Public health emergencies affect the supply and demand of health services. This can be due to reduced access, increased need for emergency care, changes in the health workforce and issues with essential health product supply chains. A change in demand for or ability to provide health services during emergencies can disrupt routine and essential health services such as immunization and screening. When disruptions are not anticipated and mitigated, there can be excess morbidity and mortality from routine health problems.  Recent public health emergencies also highlighted significant impact on the quality of health services during crises often attributed to factors impacting services in emergency contexts.

The key characteristic of resilient health services is their ability to ensure continuity of essential health services during emergencies. Explicit support in resilience building at all levels of service delivery is required to reduce the risks for major disruption, ensuring the safety of health workers and patients, and maintaining the continuity of routine and essential health care in tandem to response efforts.