17 October 2008

Multiple Simulation Exercises for Pandemic Flu Provided from the Asia-Pacific Region

This month a very informative spectrum of national and regional pandemic flu preparedness exercises from over 15 nations in the Asia-Pacific region was published as a booklet and posted online at: www.un-influenza.org/files/asia_pacific/temp/unsic_pandemic_complete.pdf

Succinct, illustrated summaries of pandemic preparedness exercises are provided from nations including Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, china, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

For example, Japan reports that three national simulation exercises have occurred, in September 2006, February 2007, and November 2007. Discussion focuses on the third exercise, a full-scale functional exercise at the central and provincial level, including drills at Narita airport and Narita Red Cross Hospital. This exercise began at the Prime Minister's Office. There were six evolving scenarios based on the WHO Pandemic Phases 3-6 (currently the world is at Phase 3).

The initial setting of the scenario began with a person suspected of having pandemic flu on board an aircraft coming into Narita airport in Tokyo from another country where the pandemic had already begun. 

In response to the suspected case on this airplane,  "....they tested the process and procedures for passenger separation on board; health check-ups by quarantine medical staff; patient transfer and isolation at Narita Red Cross hospital; and handling of close contacts, remaining passengers and baggage. The drills were accompanied by training on the appropriate use of PPE..." An 87-page pdf "After Action Report" on this exercise was posted online, in Japanese.

An online source for the complete, updated "Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan of the Japanese Government" can be found at: www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/influenza/index.html

This booklet is of significant value for its design of these national and regional exercises, and for the "lessons learned". For example, the Indonesian government coordinated a very large outdoor live simulation pandemic flu exercise April 25-27 that included the international airport in Bali. This multisectorial exercise, the largest of its kind to date, is described and "lessons learned" provided in this booklet. 

These two examples from Japan and Indonesia are illustrative of what is needed for multisectorial national pandemic flu preparedness training, as emphasized in the Foreward to the booklet by David Nbarro, Senior United Nations System Influenza Coordinator.

Daniel R. Lucey, MD, MPH

EROne Institutes, Washington Hospital Center

Adjunct Professor of Microbiology and Immunology

Georgetown University Medical Center

Washington, D.C.

Website for this posting: www.BePast.org

Email:DRL23@Georgetown.edu