As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen public health event reporting, notification, verification, consultation and information sharing between WHO/Europe and International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) State Parties within the WHO European Region, the Joint Assessment and Detection of Events (JADE) exercise will take place from 19–21 November 2024. The JADE exercise is a functional simulation exercise, designed to mimic real-world public health events requiring cross-border communication and coordination. This exercise is designed to test and enhance communication between National IHR Focal Points (NFPs) and WHO IHR Regional Contact Points, as outlined in Articles 5–11 of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005).

The objectives of JADE 2024 are to:

1. validate the 2-way communications between the NFPs and WHO IHR Regional Contact Point (e.g., verification request, communication on initial assessment) using registered contact details;
2. practice and test the NFPs’ assessment of public health events using the decision-making instrument contained in Annex 2 of the IHR (2005) and its notification process, including inputs for an IHR Event Information Site (EIS) posting and for European Union Member States reporting under IHR (2005) through the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS);
3. test NFPs’ access and use of the EIS (i.e., logging in and performing searches and posting on the EIS platform) according to Article 11 of the IHR (2005);
4. review other modalities for bilateral communication and assistance between IHR NFPs under the IHR (2005), and document challenges;
5. review engagement with other relevant stakeholders within the IHR State Party; and
6. review and practice consistent messaging and public communication within the IHR State Parties.

All IHR State Parties in the WHO European Region are invited to participate. JADE 2024 will provide a platform to assess and enhance communication systems between IHR State Parties and WHO through a simulated scenario, in preparation for real-time public health emergencies. The exercise will include live scenarios, interactive sessions and feedback mechanisms to foster active engagement, learning and improved cross-border communication and coordination. The exercise provides a unique training opportunity for NFPs, WHO and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) personnel  that are also participating in this regional exercise. The exercise will identify gaps and areas for further improvement in IHR communication protocols and practices.

This year's exercise scenario will centre around an extreme weather event with related health consequences. Participants are expected to act and communicate within the exercise time period, as they would do in a real-world setting, and involve the relevant national partners and sectors. Participants can expect to have between 30 and 45 minutes to address each exercise inject [intervention]. However, timing may vary based on the complexity of the situation or the expected response.

The WHO Country Health Emergency Preparedness & IHR team of WHO/Europe is leading JADE 2024 in close collaboration with ECDC, the European Commission/Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG Sante) and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.