Event highlights
From 7 to 11 July 2025, the WHO Country Office in Kazakhstan, in partnership with the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan and with financial support from the Pandemic Fund, conducted a training of trainers titled “Emergency preparedness and response simulation exercise: intersectoral coordination and crisis communication” in Shchuchinsk in Borovoye district. The training brought together 30 professionals from all the regions of Kazakhstan, including experts in health, emergency response and communication.
The simulation exercise aimed to enhance Kazakhstan’s readiness to respond to emergencies through coordinated, multisectoral action. Participants engaged in scenario-based simulations, risk assessments and team-based problem-solving, designed to mirror real-life challenges and strengthen national systems.
In his opening remarks, Dr Skender Syla, WHO Representative in Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of collaboration and practical learning. Reflecting on the event, he stated: “We gathered not merely as professionals from different sectors, but as a united team committed to strengthening Kazakhstan’s resilience in the face of emergencies. This training was not just a theoretical exercise, but also a practical, hands-on opportunity to build stronger coordination across ministries, agencies and sectors. We believe that being prepared is the best way to face any emergency. And preparation means more than having a plan – it means practicing that plan, learning from each other and continuously improving.”
WHO remains committed to supporting Kazakhstan’s emergency preparedness efforts and contributing to regional and global health security.
We have received feedback from 3 training participants.
- Kairat Kasym, Department Head at the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan:
“I believe the value of this training for all participants is undeniable. It lies in strengthening collaboration through deep role-play immersion, which helps to clearly define areas of responsibility and identify overlooked gaps. This will enable staff from the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Control to use the Ministry of Emergency Situations model to develop its own emergency response algorithm for further standardized application.
During this training, we successfully practiced one of the 16 functional elements of the national civil protection system. I believe that continuing similar exercises for the remaining 15 services could logically lead to a joint, integrated emergency response simulation.
I would like to thank the organizers for bringing so many high-level practitioners together under one roof. We enriched each other’s expertise and, importantly for future collaboration, we now know each other’s faces.”
- Saule Sadvakassova, Deputy Head of the Department for Sanitary and Epidemiological Control, Akmola region:
“Over the course of 4 days, we participated in simulation-based emergency response training. I would like to highlight how different these exercises are from conventional theoretical sessions.
During the simulation of an earthquake and an epidemic, in addition to performing our usual duties, we took on the roles of rescue workers, local authorities, chief medical officers, engineers and IT professionals, making critical management decisions under emergency conditions. This experience is enormous and truly invaluable for each of us, and ensures genuine preparedness for real emergencies.
Trainings like these help to establish interagency coordination and foster the development of response algorithms for all rescue and emergency services.
Every day after the sessions, my colleagues and I would reflect on the material covered and analyse our actions, looking at what we did right and what we missed. We also added valuable insights from our counterparts to our personal knowledge base.
It was incredibly effective, realistic and precisely the kind of training we need right now, especially for new areas like infodemic management.
In the future, I would suggest conducting such exercises in environments as close to real emergency conditions as possible, such as field simulations, engagement with affected populations and on-site training.
I would like to thank your entire team and wish you continued success in your important work.”
- Samat Akhmetov, Deputy Head of the Department for Sanitary and Epidemiological Control, Zhetysu region:
“This training was an excellent platform for discussing emergency response not only among colleagues from the sanitary and epidemiological services from different regions, but also with representatives from the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
The organizers did a great job of providing engaging group exercises and accessible interactive tools as well as creating a friendly atmosphere. I believe we need to examine our country’s current emergency response system in greater detail and align it with WHO methodologies.
To further improve intersectoral coordination, I suggest involving a wider range of civil protection services, such as the medical service, sanitary and epidemiological service, engineering corps, and road and bridge services.
I appreciated that the response plan was developed continuously throughout the training and adjusted in real time based on new information and interactions with other services.
However, I believe it would be more effective to assign each service its specific emergency responsibilities during simulations and then conduct joint debriefings with colleagues from other regions and sectors. This would help participants to better understand the roles of other services and foster more effective collaboration.
In this training, we occasionally had to carry out tasks that did not fall within our professional scope, such as those related to the local government, health departments, utilities or electrical services. We lack the necessary competencies in those areas. In contrast, when participants work within their actual areas of expertise, it enhances existing knowledge through the exchange of perspectives, WHO methodologies and insights from other ministries.”
Event notice
The WHO Country Office in Kazakhstan – in partnership with the Ministry of Health and with financial support from the Pandemic Fund – will conduct a training of trainers – “Emergency preparedness and response simulation exercise: intersectoral coordination and crisis communication”. The training will be take place on 8–11 July in Shchuchinsk, Kazakhstan, enhancing the capacity of 30 health, emergency and communication professionals from all 20 regions of Kazakhstan. This simulation exercise aims to strengthen Kazakhstan’s readiness to respond to emergencies through coordinated, multisectoral action.