Future Africa supports national avian influenza preparedness through One Health expertise

Future Africa hosted the Tabletop Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Simulation Exercise (HPAI SimEx) in June 2026. The national exercise tested South Africa’s One Health preparedness and response capabilities through a simulated H5N1 avian influenza outbreak.

Led by the National Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, the exercise brought together stakeholders from human, animal and environmental health across government, industry, international organisations and civil society.

Participants assessed surveillance systems, laboratory readiness, cross-sectoral coordination, communication, reporting and public health response mechanisms. The exercise provided an opportunity to identify gaps and areas that could be strengthened before a real outbreak occurs.

Professor Wanda Markotter, Future Africa Research Chair in Health, People and Places (One Health), facilitated selected sessions and contributed her expertise to discussions on coordination and preparedness for future disease threats.

By bringing different sectors together around a simulated outbreak, the exercise supported efforts to strengthen collaboration and preparedness for health threats that cross human, animal and environmental boundaries.