WHO/Europe recently held a Joint Assessment and Detection of Events (JADE) exercise. What are these exercises and why are they so important during health emergencies? Find out more below.
First and foremost, what does IHR stand for and what does a National IHR Focal Point do?
IHR stands for International Health Regulations (2005). The IHR are the overarching legal framework that defines how countries must prevent, prepare for, report and respond to public health events and emergencies that have the potential to cross borders. This includes outbreaks of disease, but because the IHR is an all-hazards instrument, it also includes chemical and radiological hazards.
A National IHR Focal Point (NFP) is a national office or centre that communicates with WHO and other relevant sectors within the country and is often responsible for response coordination, including risk assessments. During an emergency, when the information being shared can become overwhelming, the NFP provides one clear line of communication with each country.
Okay! And how does JADE fit into all this?
JADE stands for Joint Assessment and Detection of Events. JADE exercises take place annually to test communication and risk assessment capacities during a public health emergency. In addition, the exercises put collaboration and coordination between the NFPs and WHO’s Regional IHR Focal Point, and other essential roles of the NFPs, under the spotlight.
So what did this year’s JADE exercise focus on?
The 2022 JADE exercise focused on Annex 2 of the IHR, which provides a decision-making tool for countries to determine whether they need to notify WHO of a public health event. Participants also accessed the IHR Event Information Site for NFPs, tested their knowledge of national biosafety plans, and sought ways to ensure their awareness of mechanisms of international assistance and support through, and outside of, formal IHR articles.
What was the scenario for this year’s exercise?
This year’s JADE exercise involved 150 participants from 47 States Parties focusing on an accidental release of a high-threat pathogen from a private laboratory. Laboratory staff were infected as well as contacts who attended a family gathering. Nosocomial infections (infections acquired during the process of delivering health care) occurred later among health-care workers caring for a severe case, which led to an outbreak requiring international support and assistance.
The NFPs dealt with this simulated scenario by acting and communicating quickly. They used their country's policies (such as a national biosafety plan) and procedures as they would in an actual event. It demonstrated that communication under the IHR is well established in almost all of the WHO European Region.