The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Gulf Center for Disease Prevention and Control (Gulf CDC) are strengthening their partnership to improve health emergency preparedness and response across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. A two-day regional simulation exercise in Riyadh, which concluded on 20 October, marked an important step in this collaboration.

The exercise brought together representatives from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and experts from WHO headquarters, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and other regional and international institutions. Using a simulated disease outbreak, participants examined how countries work together to manage cross-border public health threats.

“Recent developments in the Middle East have underscored how quickly health emergencies can evolve and why strong preparedness, effective response mechanisms and regional cooperation are essential to health security,” said Dr Annette Heinzelmann, WHO Regional Emergency Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. “WHO’s longstanding cooperation with GCC countries provides a strong foundation for our growing partnership with Gulf CDC on the emergency preparedness and response portfolio. Together, we are strengthening the Region’s capacity to anticipate and respond to emerging threats, building on the closer collaboration established in recent months.”