Geneva – Over 15 countries and over 20 community health agencies, health emergency networks and other partners have been tested for the first time in the past two days, for the first time, testing new global coordination mechanisms for health emergency situations.
A two-day simulation, Exercise Polaris tested Who’s Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC), a framework designed to strengthen the country’s emergency workforce, coordinate the deployment of surge teams and experts, and enhance collaboration between countries.
This exercise simulated the outbreak of fictional viruses spreading around the world.
Participating countries include Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ethiopia, Germany, Iraq, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, Somali-Uganda and Ukraine, with additional countries being observers. Countries participated through national health emergency coordination structures, worked under actual conditions, shared information, coordinated policies and stimulated their responses.
Regional and global health agencies and organizations, including the Africa CDC, European CDC, IFRC, IOM, UNICEF, global outbreak alert and response networks, the emergency networks such as the Emergency Medical Team Initiative, Standby Partners, and the Association of International Public Health Institutes, worked together to support a state-led response. Over 350 health emergency professionals have been connected globally through this exercise.
“This exercise proves that the world is better prepared when the nation is leading and partners connect,” said Director Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “No country will face just the next pandemic. Exercise Polaris shows that global cooperation is not only possible, but it is essential.”
Throughout the simulation, countries engaged with the WHO for coordination, technical guidance and emergency assistance, leading their own response efforts. This exercise provided an unusual opportunity for governments to test their preparations in a realistic environment. This was something that trust and mutual accountability were just as important as speed and ability.
“We have sought to implement interagency response procedures for international health threats. Efficient coordination and interoperability processes are key to ensuring timely interventions in health emergencies,” said Dr. Mariella Marin, Deputy Minister of Health in Costa Rica.
Sign up for the AllAfrica newsletter for free
Get the latest African news
success!
Almost finished…
You need to check your email address.
Follow the instructions in the email you sent to complete the process.
error!
There was a problem processing the submission. Please try again later.
“Polaris demonstrated the important importance of fostering trust before a crisis arises,” said Qatar Dr Soha Albayat. “The foundation of our collaboration is much stronger than in the past few years. We are now proactively predicting, adjusting and adjusting cross-border emergency response plans beyond our reactive measures.”
“Global Health Emergency Corps has evolved into a powerful platform built on practice, trust and connection,” says Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of Who’s Health Emergencies Program. “Exercise Polaris has shown what is possible when the country is organized and supported by unified partners. This is a strong signal that we are more collectively prepared than we do.”
As multilateralism is under pressure and preparations are often framed through the national lens, Exercise Polaris reaffirmed that health is a global issue.
