WHO is testing an innovative approach to improve outbreak detection, notification, and response through the interactive ‘7-1-7 Strategy Game’. The 7-1-7 framework sets clear targets: detect a suspected outbreak within seven days, notify public health authorities within one day, and mount an effective response within seven days. Meeting these benchmarks requires seamless coordination across surveillance, laboratories, emergency operations, risk communication, and leadership. Developed by the Center for Advanced Preparedness and Threat Response Simulation (CAPTRS) in partnership with the 7-1-7 Alliance and WHO’s Emergency Preparedness Department, the game translates these targets into a hands-on experience to test real-time coordination under pressure.
Designed as a team-based, analog simulation, the 7-1-7 Strategy Game guides small groups of decision-makers through two structured modules that explore strategic choices and their impact on outbreak timeliness. On 23 February 2026, WHO conducted a playtest session with staff familiar with the 7-1-7 framework to evaluate the game’s design, validate its mechanics, and refine the simulation before wider country-level piloting later this year. The playtest helped assess whether participants could translate strategic decisions into faster outbreak detection and response.
In the first module, participants prioritize activities that could improve timeliness across the 7-1-7 cascade, assigning durations and estimating how each action could reduce bottlenecks. In the second module, they face a simulated outbreak scenario, applying their strategies to test their effectiveness in real time. The scenario focused on a Sudan Ebola virus outbreak in Uganda, presenting challenges such as delayed case recognition, reporting breakdowns, and operational constraints. Teams could replay modules and explore alternative strategies, building intuition about which interventions yield the greatest gains in speed and efficiency.
Facilitated by CAPTRS’ Chief Game Designer, Dr. Micael Sousa, the playtest sparked discussions on system bottlenecks, trade-offs in resource allocation, and decision-making under uncertainty. Participants emphasized the value of visualizing how small delays accumulate across the detection-to-response timeline and the behavioral dynamics that influence outbreak management.
The 7-1-7 Strategy Game reflects a growing understanding that preparedness extends beyond plans and guidelines, focusing also on decision-making capabilities. By combining experiential learning with strategic insight, the simulation helps countries translate the 7-1-7 framework into practical, prioritized actions. Following further refinement and piloting, the game is expected to support Member States in strengthening outbreak readiness, ensuring systems are equipped to detect, notify, and respond rapidly when the next health threat emerges.
The playtest was hosted by WHO’s Risk Analytics and Action Reviews (RAR) Unit within the Health Emergency Preparedness Department.
