As the world is still recovering from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must remain prepared and alert for the next one. In Tajikistan, the national pandemic preparedness plan has been developed following preparedness and resilience for emerging threats (PRET) workshops held in May 2024 and July 2025. In light of lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to test this national pandemic preparedness plan and update it to address gaps demonstrated by the simulation exercise. This will assess its suitability in the current context and help to identify opportunities for improvement, with the plan being updated accordingly prior to government approval.
The objectives of the table-top simulation exercise are:
- to strengthen respiratory pathogens pandemic planning;
- to review, update and finalize the draft national pandemic preparedness plan, with a focus on respiratory pathogens; and
- to test specific components of the plan including multisectoral coordination, management of public health and social measures, risk communication and community engagement, and triggers for escalating/de-escalating measures.
The expected output is a report that includes the main updates required for the pandemic plan prior to government approval, recommendations for capacities or systems that need to be strengthened for respiratory pathogen pandemic preparedness, and a description of future activities such as meetings or exercises to ensure the iterative review and update of plans and systems and ensure continued stakeholder engagement.
Expected outcomes are a validated national pandemic preparedness plan for dissemination and review, and stakeholders coordinated and informed on respiratory pathogen pandemic preparedness and response actions.