The World Health Organisation (WHO) has concluded a large-scale simulation exercise, Polaris II, designed to test global preparedness for responding to a fast-spreading bacterial outbreak across multiple countries.
The two-day exercise, held on April 22 and April 23, brought together 26 countries, about 600 emergency health experts, and more than 25 partner organisations to assess how well the world can coordinate during a major public health emergency.
The WHO confirmed the development via its official website on Monday, noting that the simulation was aimed at strengthening pandemic readiness systems, improving communication channels, and enhancing coordination between countries and international partners.
Building on the first edition of the exercise conducted in April 2025—which focused on a fictional viral outbreak—Polaris II introduced a more complex scenario involving a simulated bacterial pathogen spreading under real-world operational conditions.
Participants were required to activate emergency workforce structures, exchange critical information in real time, and align national response strategies with WHO coordination frameworks.
WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, said the exercise underscored the importance of global cooperation in managing health emergencies.
“It showed that global cooperation is not optional, it is essential,” he said.
“This is the purpose of the Global Health Emergency Corps: coordination, trust-building, stronger connections, and working as one across borders.”
He explained that the simulation tested the Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC) framework as well as the National Health Emergency Alert and Response systems, both designed to improve preparedness and rapid response capacity.
According to him, artificial intelligence-enabled tools were also deployed during the exercise to support workforce coordination and emergency planning.
The GHEC framework, launched in June 2025, provides guidelines for strengthening emergency health workforces while promoting sovereignty, equity, and international solidarity among member states.
“It enhances collaboration by improving information exchange and enabling rapid deployment of global emergency personnel when required,” Tedros said.
He added that the national alert and response framework helps countries organise coordination structures needed for effective outbreak management at all levels.
Also speaking, Edenilo Filho, Director of Public Health Emergencies at Brazil’s Ministry of Health, said the simulation demonstrated the importance of testing preparedness plans under realistic conditions.
“It is not enough to have plans on paper – what matters is how they perform in practice,” he said.
He noted that the exercise strengthened collaboration among more than 25 global and regional health organisations, including the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières, the Robert Koch Institute, UK-Med, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Others involved included global emergency response networks such as the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network and the Emergency Medical Teams initiative.
Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, said Polaris II demonstrated improved global coordination and readiness.
“It reflects a trained, organised and connected emergency workforce ready to respond wherever and whenever needed,” he said.
He added that more countries participated in the second edition of the exercise, engaging through newly established regional health emergency leadership platforms.
According to WHO, Exercise Polaris II is part of its broader HorizonX simulation programme, which is designed to continuously test and strengthen global emergency response systems.
“It provides a platform to practise emergency frameworks, ensuring readiness remains a continuous investment in global health security,” Ihekweazu said.
