Simulation of a Public Health Emergency Management at Nsimalen International Airport
The Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA) conducted a tabletop exercise Tuesday, January 15, 2019 to evaluate the preparation and response mechanisms to a health emergency.
Organized by the CCAA in collaboration with the Ministry of Health administrations and bodies involved in the process of public health emergency management in the aviation sector, the exercise was organized within the framework of compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and the World Health Organization (WHO) standards in order to test response mechanisms which obtain in Cameroon.
The actors played out a scenario of management of a biological agent responsible for a large-scale epidemic with global spread capacities. Based on a plausible scientific record. Dr. KAMGA SIMO Cyrille, Senior Facilitator, put himself in the phase of a WHO Level 3 health emergency.
For more than four hours, they tested and evaluated plans, going from theory to practice, assessing needs, clarifying roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder in a bid to stimulate dynamism in emergency management structures.
This simulation exercise aimed to strengthen the capacity of team actors, to enforce International Health Regulations following any given incident, in order to identify strengths and weaknesses of the work done.
Mrs Paule AVOMO ASSOUMOU KOKI, Director General of the CCAA, expressed her gratitude to the planning team which was led by Dr ABAH ABAH Aristide, Head of the Epidemiological Surveillance Service at the Health Ministry and to other groups. Madame the DG also invited all actors to work hard to keep the crisis management system alert.
Several administrative authorities were present at the event among which: the representative of the Governor of the Central Region, the Senior Divisional officer of Mefou and Afamba and the Regional Health Delegate of the center.
End of course certificates in Public Health emergency management were also issued to the different actors during this event.
