Date: From Aug 18, 2016 to Dec 01, 2016
Country: Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana

In the wake of Ebola outbreak, one of the priority areas of activity is ensuring that countries have the capacity to detect and respond to the appearance of major public health threat.

WHO has encouraged the use of simulation exercises as an evidence-based process to assess and test national capacities and system functionalities needed to respond to a suspected outbreak.

A simulation exercise is a simulated emergency situation during which members of various bodies perform the expected actions according to their assigned function during an emergency. Simulation exercises include table top exercises, skill drills, functional exercises and full-scale exercises.The purpose of conducting such exercises is to provide a safe and evidence-based process to identify key gaps in procedures, training and planning and review the overall strategy and integration of functions in the response system. Simulations allow for plans and procedures to be tested, strenghthened and demonstrated.

IQLS in consultation with WHO/HQ Prepardness team will

– develop several scenarios for laboratory-focused simulation exercises, at least one scenario will address a zoonotic disease and include the animal health laboratory sector and at least one will address cross border transmission

-develop accompanying materials and adapt them for use in table top exercise, in skill drill, functional exercise and full-scale exercise.

Materials will cover the diffrent laboratory phases: pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical phases.

Laboratory-focused simulation exercises will be conducted in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire in collaboration with WHO Prepardness team/WHO HQ, the WHO Country Office, the Ministry of Health and other local partners