TY - JOUR
T1 - Lessons Learned From a Large Cross-Border Field Simulation Exercise to Strengthen Emergency Preparedness in East Africa, 2019
AU - East African Community Secretariat Mobile Laboratories Rapid Regional Response Team
AU - Solomon Fisseha Woldetsadik
AU - Njenge, Hilary
AU - Copper, Frederik
AU - Bell, Allan
AU - Charles, Denis
AU - Mullen, Lucia
AU - De Vázquez, Cindy Chiu
AU - Wesonga, Timothy
AU - Wakhungu, James Nyongesa
AU - Katende, Michael
AU - Komba, Edward Areuse
AU - Kituyi, Pauline Nandako Nafula
AU - Mmbaga, Vida
AU - Nguvila, Toba
AU - Makata, Mary Archson
AU - Chinyuka, Harrison
AU - De La Rocque, Stephane
AU - Sreedharan, Rajesh
AU - Stephen, Mary
AU - Mayigane, Landry Ndriko
AU - Saguti, Grace Elizabeth Bai
AU - Ganda, Nollascus
AU - Gachohi, John
AU - Nyaberi, Jackline Mosinya
AU - Kabanda, Damascent
AU - Marwa, Fahari
AU - Mwatondo, Athman
AU - Mukora, Geoffrey Gitau
AU - Muinde, Justino Mutisya
AU - Komora, Stephen
AU - Msangi, Charles
AU - Malinda, Benezeth Lutege
AU - Uiso, Vones
AU - Mwaipopo, Charles
AU - Dulu, Thomas Daido
AU - Gehre, Florian
AU - Affara, Muna
AU - Mutabazi, Florian
AU - Balikowa, David
AU - Kiarie, Simon Wathigo
AU - Kivuva, James
AU - Wambua, Caroline
AU - Were, Willy
AU - Nyakundi, Patrick Marabu
AU - Makayotto, Lyndah
AU - Njoroge, Mary
AU - Kebaki, Geoffrey Misati
AU - Swai, Emanuel Senyaeli
AU - Mwakyusa, Enock Kasyombe
AU - Kauki, George
AU - Fasina, Folorunso Oludayo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2021, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
PY - 2021/7/1
Y1 - 2021/7/1
N2 - Field simulation exercises (FSXs) require substantial time, resources, and organizational experience to plan and implement and are less commonly undertaken than drills or tabletop exercises. Despite this, FSXs provide an opportunity to test the full scope of operational capacities, including coordination across sectors. From June 11 to 14, 2019, the East African Community Secretariat conducted a cross-border FSX at the Namanga One Stop Border Post between the Republic of Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania. The World Health Organization Department of Health Security Preparedness was the technical lead responsible for developing and coordinating the exercise. The purpose of the FSX was to assess and further enhance multisectoral outbreak preparedness and response in the East Africa Region, using a One Health approach. Participants included staff from the transport, police and customs, public health, animal health, and food inspection sectors. This was the first FSX of this scale, magnitude, and complexity to be conducted in East Africa for the purpose of strengthening emergency preparedness capacities. The FSX provided an opportunity for individual learning and national capacity strengthening in emergency management and response coordination. In this article, we describe lessons learned and propose recommendations relevant to FSX design, management, and organization to inform future field exercises.
AB - Field simulation exercises (FSXs) require substantial time, resources, and organizational experience to plan and implement and are less commonly undertaken than drills or tabletop exercises. Despite this, FSXs provide an opportunity to test the full scope of operational capacities, including coordination across sectors. From June 11 to 14, 2019, the East African Community Secretariat conducted a cross-border FSX at the Namanga One Stop Border Post between the Republic of Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania. The World Health Organization Department of Health Security Preparedness was the technical lead responsible for developing and coordinating the exercise. The purpose of the FSX was to assess and further enhance multisectoral outbreak preparedness and response in the East Africa Region, using a One Health approach. Participants included staff from the transport, police and customs, public health, animal health, and food inspection sectors. This was the first FSX of this scale, magnitude, and complexity to be conducted in East Africa for the purpose of strengthening emergency preparedness capacities. The FSX provided an opportunity for individual learning and national capacity strengthening in emergency management and response coordination. In this article, we describe lessons learned and propose recommendations relevant to FSX design, management, and organization to inform future field exercises.
KW - East African Community Secretariat
KW - Epidemic management/response
KW - Field simulation exercise
KW - International coordination
KW - Namanga
KW - Public health preparedness/response
KW - World Health Organization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85114846296&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85114846296&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1089/hs.2020.0162
DO - 10.1089/hs.2020.0162
M3 - Article
C2 - 34339258
AN - SCOPUS:85114846296
SN - 2326-5094
VL - 19
SP - 413
EP - 423
JO - Health Security
JF - Health Security
IS - 4
ER -