Influenza Pandemic Gaps In Pandemic Planning And Preparedness Need To Be Addressed

As the current H1N1 outbreak underscores, an influenza pandemic remains a real threat to our nation. Over the past 3 years, 12 reports have been issued and 4 testimonies to Congress have been held to help the nation better prepare for a possible pandemic. While a number of actions have been taken to plan for a pandemic, including developing a national strategy and implementation plan, many gaps in pandemic planning and preparedness still remain. This statement covers six thematic areas: (1) leadership, authority, and coordination; (2) detecting threats and managing risks; (3) planning, training, and exercising; (4) capacity to respond and recover; (5) information sharing and communication; and (6) performance and accountability. Illus.

Influenza Pandemic: Gaps in Pandemic Planning and Preparedness Need to Be Addressed

As the current H1N1 outbreak underscores, an influenza pandemic remains a real threat to our nation. Over the past 3 years, GAO conducted a body of work, consisting of 12 reports and 4 testimonies, to help the nation better prepare for a possible pandemic. In February 2009, GAO synthesized the results of most of this work and, in June 2009, GAO issued an additional report on agency accountability for protecting the federal workforce in the event of a pandemic. GAO's work points out that while a number of actions have been taken to plan for a pandemic, including developing a national strategy and implementation plan, many gaps in pandemic planning and preparedness still remain. This statement covers six thematic areas: (1) leadership, authority, and coordination; (2) detecting threats and managing risks; (3) planning, training, and exercising; (4) capacity to respond and recover; (5) information sharing and communication; and (6) performance and accountability. This statement discusses the status of GAO's prior recommendations on the nation's planning and preparedness for a pandemic. Key

This guidance is an update of WHO global influenza preparedness plan: the role of WHO and recommendations for national measures before and during pandemics, published March 2005 (WHO/CDS/CSR/GIP/2005.5).

The ¿Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza¿ states that in an influenza pandemic, the primary response will come from states and localities. To assist them with pandemic planning and exercising, Congress has provided $600 million to states and certain localities. This report: (1) describes how selected states and localities are planning for an influenza pandemic and who they involved; (2) describes the extent to which selected states and localities conducted exercises to test their influenza pandemic planing and incorporated lessons learned as a result; and (3) identifies how the fed. gov¿t. can facilitate or help improve state and local efforts to plan and exercise for an influenza pandemic. Illustrations.

As the recent outbreak of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus underscores, an influenza pandemic remains a real threat to our nation and to the world. While the previous admin. had taken a number of actions to plan for a pandemic, including developing a national strategy and implementation plan, much more needs to be done, and many gaps in preparedness and planning still remain. This statement covers six thematic areas: (1) leadership, authority, and coordination; (2) detecting threats and managing risks; (3) planning, training, and exercising, (4) capacity to respond and recover; (5) information sharing and communications; and (6) performance and accountability. Illustrations.

Preparedness and rigorous planning on community, state, and regional levels are critical to containing the threat of pandemic illness. Steeped in research and recommendations from lessons learned, Pandemic Planning describes the processes necessary for the efficient and effective preparation, prevention, response, and recovery from a pandemic threat. This evidence-based book guides plan development and provides solutions to common strategic, ethical, and practical challenges to pandemic preparedness. Topics discussed include: The current threat of pandemics and how they relate to homeland security and emergency management Leadership and incident management structure as they relate to pandemic preparedness Computer simulation models and data visualization for strengthening prevention and control measures within a community Marketing principles and how they promote pandemic preparedness for a community Lessons learned from pandemic influenza exercises conducted with regional hospitals and how those lessons can be applied to other institutions Government resources available to assist with the planning for and monitoring of a pandemic event Economic and logistic concerns that arise during a pandemic Discussing preparedness across a variety of institutional levels, the authors’ collaboration with national research leaders and community stakeholders has enabled them to assemble the most current and essential information available on pandemic preparedness. Their book distills this information into workable strategies to bolster public health, mitigate risk, and protect the population.