The World Health Organisation is testing an innovative approach to strengthening outbreak preparedness through an interactive simulation designed to improve the speed of outbreak detection, notification and response.
The initiative centres on the “7-1-7 Strategy Game,” which is built around the outbreak performance benchmark known as the 7-1-7 target.
“The 7-1-7 target calls for detecting a suspected outbreak within seven days, notifying public health authorities within one day, and mounting an effective response within seven days,” the WHO release said in a statement on its website on Friday.
It was titled, “WHO tests a strategy game to improve outbreak response speed.”
Simply put, PUNCH Online reports that the 7-1-7 Strategy Game is a new tool being tested by the World Health Organisation to help countries improve how quickly they detect and respond to disease outbreaks.
It is based on the 7-1-7 target, which means detecting a suspected outbreak within 7 days, notifying health authorities within 1 day, and starting key response actions within 7 days.
The game turns this target into a team-based simulation where participants practice making fast, coordinated decisions during outbreak scenarios.
It was developed with the Center for Advanced Preparedness and Threat Response Simulation and the 7-1-7 Alliance, and is being tested before wider use in countries to help strengthen outbreak preparedness systems.
According to the organisation, the framework aims to convert preparedness principles into measurable operational performance across public health systems.
“Achieving these benchmarks requires coordinated action across surveillance, laboratories, emergency operations, risk communication, and leadership,” the statement added.
The game was developed by the Center for Advanced Preparedness and Threat Response Simulation (CAPTRS) in collaboration with the 7-1-7 Alliance and WHO’s Emergency Preparedness Department.
“Designed as an analog, team-based exercise, the 7-1-7 Strategy Game brings together small groups of decision-makers to navigate two structured modules that test strategic choices and their impact on outbreak timeliness,” the release stated.
WHO conducted a playtest session on 23 February 2026 with staff familiar with the 7-1-7 framework to evaluate the simulation’s design.
“In this context, a playtest refers to a structured trial run with selected participants to validate the game mechanics, assess its effectiveness in strengthening understanding of the 7-1-7 targets, and refine the simulation before wider rollout,” according to the organization.
The exercise featured a scenario involving an outbreak of Sudan Ebola virus disease in Uganda.
“By replaying modules and experimenting with alternative strategies, teams built intuition about which investments yield the greatest gains in speed and effectiveness,” the release said.
Participants also examined how cumulative delays can affect outbreak control performance.
“Participants highlighted the value of visualizing the cumulative impact of seemingly small delays across the detection-to-response timeline,” WHO stated.
The development of the game reflects an emphasis on strengthening preparedness not only through planning but also through improving strategic decision-making capacity.
“The 7-1-7 Game represents a growing recognition that preparedness is not only about plans and guidelines, but also about decision-making capability,” the statement concluded.
