15 October 2008

15 October 2008=

UN and World Bank Issue Global Progress Report on Avian Flu and Pandemic Preparedness: Specific Countries and Case Studies as Examples

On October 15th the UN System Influenza Coordinator and the World Bank posted online their 4th Global Progress Report on "Responses to Avian Influenza and State of Pandemic Readiness"

(ht= tp://un-influenza.org/files/ProgressReport2008.pdf= ).= This 105 page pdf discusses the latest work on the "continued threat of influenza pandemic". The next three main sections of the report include specific nations and case studies as examples to illustrate the foc= us of that section. For example:

Section 2: International Financial and Technical Assistance=

= " 2.2: Yemen Country Case Study

Section 3: Capacity to Reduce = the Threats of Avian Influenza to Animals and Humans.

= " 3.2 Mongolia= : Innovative Commitment by an At-Risk Country

= " 3.3 Lao PDR: Frontline early detection of infected backyard poultry by alert locals

= " 3.5 = Indonesia: Participatory Dise= ase Surveillance and Response:

= &nb= sp; Strengthening Veterinary and Empowering Communities=

" 3.7 Egypt: Community-Based Education Campaigns---empowerment through education<= /span>=

" 3.10 China: Country Case Study

Section 4: Preparedness for Mitigating the Impacts of the next Influenza Pandemic=

" 4.1 Cambodia: An example of sub-regional pandemic planning

= " 4.2 Indonesia: One of the largest full-scale pandemic influenza exercises--planning process deemed just as

= &nb= sp; = important as the final simulation=

" 4.6 Egypt: Country focus: Multi-Sector pandemic preparedness in Egypt

For example, in Egypt multi-sector pandemic preparedness includes (page 64, Box 4.6):

A. Strategic level: "The Higher Ministerial Committee for crisis management was established and head= ed by the

= &nb= sp; Prime Minister with the participation of the Ministries of Defense and Mili= tary Production,

= &nb= sp; Interior Affairs, Information, Foreign Affairs and Heal= th and Population."

B. Planning and preparation le= vel: A national pandemic inter-ministerial committee was established and headed = by =

the Minister of Health and Population. A broadly multidisciplinary sub-committee has organized pandemic =

simulation exercises. A simulation exercise was held a= t the national level at the Ministry of Health and

Population.

C. All 26 governates in Egypt h= ave developed pandemic response and preparedness plans, under the aeg= is of the

Information= and Decision Support Centre (IDSC).

D. The private sector received pandemic guidance on preparing Business Continuity Plans, again with assistance

from the ISDC.

Daniel R. Lucey, MD, MPH=

EROne Institutes, Washington Hospital Center=

Adjunct Professor of Microbiol= ogy and Immunology

Georgetown U= niversity Medical Center=

Washington D.C.<= /st1:place>=

websi= te for = this posting: www.BePast.org= =

e-mai= l: DRL23@Georgetown.edu