Simulation Exercise enhances intersectoral collaboration for zoonotic disease response in Kazakhstan using the One Health Approach
On October 15-16, 2024, a 1.5-day simulation exercise was conducted in Astana, Kazakhstan, to test intersectoral collaboration and coordination for preventing, controlling, and responding to zoonotic disease outbreaks. The exercise was organized under the quadripartite initiative and ongoing collaboration between Kazakhstan’s World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office and the Sub-Regional Representation for Central Asia of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), promoting the One Health approach.
Participants included representatives from the WHO, the Ministry of Health (MoH), and the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as specialists from the public health, epidemiological, and veterinary sectors. The exercise aimed to assess Kazakhstan’s readiness and the effectiveness of coordination between these sectors during zoonotic disease outbreaks, focusing on the One Health framework.
The need for such simulation exercises was first recognized during the 2018 National Workshop on Building Linkages between the International Health Regulations (IHR) and the Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) framework. This year’s exercise simulated an outbreak of Congo-Crimean Haemorrhagic Fever, a zoonotic disease prioritized in previous quadripartite discussions. The scenario encompassed all aspects of outbreak management, from diagnosis to intersectoral communication and public outreach.
This simulation is part of broader efforts by WOAH and WHO to strengthen One Health activities across the region. It will be followed by a sub-regional workshop on public health and animal health surveillance and control of zoonotic pathogens, to be held from October 22-24, 2024, in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
