The Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3) is a multi-country programme, funded by USAID, that supports communities, National Societies and other partners to prevent, detect, and respond to disease threats. In doing so, we support them to play a significant role in preparing for future health risks and keep communities healthy and safe.

CP3 supports communities to be the first line of defence against epidemics and pandemics by equipping them with the knowledge, behaviours, skills and tools to quickly detect and report disease outbreaks. 

The programme supports National Societies to strengthen their epidemic preparedness and response capacity through training, technical assistance, advocacy support and coordination.  

And through CP3 we engage a wide range of stakeholders—governments, private sector, religious groups, media and more—because all parts of society have a role to play to keep people healthy and safe from epidemics and pandemics. 

From 2018-2024, the CP3 programme was active in 7 countries: Indonesia, Uganda, Cameroon, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Guinea. In late 2024, CP3 expanded to an additional 11 countries: Burundi, Cambodia, Ivory Coast, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Philippines, Tajikistan, Thailand, Vietnam and Zambia. 

We adapt the programme to each country’s health priorities, needs, risks and capacities. And we make sure it complements and builds on their existing national emergency response plans. 

A Programmatic Partnership between IFRC, 12 National societies in Europe and 24 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America and the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) was launched in 2022. 

The partnership supports, amongst four other pillars, community epidemic and pandemic preparedness efforts, because local volunteers and networks are best-placed to prevent, detect, and respond to disease outbreaks and other health risks. 

With more strategic, flexible, longer-term and predictable funding, we are delivering more efficient and effective humanitarian support in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama. 

With support from the World Bank’s Pandemic Fund, and in collaboration with key national and international partners, IFRC was selected to launch two regional epidemic preparedness programmes.  

In Africa, the Preparedness for Pandemic Response (PREPARE) Programme strengthens cross-border collaboration, disease surveillance and health systems in East and Central Africa to address health challenges, such as the mpox epidemic. 

And in Asia Pacific, the Enhancing collaborative surveillance and diagnostic readiness for pandemic preparedness and response in South-East Asia Region programme aims to improve early warning and disease surveillance systems, laboratory systems and community health workforce capacity across eight countries.