MAKE-READY (N. Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo Emergency Ready)

Background

North Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo were awarded US$34.98 million from the Pandemic Fund to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR) across the Western Balkans region. The grant catalyzed an additional US$44 million in co-financing from multilateral and philanthropic partners, as well as US$55.8 million in co-investment provided by the project’s three governments.

In addition to longstanding historical and cultural ties, North Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo share fifteen joint border crossings and host significant mobility within and across those borders. Along with the benefits of this interconnection, however, comes an elevated risk of disease transmission. The three countries’ ability to respond to that risk is also limited. Their health systems are under-resourced and overstretched, and marginalized communities, including displaced people and those living in remote rural areas, often have limited access to care. The countries’ health workforces are also limited in their ability to surge when emergencies arise.

In the spirit of the Pandemic Fund, the North Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo Emergency READY (MAKE-READY) multi-country project is responding to the countries’ challenges through multisectoral cooperation. The project is led by Albania’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Kosovo’s Ministry of Health and Department of Finance, and North Macedonia’s Ministry of Health, as well as all countries’ Ministries of Agriculture and Albania’s and Kosovo’s Ministries of Environment. The project’s two implementing entities are the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Bank.

Project objectives

With the support of the Pandemic Fund, MAKE-READY seeks to drive sustainable improvements to regional PPR, aligned with national policies.

Implementation arrangements and key components

MAKE-READY focuses on the Pandemic Fund’s three priorities -- surveillance, laboratory systems, and workforce development – as well as establishing a technical hub for the region. Detail on all project components follows.

Strengthening early warning and surveillance. The project’s flagship activity is upgrading and integrating cross-border surveillance through an electronic One Health platform. The intention is to foster real-time data sharing and coordination, as well as reinforce data analysis and risk assessment and reporting, particularly at the community level. Activities in this area also include designating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) sentinel sites, developing standard operating procedures for risk communication, training border staff, and updating workplans for zoonotic disease committees to boost coordination between the human and animal health sectors.

Enhancing laboratory systems. Work in this area focuses on upgrading regional laboratory capacity across human and animal health, including by improving the specimen referral and transport system, training laboratory personnel in biosafety, biosecurity, and advanced diagnostic techniques, and connecting the electronic surveillance platform to an upgraded Laboratory Information Management System. Each country also plans to update its own national laboratory system, enabling the early detection of zoonotic and emerging pathogens.

Reinforcing the public health and community workforce. Plans to strengthen the multisectoral workforce include applying common standards and competencies, training field epidemiologists, veterinary health professionals, laboratory staff, and frontline workers, and running simulation exercises for pandemic PPR.

Establishing a regional technical hub. The hub is intended to serve as the nucleus of the PPR system, driven by collaboration among the region’s Institutes of Public Health, along with community-based organizations. Activities include forming a consortium of cross-border organizations and developing robust risk communication and community engagement strategies.

Drawing on its expertise in animal health and food safety, the FAO will help the MAKE-READY countries develop One Health-aligned systems and strengthen their surveillance, early warning, and response capabilities. The World Bank brings its expertise in managing complex multi-country operations, as well as its longstanding relationships in the Western Balkan region.