Journal Article

Simulation exercises and after action reviews – analysis of outputs during 2016–2019 to strengthen global health emergency preparedness and response

Omaar, Abbas, Vente, Candice, Mayigane, Landry Ndriko, Pei, Yingxin, Charles, Denis, Chungong, Stella, Bell, Allan, Ho, Zheng Jie Marc, Chiu de Vázquez, Cindy, Njenge, Hilary Kagume, Nguyen, Thanh Nam, Kandel, Nirmal, Copper, Frederik Anton, de la Rocque, Stéphane

2020

Overview

Background Under the International Health Regulations (2005) [IHR (2005)] Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, after action reviews (AAR) and simulation exercises (SimEx) are two critical components which measure the functionality of a country’s health emergency preparedness and response under a “real-life” event or simulated situation. The objective of this study was to describe the AAR and SimEx supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) globally in 2016–2019. Methods In 2016–2019, WHO supported 63 AAR and 117 SimEx, of which 42 (66.7%) AAR reports and 56 (47.9%) SimEx reports were available. We extracted key information from these reports and created two central databases for AAR and SimEx, respectively. We conducted descriptive analysis and linked the findings according to the 13 IHR (2005) core capacities. Results Among the 42 AAR and 56 SimEx available reports, AAR and SimEx were most commonly conducted in the WHO African Region (AAR: n  = 32, 76.2%; SimEx: n = 32, 52.5%). The most common public health events reviewed or tested in AAR and SimEx, respectively, were epidemics and pandemics (AAR: n  = 38, 90.5%; SimEx: n  = 46, 82.1%). For AAR, 10 (76.9%) of the 13 IHR core capacities were reviewed at least once, with no AAR conducted for food safety, chemical events, and radiation emergencies, among the reports available. For SimEx, all 13 (100.0%) IHR capacities were tested at least once. For AAR, the most commonly reviewed IHR core capacities were health services provision ( n  = 41, 97.6%), risk communication ( n  = 39, 92.9%), national health emergency framework ( n  = 39, 92.9%), surveillance ( n  = 37, 88.1%) and laboratory ( n  = 35, 83.3%). For SimEx, the most commonly tested IHR core capacity were national health emergency framework ( n  = 56, 91.1%), followed by risk communication ( n  = 48, 85.7%), IHR coordination and national IHR focal point functions ( n  = 45, 80.4%), surveillance ( n  = 31, 55.4%), and health service provision ( n  = 29, 51.8%). For AAR, the median timeframe between the end of the event and AAR was 125 days (range = 25–399 days). Conclusions WHO has recently published guidance for the planning, execution, and follow-up of AAR and SimEx. Through the guidance and the simplified reporting format provided, we hope to see more countries conduct AAR and SimEx and standardization in their methodology, practice, reporting and follow-up.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: After action review / Civil Defense / Coronaviruses / COVID-19 / Critical components / Cross border infectious disease threats: governance and preparedness / Development Economics / Disease Outbreaks / Emergencies / Emergency management / Emergency preparedness / Emergency response / Epidemics / Epidemiology / Evaluation / Exercise / Food safety / Global Health / Global health security / Governance for health / Health Services Research / Humans / International aspects / International Cooperation / International Health Regulations / International health regulations monitoring and evaluation framework / International regulations / Intra action review / Laws, regulations and rules / Management / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Pandemics / Public Health / Quality of Life Research / Risk communication / Simulation / Simulation exercises / Social Policy / Standardization / Surveillance / World health / World Health Organization