Ethiopia: Global Simulation Exercise to Strengthen Emergency Operations Centers’ Preparedness

The Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) and WHO Ethiopia will host the 2024 Global Emergency Operations Center Simulation Exercise (GEOCX). Organized by WHO’s Emergency Operations Centre Network (EOC-NET), this large-scale functional simulation involves over 70 Member States across six WHO regions and aims to enhance the operational capacity of Public Health Emergency Operations Centers (PHEOCs) for global health emergency preparedness and response. Participants will face realistic crisis scenarios and evaluate system strengths, identify operational gaps, and refine response strategies to improve coordination mechanisms. Aligned with the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) and WHO’s Health Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Resilience (HEPR) framework, GEOCX 2024 fosters global collaboration to strengthen PHEOCs’ ability to execute rapid, life-saving interventions during crises. Leaders from Ethiopia and WHO emphasize the importance of this exercise in building resilient public health systems and prioritizing international cooperation to safeguard global health security.