Vientiane, Laos, 6 December 2007 – The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) are today organising a simulation exercise to assess the country’s readiness to respond to a potential human influenza pandemic.
The exercise known as “PanStop II” consists of table-top exercises where participants test rapid response and containment mechanisms based on a scenario of sustained human-to-human transmission of a novel human influenza virus in the Lao PDR.
“This PanStop II exercise will be very useful for the Government and partners in testing the country’s operational preparedness and coordination among all parties. It will enable us to identify what is working and what needs further improvement ahead of time to ensure optimal planning and response during an actual outbreak,” says Dr. Bounlay Phommasack, Director for the National Avian and Human Influenza Coordination Office (NAHICO). “The exercise will also help in assessing the effectiveness of the country’s rapid containment strategy, including mobilisation of in-country resources and medicine stockpiles.” Although no medicine will be transported during the exercise, a regional ASEAN stockpile of antivirals has been established in Singapore with support from the Government of Japan.
WHO has been one of the lead agencies in consultations with various international organizations in pandemic preparedness. The PanStop II in Lao PDR is a part of a series of exercises WHO is undertaking with regional member states to help develop their capacity while testing operational preparedness in key areas such as planning, coordination, management and communication for Rapid Containment. The first Panstop exercise was based in WHO’s Western Region offices in Manila, the Philippines, earlier this year and involved a mock outbreak in Cambodia.
“While the simulation exercise in the Lao capital of Vientiane will be an imperative part of the country’s pandemic preparedness efforts, it will also contribute to global health security,” says Dr. Dong-Il Ahn, WHO Representative in the Lao PDR. “Joint efforts and collaboration between individuals, local and national governments, and the international community are crucial components in the fight against pandemic influenza.” Representatives from the Ministry of Health, WHO, the Cabinet, the Prime Minister’s Office, the National Disaster Management Office, NAHICO, UN agencies and NGO partners will be among the many participants in the exercise.
On-going outbreaks of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) in birds in many countries have raised concerns that a related human influenza pandemic may occur in the future. These concerns have prompted a search for ways to prevent a pandemic through rapid response and containment strategies that would stop, or at least slow down, the spread of pandemic influenza at the source of its emergence and help minimize disease and deaths worldwide. Currently, the virus has not changed to a form easily transmissible among humans, but WHO believes the risk of a pandemic persists.
Lao PDR is one of the first countries which have developed a country rapid containment protocol. Lessons learnt from this exercise will further strengthen the country capacity to prevent pandemic influenza.