Bahrain-Bird flu contingency plans under review

[Treyfish]

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Friday, February 15, 2008

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Local News >>>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD background=images/graydot.gif></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=middle bgColor=#ffffff><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="95%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=8><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Bird flu contingency plans under review
UN country teams in Bahrain and the other GCC countries will meet on February 18 and 19 in the Kingdom and review contingency plans regarding avian and pandemic influenza intervention.
The decision to hold the meeting in Bahrain was based on the commonalties between the GCC countries.
The meeting is expected to provide an opportunity to share experience in planning and preparations for avian and pandemic influenza intervention collectively.
The UN system worldwide has been bracing for a possible influenza pandemic following the threat of avian influenza outbreaks in the last couple of years.
In compliance with a request from the UN Secretary General, the country teams in the region prepared contingency plans against a possible influenza pandemic in early 2006.
In accordance with the guidelines, contingency plans focused on staff health and safety, specifying medical and non-medical intervention and internal communication arrangements. The plans are required to be reviewed and updated following recent UN guidelines and changes in national plans.
For example, the World Health Organisation guidelines on health and medical services of May 2005 have been updated.
The new guidelines include major policy changes and propose a new format to help better identify responsibilities for preparedness and response actions. Specific guidance has been provided to help country teams plan for the continuity of essential operations in the event of a pandemic and their support to national preparedness and response.
The workshop will update participants on pandemic readiness and the latest UN guidelines and pandemic scenarios, familiarise them with challenges likely to arise during a response to a pandemic; identify gaps and areas needing improvement in plans and key preparedness and response actions needed to be developed at country level and develop roadmaps to update plans in each country and ascertain the need for regional support.
Although the focus of the meeting will be on mitigating the impact of a possible pandemic, it will also provide an opportunity to discuss control of avian influenza and prevention of a pandemic.
External partners, including representatives of national authorities, Red Crescent societies or the GCC are welcome to attend the meeting as observers. http://www.bahraintribune.com/Articl...9&CategoryId=1
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[Treyfish]

Re: Bahrain-Bird flu contingency plans under review

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="98%" align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=title width="100%">Experts seek to tackle flu epidemic </TD></TR><TR><TD class=body vAlign=top width="100%"><!--body text-->EMERGENCY plans in the event of avian and pandemic influenza will be reviewed at a two-day workshop in Bahrain next week.
Officials from each GCC country will exchange expertise and interventions at the workshop to be held at Crowne Plaza on Monday and Tuesday.
UN teams worldwide has been preparing for a possible influenza pandemic due to the threat of avian influenza outbreaks over the last few years.
In compliance with a request from the UN secretary-general, UN country teams in the region developed contingency plans in order to prepare for a possible influenza pandemic in early 2006.
In accordance with original guidance, contingency plans focused on staff health and safety, specifying medical and non-medical interventions as well as internal communication arrangements.
A review of these plans is required to reflect more recent UN guidance as well as changes in national preparedness.
The original World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance on health and medical services of May 2005 has been developed.
The new guidelines include some major policy changes and propose a new format that helps better identify responsibilities for preparedness and response actions.
Specific guidance has also been provided in order to help UN country teams plan for the continuity of essential operations in a pandemic as well as their support to national pandemic preparedness and response.
At the workshop, UN country teams in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar will be given the latest UN guidance and information on pandemic scenarios and the problems likely to arise during a response to a pandemic.
They will also be able to identify gaps and areas that need improvement in existing plans, as well as key preparedness and response actions that need development.
The workshop will also be attended by UN staff and non-governmental organisations.
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[Niko]

Re: Bahrain-Bird flu contingency plans under review

Flu pandemic chaos threat

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</td> <td> <nobr> Tuesday </nobr> </td><td> </td> <td> <nobr> 19th February 2008</nobr></td></tr></tbody></table>
By REBECCA TORR
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LAW and order could break down and economies collapse in the event of a pandemic outbreak of avian (bird) or human flu, UN experts declared in Bahrain.

They say nations must guard not just against the health risk, but against potential impact on essential services and their economies.

The UN staff from the GCC are in Bahrain to discuss how UN country teams should plan for pandemics, as well as support national defences.

A two-day workshop, which concludes at the Crowne Plaza today, aims to expose participants to pandemic scenarios and possible challenges, as well as assessing how prepared they are.

Its goal is also to identify gaps and areas that need improvement in existing plans, develop roadmaps for updating plans in each country and ascertain the need for regional support.

Participants yesterday discussed what they would do in the likelihood of avian and human pandemic influenza in a particular country such as Turkey.

The group considered what action to take in the early to late stages of a pandemic.

Participants discussed the importance of working with governments, co-ordinating global efforts and implementing awareness campaigns.

They also explored when to recommend rationing or stockpiling, how to deal with staff suspected of having flu and at what stage to implement full stage contingency plans.

"We had Spanish flu in 1918, avian flu and Hong Kong flu in the 1950s and 60s, and experts say it's time for another," said Jean-Luc Tonglet, who is Middle East, North Africa, Iran and Afghanistan regional planning officer for the UN System Influenza Co-ordination and Pandemic Influenza Contingency.

Between 2003 and last year, 60 countries reported avian influenza in poultry and wild birds and 350 cases worldwide of it being transferred to humans.

Mr Tonglet said on the sidelines of the workshop that pandemic preparedness had mainly focused on the health sector and addressed increased morbidity and mortality.

But countries were now looking at the non-health impact of a pandemic and the contingency plans needed.

"What would happen if there were travel restrictions? Especially in the GCC, which relies heavily on interaction, it can affect the gross domestic product," Mr Tonglet told the GDN.

"To what extent are countries starting to think about this? Also, (the impact on) critical services such as law and order, transportation, communication and banking systems because of staff absenteeism. Who would be there to ensure the systems would work?"

Mr Tonglet said the impact of influenza pandemic in non-medical areas had always been considered, but it had only really been within the last year that countries had started to create proper contingency models.

He said countries in Europe and New Zealand for example were creating multi-lateral models that could also be useful for others.

"The trend now is to make sure preparedness is overseen by a body that will address emergencies and disasters," he said.

"To be sustainable, it better be addressed at each multi-sector level and every country has its own solution."


becky@gdn.com.bh

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=209168&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=30336