More than 200 officials from National International Health Regulations Focal Points (IHR NFPs), Poison Centers, Health Emergency Operations Centres (HEOCs), and Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Response agencies from 10 countries, together with experts from across the WHO South-East Asia Region, participated in this year’s South-East Asia Regional Practice of All-Hazard IHR Event Communication (SAPHIRE), testing national and regional protocols for reporting chemical-related events under the IHR (2005). Through a simulated emergency scenario, participants assessed communication and coordination mechanisms for reporting events that may pose a significant cross-border public health risk.
Building on last year’s successful food safety-related exercise, SAPHIRE 2026 expanded its focus to a simulated chemical emergency involving pesticide-linked poisoning and subsequent environmental contamination. Chemical incidents, including those involving organophosphorus poisoning, product contamination and potential transboundary implications, can have significant public health consequences and often require rapid coordination and response involving multiple sectors and countries.
Reflecting this year’s focus on chemical emergencies, the exercise welcomed representatives from National Poison Information Centers (NPICs), HEOCs, and Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Response agencies, alongside personnel from IHR NFPs across the Region. IHR NFPs, within ministries of health, are the designated institutions responsible for strengthening core capacities and implementing the IHR (2005), especially those related to IHR event communication, including detection, verification, reporting and responding to public health events and emergencies.
In his opening remarks, Dr Nilesh Buddha, Regional Emergency Director, reflected on SAPHIRE’s evolution as a regional platform for preparedness. What began as an exercise centred on IHR NFPs has progressively expanded to reflect the increasingly multisectoral nature of public health emergencies. He highlighted last year’s engagement of national International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) Emergency Contact Points (ECPs), followed by this year’s engagement of NPICs and national entities responsible for response to chemical emergencies. “Now in its fourth year, SAPHIRE has become an important regional platform for practicing operational IHR event communication in a safe learning environment. Simulation exercises provide an opportunity to validate systems and identify areas for improvement in communication and coordination mechanisms before a real emergency occurs,” he added.
At the country level, participants coordinated across IHR NFPs, Poison Centers, HEOCs, and Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Response entities. As the scenario evolved, they assessed public health risks, fulfilled event communication obligations under the IHR (2005), and jointly identified actions in response to a chemical emergency.
The exercise also highlighted opportunities to strengthen preparedness by maintaining updated institutional contact information, enhancing standard operating procedures, improving communication pathways across sectors, and institutionalizing simulation-based preparedness.
Launched in 2023, SAPHIRE is the WHO South-East Asia Region’s flagship simulation exercise for strengthening public health event communication under the IHR (2005). Designed to mirror the operational demands of real-world emergencies, it provides Member States with a safe learning environment to test systems, strengthen coordination and identify opportunities for continuous improvement before an actual emergency occurs.