The Global Health Cluster in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEARO) conducted a Health Cluster Coordination Virtual Exercise for countries in the region on 2 – 6 November 2020, supported by Training in Aid. Participants are from Ministries of Health, national and international non-governmental organizations and WHO staff representing Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal, in addition to WHO staff from regional offices SEARO and AFRO Health Emergencies Programme and Emergency Medical Teams.
This Simulation Exercise is part of the larger Health Cluster Capacity Development Strategy to build a systematic and structured approach to high quality blended and impactful learning and capacity development. The aim of this exercise is to develop high-performing, dynamic and adaptable Health Cluster Coordination Teams and stakeholders from the SEARO region. By the end of the exercise, the objective is that the Heath Cluster Coordination Teams and stakeholders have the required combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes to lead and coordinate an effective health response that meets the needs of the affected population; are ready to be deployed to crisis-affected situations or countries; and are able to perform to the required standards.
The operational setting for the simulation exercise is an island state with a backdrop of economic, infrastructure and access challenges as well as a high vulnerability to natural disasters and high risk of infectious diseases. In this context, the government response structure tends to be centralized, with some international development actors already in country. As part of the exercise, the Health Cluster Coordination Teams must produce, among other outputs, a baseline data review and actor map, a flash appeal and relevant meetings with WHO Representative, WHO Incident Manager, EMT Coordination Cell, Inter-cluster Coordination Group and the wider Health Cluster.
Read the SEARO post-exercise report