Mongolia has become the first country to conduct the national health emergency workforce readiness and response functional exercise developed by the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). The initiative, held on 14–15 October in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Mongolia, aimed to assess and strengthen the country’s emergency workforce and leadership capacities. It also sought to promote a coordinated and effective response system while operationalizing key elements of the Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC) framework and the GOARN National Outbreak Response Handbook.
The two-day exercise brought together public health professionals from several Mongolian institutions, including the Ministry of Health, National Center for Communicable Diseases, National Center for Zoonotic Diseases, UNICEF, the Mongolian Red Cross Society, and other key partners. Using a simulated public health emergency scenario, participants tested how Mongolia’s health workforce would respond in real time to an escalating outbreak, helping to identify strengths and areas needing improvement.
According to Dr. Socorro Escalante, WHO Representative in Mongolia, the exercise represents a major milestone for the country in reviewing coordination processes and workforce mobilization. She emphasized that the initiative could serve as a systematic tool for ensuring readiness of human resources in future emergencies. The exercise aligns with WHO’s broader goal of building national capacity for health security and emergency response, especially in addressing workforce gaps at the sub-national level.
The outcomes of this exercise will directly inform Mongolia’s National Action Plan for Health Security. By testing real-time coordination across multiple sectors, the activity highlighted operational gaps and fostered a whole-of-government approach to preparedness. Regular implementation of such exercises is expected to improve Mongolia’s ability to manage future crises, strengthening both national and global health security.
Dr. Munkhzul Battsend from Mongolia’s Ministry of Health praised the collaboration with WHO and GOARN, noting that the exercise marked an important step in enhancing national preparedness and rolling out the GHEC framework. The GOARN National Outbreak Response Handbook used during the event provided structured guidance based on international best practices, helping standardize and scale workforce response systems.
WHO Regional Emergencies Director for the Western Pacific, Dr. Gina Samaan, highlighted that functional exercises like this reveal essential insights into roles, responsibilities, and gaps across sectors. She noted that a multisectoral and coordinated approach is key to building a resilient national response system. Participants, each with extensive experience in managing public health emergencies, helped refine strategies for structuring and mobilizing Mongolia’s emergency workforce, including mechanisms for surge capacity and inter-sectoral coordination.
This pioneering initiative serves as a model for other countries in the Western Pacific region and beyond that aim to strengthen their national public health emergency workforces. Supported by the Gates Foundation and the Institute of Philanthropy, the exercise underscores the growing importance of collaborative, adaptable, and well-prepared systems to tackle evolving global health threats.
