Health facilities in Ukraine well prepared for pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza

16 November 2009 =

WHO Update on Ukraine Pandemic Influenza A H1N1 Virus: No Evidence of Increased Severity

During the most recent (Nov 12) weekly World = Health Organization (WHO) “virtual press conference” held every Thursday (at 1pm Geneva time) a question was asked regarding the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) situation in the Ukraine. A question was posed = to the WHO’s Dr. Nikki Shindo, by David Brow= n of the Washington Post, to talk about countries that the Dr. Shindo had said were “being overwhelmed” by the virus.

According to the transcript posted at: www.who.int/mediacentre/vpc_transcript_1= 2_november_2009_nikki_shindo.pdf Dr. Shindo replied: “I can answer based o= n the information we received from the Ukraine. The relatively severe cases proportion wise is less than what we had heard from the southern hemisphere. It seems like a load of patients being admitted with rather mild symptoms than people requiring ICU care. And mostly admitted people (are) y= oung adults and middle age adults and we have not seen so much of pediatric pati= ents overwhelming pediatric wards.”

Another relevant document was also posted (see be= low) November 12 on the WHO European Region website: www.euro.who.= int/influenza/AH1N1/20091112_1

“Health facilities in Ukraine= well prepared for pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza

On Wednesday, 11 November, t= he last WHO regional investigation team returned to Kyiv. While the teams have= yet to finish drawing conclusions, they found health facilities in Ukraine= well prepared and highly motivated to deal with the influx of cases.

In separate meetings with the Prime Minister and the President of Ukraine on Monday, 9 November (also attended by the ministers of Foreign Affairs and Health), the WHO mission thanked the Government for its openness and provid= ing unrestricted access to facilities and data. The discussion focused on furth= er action needed to combat the disease, particularly vaccinating the main risk groups in the population. WHO once more offered its full support in all necessary activities.

On 11 November, the Ministry of Health arranged and led a teleconference in Kyiv, connecting 486 hospitals and nearly 10 000 doctors in all 27 regions = of Ukraine= to facilitate sharing of clinical experience and lessons learned in fighting t= he pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus. Clinicians in the worst affected areas had deta= iled discussions on what therapies they had used and how these could be adapted = for the future. The participants discussed a wide range of issues and developme= nts, including primary, obstetrical and intensive care and the essential supplies and equipment that were currently available and being mobilized.”

Further updates from the Ukraine= are anticipated.

Daniel R. Lucey, MD, MPH

Washington Hospital Center E= ROne Institute

Georgetown University Medical Center

Adjunct Professor Microbiolo= gy and Immunmology

= Washington, DC

Website: www.BePast.org