WHO Pilots First Sub-National STAR Workshop in Cox’s Bazar, Advancing Local Emergency Preparedness in South-East Asia

Demonstrating a strong commitment to strengthening local emergency preparedness, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh and key health partners, conducted a three-day workshop in Cox’s Bazar from 22 to 24 April 2025. The workshop focused on the Strategic Assessment of Health Emergency Risk using the STAR (Strategic Tool for Assessing Risks) methodology.

This event marked the first sub-national implementation of the STAR tool in WHO’s South-East Asia Region, setting a regional precedent for localised, data-driven, and community-centred risk assessment and planning.

Cox’s Bazar, home to approximately 1.25 million Rohingya refugees and vulnerable host communities, is one of the most hazard-prone districts in Bangladesh. Recurrent threats such as cyclones, landslides, floods, and infectious disease outbreaks underscore the critical need for localised emergency preparedness. In such high-risk settings, even a single emergency can have devastating consequences. This workshop is expected to generate meaningful recommendations to strengthen preparedness,” said Mr Abu Saleh Mohammed Obaidullah, Additional Secretary at the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner’s Office. “The insights gathered should guide future planning and policy decisions for Rohingya and host communities in Cox’s Bazar.”

Demonstrating a strong commitment to strengthening local emergency preparedness, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh and key health partners, conducted a three-day workshop in Cox’s Bazar from 22 to 24 April 2025. The workshop focused on the Strategic Assessment of Health Emergency Risk using the STAR (Strategic Tool for Assessing Risks) methodology.

This event marked the first sub-national implementation of the STAR tool in WHO’s South-East Asia Region, setting a regional precedent for localised, data-driven, and community-centred risk assessment and planning.

Cox’s Bazar, home to approximately 1.25 million Rohingya refugees and vulnerable host communities, is one of the most hazard-prone districts in Bangladesh. Recurrent threats such as cyclones, landslides, floods, and infectious disease outbreaks underscore the critical need for localised emergency preparedness. In such high-risk settings, even a single emergency can have devastating consequences. This workshop is expected to generate meaningful recommendations to strengthen preparedness,” said Mr Abu Saleh Mohammed Obaidullah, Additional Secretary at the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner’s Office. “The insights gathered should guide future planning and policy decisions for Rohingya and host communities in Cox’s Bazar.”

Developed by WHO, the STAR toolkit uses an all-hazards, whole-of-society approach to assess and prioritise public health risks. It facilitates the development of inclusive and coordinated preparedness strategies that are tailored to local context.  While the STAR tool was previously applied at the national level in Bangladesh, most notably in 2021 for infectious hazards, this workshop marked its first adaptation for multi-hazard use at the district level. “This workshop reflects our collective commitment to building a safer, more resilient Cox’s Bazar,” said Dr Jorge Martinez, Head of the WHO Sub-Office in Cox’s Bazar. “By working together, we are transforming local knowledge into concrete strategies for emergency preparedness.”

 

Participants included representatives from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), Department of Disaster Management (DDM), Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), health sector partners, humanitarian agencies, community organisations, and academic institutions. Working collaboratively, r, they identified and analysed priority hazards, assessed risks based on likelihood and seasonal trends, and examined community vulnerabilities along with existing coping capacities.

“While the STAR tool is traditionally applied at the national level, Cox’s Bazar’s unique challenges necessitate a more localised approach,” said Dr Anthony ESHOFONIE, WHO Emergency Preparedness and Response Lead in Bangladesh. “Amid global funding constraints, this method enables us to prioritise risks and plan more effectively to protect vulnerable populations.”

The collaborative assessments culminated in the development of a prioritised risk matrix, seasonal risk calendars, and actionable recommendations to inform preparedness and response planning for 2025 - 2026. These outputs will support the creation of a local emergency preparedness roadmap aligned with national policies and global health security frameworks. 

“The successful implementation of the STAR tool at the district level marks a significant milestone in advancing health emergency preparedness,” said Dr Jamsheed Mohamed, WHO Representative a.i. to Bangladesh. “This initiative underscores WHO’s commitment to supporting the Government of Bangladesh in building resilient health systems that can effectively respond to local challenges. By leveraging local knowledge and fostering multisectoral collaboration, we are paving the way for more risk-informed planning across the South-East Asia Region.”

By anchoring emergency preparedness in community-driven data and local context, the STAR workshop has strengthened Cox’s Bazar’s capacity to respond to emergencies, demonstrating how localised action significantly contributes to regional and global health resilience.