The CEM Theme led in MLW COVID-19 preparedness and response, ultimately delivering oxygen, PPE and a Respiratory HDU to QECH as well as staff safety in 3 tiers of surveillance and response to all MLW staff and families. The set of skills held in CEM was critical at that time of huge national importance. Very significant lessons were learned during this crisis about local resilience, stakeholder collaboration, and pivoting of resources to address emergencies. Further lessons on response and resilience were learned in the two cyclones of 2022 and 2023. The CEM Theme aims to learn from these lessons and have response-ready pivot-able resources in partnership with MoH and other stakeholders.

a) We will focus initially on response-ready pivot-able research responses to pandemic infections, and to requests from government for advice in collaboration with the Policy Unit.

b) Later, we will explore Theme expertise relevant to Climate and Health crises in collaboration with the Population Health theme e.g. Cholera outbreaks.