Hard hats, AI and a fake pandemic: the group of former world leaders practising to save the world

A group of former world leaders, known as the Elders and founded by Nelson Mandela, conducted a simulation of a health emergency in Kenya to test global pandemic preparedness. The exercise revealed critical shortcomings, such as delays in reporting and political hesitancy, which were later reflected in the real-world challenges of the subsequent Ebola outbreak.

A group set up by Nelson Mandela known as the Elders met in Kenya to model a health emergency – and found much still needs to be done, as the subsequent Ebola outbreak has shown About a dozen people sat around a boardroom table at the emergency hub of the World Health Organization WHO just outside Nairobi last Thursday, their eyes glued to an animated presentation on a screen. Health workers in eastern Chad have reported several deaths among patients with respiratory failure, they are told. Initial samples suggest a novel variant of bird flu, but confirmation requires sending samples to a foreign laboratory. International health regulations require notification within 24 hours of assessment, but Chad’s government is hesitant to notify the WHO, fearing economic repercussions and stigma. Continue reading...