Pandemic Influenza: Challenges for PAHO

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Pandemic Influenza Challenges for PAHOs
Technical Cooperation Renato Gusmao,
PWRCuracao, 12-13 June 2007on behalf of EAR
Task Force

• Health Disaster Coordination Meeting for the
  Caribbean Sub-Region

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Number of confirmed human cases of H5N1 reported
to WHO March 31, 2007
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Current Situation

• Increase in the reach of the avian influenza
  virus A-H5N1
• The virus is now enzootic in Asia, Middle East,
  Africa and Eastern Europe.
• More people are exposed to the virus.
• The risk of a pandemic persists.
• The media no longer give attention to the
  pandemic
• It is necessary to maintain pandemic preparedness
  in the agenda of the countries of the Region.

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TC Macro Objectives

• Every country must have a (National Influenza
  Pandemic Preparedness Plan) NIPPP that fulfill
  the PAHOs checklist.
• That all NIPPP have been implemented at
  sub-national levels, including local level
• That all NIPPP have been validated at National,
  Sub National and Local Levels by simulation
  exercises

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I. Every country must have a NIPPPs that fulfill
the PAHOs checklist.

• Challenges
• To make sure that National plans fully comply
  with the PAHOs check list according with country
  self assessment.
• To make sure that the countries are working
  inter-sectorally to complete plans and address
  gaps identified during the regional self
  assessment workshops
• Involving all key stakeholders in the National
  Influenza Pandemic Committee and reproducing this
  inter-sectoral in sub- national committees

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II. That all NIPPP have been implemented at sub
national level, including local level

• Challenges
• Local implementation must initiate as soon as
  possible even if the NIPPPs are not yet completed
• NIPPPs implementation must utilize current
  national infrastructure and processespandemic
  preparedness should become part of routine
  practices of local disaster preparedness
  committees
• The implementation of NIPPPs should be presented
  as an opportunity to strengthen the
  implementation of the legally binding
  International Health Regulations

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III. That all NIPPPs have been validated at
National Sub National Local Levels by
simulation exercises

• Challenges
• The complexity and cost of carrying out a
  intersectoral drill
• Making use of the disaster preparedness
  experience acquired by countries that have
  already carried out simulation exercises and
  drills for the development of drills for the use
  of other countries
• Evaluation of the results and the necessary
  adjustments to both local and national plans.

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PAHO does not has pre packaged solutions for all
those challenges
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Surpassing Challenges (1)

• Resources Mobilized for the Caribbean
• USAID Pandemic Preparedness
• CDC Implementation of Surveillance Protocol
• CIDA Includes Haiti and Cuba

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Surpassing Challenges (2)

• Promoting self assessment of NIPPPs as a dynamic
  and routine process
• Promoting country level impact estimates to
  enable planning to bring awareness of the
  possible consequences of a Pandemic at all levels
• Establishment of Regional Rapid Response Teams
  and Emergency Operating Center at HQ
• Training of Rapid Response Teams that have been
  provided with antivirus and PPEs
• Implementation of a new surveillance protocol to
  better detect outbreaks with pandemic potential
• Training of intersectoral communicators to
  promote better coordination and collaboration
• Strengthening of Regional Laboratory Capacity
  through training and provision of supplies

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Next Steps

• Sub-National implementation of surveillance
  protocol
• Training of national Rapid Response Teams
• Implementation of national communication
  strategies
• Promotion of the designation of national
  influenza centers in countries without them
• Table top simulation exercises at all levels of
  government
• Drills to test adequacy of national,
  sub-national, and local contingency plans

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Technical Cooperation is Working Together, not
Telling What to do!Thank you