By Bunmi Yekini
In an unprecedented global simulation, the World Health Organization (WHO) brought together over 15 countries and more than 20 regional health agencies to test a new coordination mechanism for responding to health emergencies.
The two-day event, known as Exercise Polaris, marked the first large-scale trial of the WHO’s Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC), a framework designed to strengthen emergency health workforces and improve international coordination during crises. The simulation focused on a fictional virus outbreak spreading across continents, testing real-time response capabilities under near-authentic conditions.
“This exercise proves that when countries lead and partners connect, the world is better prepared,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “No country can face the next pandemic alone. Exercise Polaris shows that global cooperation is not only possible – it is essential.”
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Participating nations included Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Iraq, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, Uganda and Ukraine, among others. Each country activated its national emergency systems and worked collaboratively to share information, align policies, and coordinate response actions.
More than 350 emergency experts from organizations such as Africa CDC, IFRC, IOM, UNICEF, and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network joined the exercise to support country-led responses.
Dr. Mariela Marín, Vice Minister of Health of Costa Rica, emphasized the importance of coordination: “The exercise sought to put into practice the procedures for inter-agency response to international health threats. Efficient coordination and interoperability processes are key to guaranteeing timely interventions in health emergencies.”
Representing Qatar, Dr. Soha Albayat highlighted the value of early relationship-building: “Polaris demonstrated the critical importance of cultivating trust before a crisis occurs. We’ve moved beyond reactive measures and are now proactively anticipating, aligning, and coordinating our cross-border emergency response plans.”
Dr. Mike Ryan, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, described the Global Health Emergency Corps as “a powerful platform, building on practice, trust and connection.” He added, “Exercise Polaris showed what is possible when countries operate with urgency and unity supported by well-connected partners. It is a strong signal that we are collectively more ready than we were.”
As nations continue to face the growing risk of pandemics and other global health threats, Exercise Polaris stands as a bold reminder that preparedness depends not just on national strategies, but on global solidarity.