Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC2025170 (Oral 059) | Published: 13 Aug 2025
Lionel Solété Sogbossi1,&, Virgil Kuassi Lokossou1, Alain Bawe2, Joel Anani3, Aishat Usman1, Ermel Johnson1, Roméo Adégbité1, Félix Agbla1, Melchior Athanase Aïssi1
1West African Health Organization, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, 2Ministry of Health Togo, Lomé, Togo, 3World Health, Organization
&Corresponding author: Lionel Solété Sogbossi, WAHO, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, Email : lsogbossi@wahooas.org
Received: 31 May 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 13 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: EMT, RRT, SURGE, health emergencies, Togo, integration, health security
©Lionel Solété Sogbossi et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Lionel Solété Sogbossi et al., Strengthening health emergency resilience in Togo: Integration of rapid response mechanisms. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00059. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00059
In response to the increasing frequency of health emergencies, Togo has initiated a comprehensive integration of Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs), Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), and SURGE (Strengthening and Utilizing Response Groups for Emergencies) teams. This study explores and identifies existing gaps and opportunities to enhance emergency response frameworks through stakeholder insights and collaborative discussions.
An exploratory qualitative study was conducted from March 31 to April 4, 2025, using focus groups and narrative inquiry approaches. Participants included 42 national health representatives, 3 international partners, and 7 technical experts. The study employed consensus mapping and narrative analysis to capture the dynamics, experiences, and expectations of various actors involved in the three emergency response programs.
The analysis highlighted strong institutional commitment to integrated emergency preparedness but revealed persistent gaps in workforce availability, logistics, administrative coordination, and SOPs. Brainstorming and group work identified ten functional pillars for integration (including coordination, legal frameworks, deployment protocols, training, and monitoring). Participants mapped out partial and full integration areas among EMTs, RRTs, and SURGE teams. Recommendations focused on the harmonization of operating procedures, the establishment of a unified legal mandate, and the implementation of joint simulation exercises and capacity building programs. Additionally, two strategic roadmaps were developed: one for the operational integration of response teams and one for supporting the EMT accreditation process. Participants also emphasized the need for insurance coverage, post deployment debriefings, and shared rosters to ensure rapid mobilization. The workshop demonstrated the potential of a unified response system to streamline interventions and optimize resources.
The integration of EMTs, RRTs, and SURGE teams marks a transformative step toward strengthening Togo’s health emergency preparedness. The jointly developed roadmaps offer actionable guidance for institutionalizing collaboration and aligning operational standards. Sustained leadership, cross-sectoral coordination, and donor support will be essential to move from planning.
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