The World Health Organisation (WHO) held Exercise Polaris II, a two-day simulation of a global bacterial outbreak. WHO announced the exercise on its website on Monday.
26 countries, 600 emergency experts and over 25 partners participated on April 22 and April 23.
The exercise enabled countries to test pandemic preparedness, including activating emergency workforce structures, improving information flow and coordinating responses with partners and the WHO.
Building on Exercise Polaris I, which took place in April 2025 and focused on a fictional virus, participants in Polaris II operated under real-life conditions to share information and align policies.
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said the exercise demonstrated the power of collective action.
Ghebreyesus said: “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 the simulation applied the Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC) and the National Health Emergency Alert and Response frameworks. Ghebreyesus noted that AI-enabled tools were also tested to support workforce organisation and planning.
He said the GHEC framework, published in June 2025, guides countries in strengthening emergency health workforces in line with sovereignty, equity, and solidarity.
“It enhances collaboration by improving information exchange and enabling rapid deployment of global emergency personnel when required,” he said.
He added that the national alert and response framework outlines coordination systems and actions needed for effective responses at all levels.
Mr Edenilo Filho, Director of the Public Health Emergencies Department at the Ministry of Health, Brazil, said that 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.
The exercise also strengthened coordinated technical support from more than 25 health organisations at different levels.
“They include 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 emergency networks such as the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network and the Emergency Medical Teams initiative,” he added.
Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, said the exercise reflected preparedness and coordinated action among countries.
“It reflects a trained, organised and connected emergency workforce ready to respond wherever and whenever needed,” Ihekweazu said.
He said more countries joined the second edition, collaborating through new networks, including regional health emergency leadership platforms.
According to him, Exercise Polaris II forms part of HorizonX, the WHO’s multi-year simulation programme.
It provides a platform to practise emergency frameworks, ensuring continuous investment in global health security.
