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Lessons Learned From a Large Cross-Border Field Simulation Exercise to Strengthen Emergency Preparedness in East Africa, 2019

2021; Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.; Volume: 19; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1089/hs.2020.0162

2326-5108

Hilary Kagume Njenge, Frederik Copper, Allan Bell, Denis Charles, Lucia Mullen, Cindy Chiu, Timothy Wesonga, James Nyongesa Wakhungu, Michael Katende, Edward Areuse Komba, Pauline Nandako Nafula Kituyi, Vida Mmbaga, Toba Nguvila, Mary Archson Makata, Harrison Chinyuka, Stéphane De La Rocque, Rajesh Sreedharan, Mary Stephen, Landry Ndriko Mayigane, Grace Saguti, Nollascus Ganda, John Gachohi, Jackline Nyaberi, Damascent Kabanda, Fahari Marwa, Athman Mwatondo, Geoffrey Gitau Mukora, Justino Mutisya Muinde, Stephen Komora, C. Msangi, Benezeth Lutege Malinda, Vones Uiso, Charles Mwaipopo, Thomas D. Dulu, Florian Gehre, Muna Affara, Florian Mutabazi, David Ouma Balikowa, Simon Wathigo Kiarie, James Kivuva, Caroline Wambua, Willy Were, Patrick Marabu Nyakundi, Lyndah Makayotto, Mary Njoroge, Geoffrey Misati Kebaki, Emanuel Senyaeli Swai, Enock Kasyombe Mwakyusa, George Kauki, Folorunso O. Fasina, Kenneth Byoona, Solomon Fisseha Woldetsadik, Mpairwe Allan, Julius Wekesa, Miriam Nanyunja, Freddy Banza Mutoka, David Knaggs, Ngoy Nsenga, Ali Ahmed Yahaya, Ambrose Talisuna, Abbas Omaar, Zheng Jie Marc Ho, Nirmal Kandel, Stella Chungong,

Disaster Response and Management

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.