WHO publishes draft proposals for rapid response and containment of high-risk influenza outbreak
The document introduction reads as follows (verbatim): The world is now closer to another influenza pandemic than at any time since 1968, when the last of the previous century’s three pandemics began. While influenza pandemics are infrequent events, they are rightly feared as they spread very rapidly to affect all countries and cause abrupt and significant increases in morbidity. Neither the timing nor the severity of the next pandemic can be predicted, but severe pandemics in the past have resulted in tens of millions of deaths. As the SARS experience clearly demonstrated, the first influenza pandemic of the 21st century could have significant economic and social consequences that go well beyond the absolute impact on health. At present, two primary strategies have been implemented for addressing the current avian influenza situation and reducing the related pandemic threat. The first strategy, which aims to reduce opportunities for a pandemic virus to emerge, consists of efforts to contain outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in poultry, prevent the spread of this disease to new countries, and thus reduce opportunities for human infections to occur. The prevention of high-risk behaviours is part of this strategy, as is the strengthening of the early warning system. The second strategy, which is being introduced in tandem, is to intensify the world’s preparedness to cope with a pandemic, both nationally and internationally. Activities taking place within this strategy include the formulation of national preparedness plans, improved access to antiviral drugs, the development of pandemic vaccines and of plans for increasing their accessibility and affordability, planning for implementation of public health measures to reduce morbidity and mortality, and the development of communication plans and messages to improve compliance with recommended measures and reduce social and economic disruption. In this document, WHO provides an initial draft protocol for implementing a third complementary strategy, in which national and international planning and resources are coordinated and focused for the purpose of rapidly detecting, and potentially stopping – or containing – an emerging pandemic virus near the start of a pandemic. The purpose of this protocol is to facilitate rapid detection and assessment of potential “signals” that the virus is improving its transmissibility, and to guide implementation of effective response interventions before an emerging pandemic virus has spread beyond an initial outbreak zone. Containment of a potential pandemic has never been attempted; the world has never before received an advance warning that a pandemic may be imminent. The practical and logistics challenges are formidable and success is not assured. Nonetheless, the strategy should be pursued for several compelling reasons. – Successful containment will avert an enormous amount of human suffering and possibly millions of deaths, while also sparing the world considerable economic and social disruption. – Even if containment efforts ultimately fail to stop the emergence of a fully fit pandemic virus, these efforts could slow the initial spread of the pandemic and give countries time to increase preparedness. Each day gained following the emergence of a pandemic virus – if rapidly detected – allows the production of around 5 million doses of a pandemic vaccine. Each added day gives countries more time to adapt routine health services to an emergency situation. Time gained also allows WHO to predict patterns of further spread and issue appropriate alerts. – The preparatory work is, in itself, an important exercise that increases the interaction of WHO and the international community with countries and strengthens fundamental capacities within those countries. The required training, national and international coordination and agreements, and development of stockpiles, protocols and standard operating procedures will contribute greatly to strengthened public heath capacity. This capacity can be adapted and used to address other aspects of pandemic influenza as well as future emerging infectious diseases. In its most fundamental sense, the effort to develop the capacity for rapid containment constitutes a significant step towards strengthening basic national, regional and international health capacities. – The prospect of immediate assistance in the management of cases and prevention of further spread is a powerful incentive for countries to be more vigilant in their surveillance for cases, more transparent in their sharing of information, and more willing to share patient specimens and viruses. Read the document (PDF)
•Date: 1st Feb 2006• Region: World • Type: Article •Topic: BC general |
