The Government of Indonesia, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), conducted a national Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET) table-top exercise (TTX) from 24–26 September 2025. The exercise brought together 44 institutions and 65 participants from national and subnational levels to test whole-of-government coordination across the five PRET pillars: emergency coordination, collaborative surveillance, community protection, clinical management, and access to medical countermeasures. Lessons from the COVID-19 response informed the exercise, which aimed to strengthen Indonesia’s readiness for future health emergencies.
Recent avian influenza outbreaks in the region highlighted the need for continuous preparedness. Indonesia’s connectivity through poultry trade, travel, and migratory birds increases the risk of disease spread, making early detection and coordinated response across human, animal, and environmental health sectors essential. The Ministry of Health, with financial support from WHO Indonesia under the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework, customized the PRET exercise to simulate an avian influenza outbreak from early alert to widespread transmission and recovery.
The localized simulation reinforced cross-sectoral coordination, clarified command pathways, and produced a prioritized national action list to improve preparedness and response capacities. WHO Indonesia provided technical assistance, adapting the global PRET exercise kit for local use, while participants included representatives from ministries, agencies, military, police, academia, and professional associations, as well as partners such as the Food and Agriculture Organization, ASEAN Biological Threats Coordination Centre, and ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases.
Evaluators from the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, the National Disaster Management Agency, Prof. Dr. Sulianti Saroso Infectious Disease Hospital, and Padjadjaran University provided strategic guidance to sustain improvements. The collaborative surveillance pillar, jointly facilitated by WHO, FAO, and ABVC, strengthened Indonesia’s multisectoral early detection and response capabilities.
Officials highlighted the value of the exercise in fostering practical learning and collaboration. Merry Efriana, Deputy Assistant for Disaster Management, emphasized the potential for future simulations to be even more dynamic, while Dr. Sumarjaya, Director of Surveillance and Health Quarantine at MoH, noted the TTX’s role in identifying strengths, addressing gaps, and enhancing national resilience under the One Health approach.
The Government of Indonesia is now integrating the exercise results into ongoing preparedness, planning, and coordination efforts. The PRET TTX marked a significant step in operationalizing the framework, strengthening early warning systems, command coordination, contingency planning, and multisectoral collaboration, ultimately enhancing the country’s capacity to respond effectively to emerging health threats.
