Risk assessment tools for WHO Member States

Risk assessment tools for WHO Member States

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Biosafety and Risk Assessment Refresher and Practical Training of Trainers held in Nepal
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In public health, risk assessment is a key step in surveillance to transform information into action. Risk assessment is a process to systematically collect, analyse and interpret multisource quantitative and qualitative data on a specific  hazard, and its exposure and context. Risk assessment helps decision-makers to understand threats, increases the confidence in the information provided and supports transparent, defendable and evidence-based decisions. It is an integral part of the overall risk analysis process, which includes risk assessment, risk management and risk communication.

WHO Member States require the capacity to independently conduct risk assessments within their public health institutions to support decision-making during acute public health events or emergencies. WHO has developed several tools and guidance to support them in these efforts, with each tool having  a specific target audience and purpose.

This manual has been developed to guide rapid risk assessment of acute public health risks from any type of hazard in response to requests from Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO). The manual is aimed primarily at national departments with health-protection responsibilities, National Focal Points (NFPs) for the International Heath Regulations (IHR) and WHO staff. It should also be useful to others who join multidisciplinary risk assessment teams, such as clinicians, field epidemiologists, veterinarians, chemists, food-safety specialists.

 

Risk assessment tools flowchart
10 July 2025

Flowchart: Тools and guidance available from WHO to support Member States in risk assessment

The flowchart provides an overview of WHO tools or publications a related to risk assessments.

Materials included are for preparedness for hazards and emergencies as well as response. 

 

Risk assessment tools available for use

WHO guidance for the use of Annex 2 of the International Health Regulations (2005)

Objective

States Parties are required to carry out an assessment of public health events occurring within their territories utilizing the decision instrument provided in Annex 2 of the Regulations, and then to notify WHO of all qualifying events within 24 hours of such an assessment.

Tool applicable to

All hazards

Target users

The guidance document is intended for National IHR Focal Points and others responsible for assessing the need to notify WHO of public health events under the Regulations.

Handbook for public health capacity-building at ground crossings and cross-border collaboration (2020)

Objective

This handbook takes a comprehensive approach to health system strengthening at borders to support national focal points for the International Health Regulations (2005) and national agencies in developing and implementing evidence-based action plans for developing capacity for the Regulations at ground crossings.

Tool applicable to

Border health

Target users

Stakeholders with public health roles and responsibilities at ground crossings are not limited to the public health sector but also include other governmental, nongovernmental and private sectors, and other disciplines

The generic all-hazards risk assessment tool for mass gathering events (2023)

Objective

This all-hazards tool provides a systematic, evidence-based approach to identifying and classifying priority risks related to a mass gathering and accounting for precautionary measures that may reduce the risk, thus making the event safer.

Tool applicable to

All hazards

Target users

National governments, public health decision-makers and organizers of mass gatherings.

Strategic toolkit for assessing risks (STAR): a comprehensive toolkit for all-hazards health emergency risk assessment (2021)

Objective

This tool is used by national, subnational and local authorities to rapidly conduct a strategic and evidence-based assessment of public health risks to inform emergency preparedness and response planning and to prioritize key emergency preparedness actions. A STAR workshop is held among relevant stakeholders. 

Tool applicable to

Developing a list of relevant hazards identified by STAR workshop participants 

Target users

A range of stakeholders across the relevant sectors involved in emergency and disaster response management, such as different levels of government, ministries and other public institutions; intergovernmental organizations; the private sector; faith-based organizations; civil society; the media; academic and research institutions; and voluntary associations.

WHO mass gathering COVID-19 risk assessment tool: generic events, version 3 (2022)

Objective

This is used to assess the overall risk of further spread of COVID-19 for a mass gathering.

Tool applicable to

COVID-19

Target users

Organizers of mass gatherings together with local and national public health authorities.

Pandemic Influenza Severity Assessment (PISA) (2024)

Objective

This tool is used to assess risks associated with influenza and syndromic acute respiratory illness activity in the context of historical data. 

Tool applicable to

Influenza and syndromic acute respiratory illness 

Target users

Public health professionals at the national level who perform or plan to perform assessments of national influenza or syndromic respiratory illness severity and who can contribute towards developing assessments of global severity.

Measles Programmatic Risk Assessment Tool

Objective

This document aims to help national programmes to identify areas not meeting measles programmatic targets and based on the findings, guide and strengthen measles elimination programme activities and reduce the risk of outbreaks.

Tool applicable to

Measles

Target users

National ministries of health and public health authorities of Member States, especially national measles programme managers.

Standard operating procedures: responding to a poliovirus event or outbreak, version 4 (2022)

Objective

These standard operating procedures offer guidance to any country that detects any type of poliovirus outbreak or event to aid it in responding in a timely and effective manner, with the specific objective of stopping polio outbreaks within 120 days.

Tool applicable to

Poliovirus

Target users

National governments and public health decision-makers who coordinate responses to poliovirus events.

WHO Human Health Risk Assessment Toolkit: Chemical Hazards, second edition (2021)

Objective

This toolkit is used to identify and characterize chemical hazards and to assess the magnitude of potential risks to human health associated with exposure to the chemicals.

Tool applicable to

Chemical hazards 

Target users

People responsible for conducting health risk assessments (e.g. professionals in public health and environmental health, and scientific or engineering professionals) and making decisions about whether to take action to manage environmental risks.

Joint risk assessment operational tool (JRA OT): an operational tool of the tripartite zoonoses guide (2020)

Objective

The tool adopts a multisectoral One Health approach and is used to conduct a joint risk assessment across quadripartite partners (i.e. human, animal, environmental and other sectors) should zoonotic disease hazards emerge or occur at the human–animal–environment interface. Often, sectors conduct specific risk assessments, and outputs from these could potentially be inputs for the JRA OT process. 

Tool applicable to

Events that occur at the human–animal–environment interface 

Target users

National ministries responsible for human health, animal health or the environment, or other government agencies responsible for the control and management of zoonotic diseases 

Communicable diseases following natural disasters: Risk assessment and priority interventions

Objective

This document aims to detail the priority measures that are necessary to reduce the impact of communicable diseases following natural disasters that will help to protect the health of affected populations.

Tool applicable to

Communicable diseases in post-disaster settings

Target users

National ministries of health and public health authorities of Member States