The World Health Organisation (WHO) has successfully concluded Exercise Polaris II, a two-day simulation exercise on a fictional bacterial outbreak spreading globally.
The organisation disclosed this on its website on Monday.
According to WHO, 26 countries, 600 emergency experts, and over 25 partners participated in the exercise, which took place on April 22 and 23.
The simulation enabled participating countries to test their pandemic preparedness, including activating emergency workforce structures, improving information flow, and coordinating responses with partners and WHO.
Building on Polaris I held in April 2025, which focused on a fictional virus, this year’s exercise was conducted under real-life conditions to enhance information sharing and policy alignment.
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the exercise demonstrated the power of collective action.
“It showed that global cooperation is not optional – it is essential.
“This is the purpose of the Global Health Emergency Corps: coordination, trust-building, stronger connections, and working as one across borders,” he said.
Ghebreyesus noted that the simulation applied the Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC) and the National Health Emergency Alert and Response frameworks.
He added that AI-enabled tools were also tested to support workforce organisation and planning.
The GHEC framework, published in June 2025, guides countries to strengthen their emergency health workforce based on sovereignty, equity, and solidarity.
“It enhances collaboration by improving information exchange and enabling rapid deployment of global emergency personnel when required,” he said.
He further explained that the national alert and response framework outlines the coordination systems and actions needed for effective responses at all levels.
Mr Edenilo Filho, Director of the Public Health Emergencies Department in Brazil’s Ministry of Health, said simulating a dangerous pathogen under real conditions helped translate plans into action.
“It is not enough to have plans on paper – what matters is how they perform in practice,” Filho said.
He noted that the exercise strengthened coordinated technical support from more than 25 national, regional, and global health organisations, including the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Médecins Sans Frontières, the Robert Koch Institute, UK-Med, and UNICEF.
Others include 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 the exercise demonstrated preparedness and coordinated action among countries.
“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 this second edition, collaborating through new networks, including regional health emergency leadership platforms.
According to him, Exercise Polaris II is part of WHO’s multi-year simulation programme known as HorizonX.
“It provides a platform to practise emergency frameworks, ensuring readiness remains a continuous investment in global health security,” he said.
