On 31 August to 4 September 2025 Padang, West Sumatra, hosted a five-day national simulation exercise based on a megathrust earthquake scenario, bringing together more than 520 participants from health offices, Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) and cross-sector partners. The exercise tested coordination across high-risk districts, strengthened preparedness and highlighted gaps in data flow, sub-cluster roles and field response.
West Sumatra sits directly above the Sunda Megathrust, one of the world’s most active subduction zones, where persistent seismic and tsunami hazards demand continuous preparedness. This recurring threat underscores the need to strengthen resilience and ensure strong coordination across districts and agencies.
The National Simulation Exercise involved participants from 19 district and city health offices, Ministry of Health sub-clusters, EMTs and multiple agencies. Across the five days, teams engaged in expert briefings, a tactical floor game, a command post exercise and a field exercise to practice coordination, decision-making, data sharing, triage, evacuation and reporting.
“The presence of various stakeholders demonstrates our commitment to building a resilient and responsive health system. This simulation is not only important for West Sumatra but can also serve as an example for other regions,” said Kunta Wibawa Dasa Nugraha, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health, in his opening remarks.
WHO participated as a key partner alongside the National Disaster Management Agency, Puskes TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces Health Center), BASARNAS (National Search and Rescue Agency of Indonesia), UNFPA, the Indonesian Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center, PKBI (Indonesian Family Planning Association) and others to help strengthen disaster preparedness. The simulation demonstrated strong collaboration while also highlighting areas for improvement, including the need for clearer sub-cluster roles, smoother information flow and more precise sequencing of inject scenarios.
Looking ahead, districts and cities are expected to translate lessons learned into concrete actions, including localized contingency plans and strengthened health and emergency response capacities. Partners are encouraged to continue targeted capacity-building, improve data systems and conduct end-to-end evaluations to build resilience against future earthquakes and tsunamis.