National Health Simulation Exercise Programme: implementation guidance to strengthen emergency preparedness, readiness and response

Overview

This guidance document provides a strategic framework, outlining the rationale, essential components, and practical steps for establishing, implementing, and sustaining an NHSEP. It champions a structured, integrated approach to SimEx, moving beyond sporadic initiatives to achieve more impactful and lasting preparedness, operational readiness, and measurable improvement in emergency response capabilities. The NHSEP aims to strengthen core capacities as defined by the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005) and related global frameworks (e.g., the Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience (HEPR) and the National Health Emergency Alert and Response frameworks), thereby enhancing national readiness for all-hazards health emergency management.