GHSA Public Health Emergency Exercise, 4th GHSA High-Level Ministerial Meeting, Kampala, UGANDA, 25 October 2017
A simulation exercise will be conducted on day 1 of the GHSA meeting (25 October 2017). The exercise is a two (2) hour scenario-based discussion with Ministers[1] of Health, Agriculture, Finance and Security/Defense.
This exercise has been developed by the Ministry of Health with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ugandan Centers for Disease Control. The exercise management team is composed of very senior Ugandan officers led by overall exercise director Dr. Patrick Tusiime.
The general objective of the exercise is to strength multi-sectoral collaboration in order for countries to be better prepared to respond to Public Health Emergencies.
The specific objectives are to:
Provide the Ministers of Health and Ministers of other sectors (Agriculture, Finance and Security/Defense) with an opportunity to discuss their roles, responsibilities and interdependencies in the context of a Public Health event involving multiple sectors;
Allow participants to gain an understanding of GHSA/IHR (2005) core capacities in order to facilitate a timely and effective Public Health emergency response;
Familiarize the participants with global level coordination and collaboration in the context of a Public Health event requiring a multi sectoral and whole-of-government response.
The exercise is a facilitated high-level discussion with ministers from multiple countries working together in groups in a stress-free environment to solve simulated problems in a fictitious country. The exercise does not test response capacities or technical knowledge and no preparation is required.
The exercise will be held in two (2) meeting rooms—Sheena and Meera—at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Speke Resort, the venue for the GHSA meeting.
Three mixed-sector groups of 10 participants each will perform the same exercise.
Further information on the venue will be distributed upon arrival at the GHSA meeting.
Participation will be by invitation only and all media will be prohibited.
The discussion will be based around 5C`s topics:
Communication – Informing early about events of potential international relevance
Collaboration – Working together for timely assessment and intervention
Contribution – Adequately funding preparedness and response
Coordination – Improving public health emergency response
Compliance – Following the GHSA/ IHR and temporary recommendations
The mock exercise will cover a span of 3 months and will consist of a scenario-based discussion of a public health event involving multiple sectors in Globalland, a fictitious country. The event will occur in three (3) parts, two (2) at the national level and one (1) at international level.
Part 1, at the national level, will begin with a media report on cases and death resulting from an unidentified respiratory disease
Part 2, also at the national level, will begin with a phone call from the Prime Minister asking for information
Part 3, at the international level, will begin with a press conference from WHO declaring the event a Public Health Event of International Concern (PHEIC)
A total of six (6) questions covering these 5C`s topics will be posed to trigger participant discussion.
English will be the primary language, with facilitation in French at the table level for each group (subject to change).
Following the exercise, participants should have a better understanding of:
Roles and responsibilities, including lines of communication within the Ministry of Health and between the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Environment, Wildlife, Finance, and Security/Defense
Core capacities that are required for a timely and effective public health response;