Training on Activating Public Health Emergency Operations Centers (PHEOC)

Public Health Emergency Operations Centers (PHEOCs) are critical coordination hubs for managing health emergencies, enabling structured incident management, information flow, and rapid decision-making. However, many countries face challenges in activating PHEOCs effectively, including unclear triggers, weak coordination protocols, and limited operational readiness.

This course provides a practical, operations-focused approach to activating and managing PHEOCs in line with global best practices from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It emphasizes incident management systems (IMS), activation protocols, coordination structures, and real-time data use for decision-making.

Participants will learn how to define activation thresholds, establish functional teams, manage information systems, and coordinate multi-agency response efforts. The course also covers simulation exercises, surge staffing, logistics coordination, and integration with national emergency response frameworks.

Through hands-on simulations and case studies, participants develop the capacity to operationalize PHEOCs efficiently, ensuring timely, coordinated, and effective responses to public health emergencies.

Duration

 5 Days

Who Should Attend

• Public health emergency managers and coordinators
• PHEOC staff and incident managers
• Ministry of Health officials
• Disaster risk management and civil protection authorities
• Epidemiologists and surveillance officers
• Logistics and operations personnel
• Development partners and emergency response stakeholders

Individual Impact

• Strengthen expertise in PHEOC activation and operations
• Improve ability to manage emergency coordination systems
• Enhance skills in incident management and decision-making
• Build capacity in real-time data analysis and reporting
• Increase effectiveness in leading emergency response teams

Organizational Impact

• Improve readiness and functionality of PHEOCs
• Strengthen coordination across agencies and sectors
• Enhance speed and effectiveness of emergency response
• Improve information management and situational awareness
• Strengthen national capacity for public health emergency management

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Define activation triggers and thresholds for PHEOCs
• Apply Incident Management System (IMS) principles in health emergencies
• Establish functional teams and coordination structures
• Manage information flow and situational awareness systems
• Coordinate multi-agency emergency response operations
• Implement surge staffing and resource management strategies
• Conduct simulation exercises and readiness assessments
• Strengthen integration with national emergency response frameworks

Module 1: Foundations of PHEOC and Emergency Management Systems

• Role and functions of Public Health Emergency Operations Centers
• Overview of Incident Management Systems (IMS)
• Global standards and best practices for PHEOCs
• Linkages with national emergency response frameworks
• Exercise: Assess PHEOC readiness
• Case Study: PHEOC activation during major outbreaks

Module 2: Activation Triggers, Protocols, and Planning

• Defining activation thresholds and triggers
• Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for activation
• Activation levels and scaling response
• Legal and policy considerations
• Practical: Develop an activation protocol
• Case Study: Timely vs delayed activation outcomes

Module 3: Organizational Structure and Functional Teams

• PHEOC organizational structure and roles
• Incident Manager, Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance sections
• Staffing models and surge capacity
• Coordination with external agencies
• Exercise: Design a PHEOC structure
• Case Study: Multi-agency coordination in emergencies

Module 4: Information Management and Situational Awareness

• Data collection, analysis, and reporting systems
• Dashboards and real-time information sharing
• Risk communication and public information
• Decision-support systems
• Practical: Develop a situational awareness dashboard
• Case Study: Data-driven decision-making in emergencies

Module 5: Simulation, Coordination, and Continuous Improvement

• Conducting simulation exercises (SIMEX)
• Coordinating response operations in real time
• After-action reviews and lessons learned
• Continuous improvement and readiness planning
• Capstone Exercise: Simulate PHEOC activation and response
• Case Study: Strengthening PHEOC performance post-crisis