Miss Ophelia CHAN

1
Preparedness on Influenza Pandemic

• Miss Ophelia CHAN
• Assistant Director (Rehabilitation Medical
  Social Services), SWD
• 17 November 2005

2
Preparedness

• Co-ordination and Organization
• Preparation within SWD
• Preparation in collaboration with NGOs
• Actions to be taken at different response levels

3
Co-ordination and Organization

• Director of Social Welfare (DSW) is a member of
  Steering Committee chaired by Secretary for
  Health, Welfare and Food
• SWD has a core response team including DSW, all
  Assistant Directors (ADs), Principal Information
  Officer and Departmental Secretary

4
Co-ordination and Organization (contd)

• AD(RM) - the interdepartmental communication and
  overall coordination in SWD
• ADs communicate to welfare services units
• 12 District Officers - district draw up 24-hour
  staff roster

5
Preparation within SWD

• Departmental Contingency Plan
• Stock of PPE to be increased from one month to
  three months
• Institutions identified for temporary placement
• Briefing on influenza pandemic for staff (July
  2005)
• Training on infection control for staff (November
  2005)

6
Preparation collaboration with NGOs

• To conduct annual visits to all RCHEs so as to
  assess their capabilities in infection control,
  and provide on-the-spot coaching and to identify
  training needs
• An enhanced information exchange mechanism among
  residential homes, HA, DH and SWD to enable early
  detection of infectious disease and timely
  notification
• Designated Infection Control Officer

7
Preparation collaboration with NGOs (contd)

• Issue of guidelines to welfare service units
  (residential, day and general) (April 2005),
  available at SWD homepage
• On-going dissemination of information on the
  avian influenza (May 2005)
• Reminders to NGOs welfare services units to adopt
  precautionary measures and adherence to
  guidelines issued (October 2005)

8
Preparation collaboration with NGOs (contd)

• To continue to prepare hygiene kits, conduct
  public health education and provide emotional
  support to elders through centre services, home
  visits as well as phone contacts by elderly
  service units
• To outreach vulnerable elders and assist them to
  improve their home living environment
• To deal with hard-core cases involving public
  health hazards through intensive efforts

9
Preparation collaboration with NGOs (contd)

• Briefing/Training on influenza pandemic and
  infection control for staff in welfare units
• For staff of elderly homes (June and July 2005)
• Staff of NGOs (July 2005)
• For staff of other residential homes and service
  units (November 2005)
• Forum on NGOs preparedness
• For Infection Control Officers of residential
  homes (November and December 2005)

10
Preparation collaboration with NGOs (contd)

• Free influenza vaccination (November 2005)
• residents and staff of homes for the elderly
  (70,000) and people with disabilities (13,000)
• elderly with chronic illness and elderly
  receiving CSSA in the community
• 6-23 months old children of CSSA families (4,400)

11
Actions to be Taken

• At Alert Response Level
• (??????)
• Infection control measures
• Issue of guidelines and health advice to
  residential institutions and other welfare
  service units
• Inspect and review stock of PPE
• Training/briefing for Staff

12
Actions to be Taken (contd)

• At Serious Response Level
• (??????)
• District staff to arrange tangible assistance for
  those in confinement
• Food, meals
• Relief articles
• Temporary placement for persons with special needs

13
Actions to be Taken (contd)

• At Serious Response Level
• (??????)(Contd)
• Psychological care and assistance
• emotional support
• grief counselling
• Critical Incident Stress Debriefing for victims,
  frontline emergency personnel
• Set up counselling lines

14
Action to be Taken (Contd)

• At Emergency Response Level
• (??????)
• Assessing the need for suspension of
  non-essential services upon advice of DH

15

• Thank You