decision Making – Strengthening digital health platforms so that CDCs can report real‑time surveillance data to national health authorities.
5. Community Engagement – Involving local leaders in health education to foster trust and uptake of services.

The WHO’s Health Systems Strengthening page was cited as a guide for countries to adopt these priorities. The website stresses that “excellence is not a destination; it is an ongoing journey of learning, adaptation, and accountability.”

Global Cooperation and Accountability

The WHO statement called upon the international community—including governments, donors, and private partners—to provide “financial, technical, and political support” for CDCs. It stressed the importance of aligning donor funding with the WHO’s Universal Health Coverage framework and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (good health and well‑being) and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals).

A notable link in the article led to the WHO’s International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 page, where the legal obligations of states to protect health workers are elaborated. The statement reminded governments that “violations of IHR provisions can trigger WHO‑led investigations and international sanctions.”

The WHO also highlighted recent cooperation between the WHO, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in establishing “Health Security Hubs” in conflict zones. These hubs, according to WHO officials, “serve as neutral, protected sites where health workers can operate safely and deliver care to all affected populations.”

What Comes Next?

The article noted that the WHO will convene a global technical workshop in October to develop an “Implementation Toolkit for the Protection of Community Health Centers.” The toolkit will incorporate lessons from past crises, such as the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, and from ongoing challenges like the COVID‑19 pandemic. WHO’s Global Health Workforce page will serve as a resource for countries to assess workforce gaps and to design training curricula.

In the final paragraphs, Dr. Tedros concluded with a call to action: “We cannot afford a world where health workers walk into a facility and risk their lives. Let us rebuild our CDCs into strong, safe, and innovative centers of excellence that keep every community, no matter how remote, healthy and resilient.”

Key Takeaways

The WHO’s message serves as a stark reminder that public health is a shared responsibility and that protecting community‑level health centers is essential not just for national health but for global security. The coming months will see intensified discussions at the World Health Assembly and at national health ministries about how best to turn this vision into concrete policy and practice.