AFENET Supports Uganda’s First National Simulation Exercise on Public Health Emergency Coordination and Communication

Through the Tackling Deadly Diseases Program Phase 2 (TDDAP-2), the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) provided technical support to Uganda’s first-ever national simulation exercise focused on public health emergency coordination and communication. The tabletop simulation exercise was convened by the Ministry of Health, through the National Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (NPHEOC), from 23 to 26 August 2026 in Mukono District. The exercise was designed to strengthen multisectoral coordination under the Incident Management System through National Task Force structures during a simulated public health emergency.

The simulation brought together multi-sectoral technical experts from national and experts and political leaders in 5 districts (Kagadi, Kakumiro, Kassanda, Kyegegwa, and Mubende), development partners, Uganda Peoples Defence Forces, and the Uganda Police. The purpose of the exercise was to test existing coordination, communication, leadership, and decision-making mechanisms used during public health emergencies. Participants reviewed various scenarios on public health emergency response, coordination structures, stakeholder roles, information-sharing pathways, decision-making processes, and resource coordination mechanisms while responding to a realistic emergency scenario.

As part of its support under TDDAP-2, AFENET contributed technical expertise to the planning and implementation of the exercise, which aimed to identify strengths, gaps, and bottlenecks in Uganda’s emergency coordination systems while generating practical recommendations to improve preparedness and operational readiness. The exercise also provided an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between national and sub-national stakeholders and enhance communication pathways essential for effective emergency response.

The three-day exercise concluded with a structured debrief and action-planning session during which participants consolidated lessons learned, developed recommendations, assigned responsibilities, and agreed on next steps for strengthening public health emergency coordination and communication in Uganda.