Preparing for resilience - Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Systems Management
• Emergency Preparedness

Background:

• Canada has a history of public health challenges, including inadequate preparedness for SARS-CoV-1 and COVID-19.
• The current poly-crisis era necessitates readiness for diverse threats, such as international conflicts impacting health systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Ontario's health system response to a simulated prolonged conventional war.
• To identify key challenges and areas for improvement in public health and health system preparedness.

Main Methods:

• The study utilized Exercise Trillium Cura (ETC), a 2024 tabletop exercise simulating a specific crisis scenario.
• The exercise focused on evaluating leadership, resource allocation, and inter-sectoral collaboration.

Main Results:

• Key issues identified included significant needs in leadership capacity and resource management.
• Recommendations included establishing a repatriation hub and a trauma registry.
• The exercise underscored the importance of a "whole of society" approach, integrating civil society in preparedness planning.

Conclusions:

• Tabletop exercises are vital for fostering collaboration, shared learning, and developing innovative solutions for complex health emergencies.
• Regular simulation exercises are recommended to enhance Canada's public health preparedness and health system resilience against future crises.