|
E-mail this page to a friend!
Pandemic Flu Plan for Health Care System Released by
HHS
Nov. 2, 2005 – Health and Human Services got into
the Pandemic strategic act today when HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt
released the HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan, which is described as “a
detailed guide for how our nation's health care system can prepare and
respond to an influenza pandemic.” The HHS plan is the medical and
public health component of the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza,
announced by the President yesterday.
"An influenza pandemic would test our nation's
health care system as never before, and this plan anticipates the
specific problems we will face and recommends solutions to better
protect the American people," Secretary Leavitt said. "A pandemic will
cause disease outbreaks in many different communities all at the same
time making State and local preparedness so important in saving lives."
● The HHS plan specifies four major components of
preparedness and response to pandemic influenza.
● Intensifying surveillance and collaborating on containment measures
-- both international and domestic;
● Stockpiling of antivirals and vaccines and working with industry to
expand capacity for production of these medical countermeasures;
● Creating a seamless network of Federal, state and local preparedness,
including increasing health care surge capacity; and
● Developing the public education and communications efforts so
critical to keeping the public informed.
The HHS plan also provides guidance to state and
local partners on topics including: staffing and supplies required for a
surge in patients; distribution of vaccines and antiviral drugs --
particularly when they are in short supply; roles and responsibilities
for decision makers in a community; and measures to control infection
and limit the spread of disease. The final plan reflects input and
comments received after a draft plan was published in the Federal
Register in August 2004.
On Tuesday, President Bush announced an aggressive
$7.1 billion national strategy to safeguard against the danger of
pandemic influenza. The request included $6.7 billion in additional 2006
appropriations for HHS. Approximately $4.7 billion would go toward
investments in creating vaccine production capacity and stockpiles, $1.4
billion to stockpile antiviral drugs, and $555 for surveillance, public
health infrastructure, and communications, including $100 million for
state and local preparedness.
"The preparations we make for a pandemic today will
have lasting benefits for public health and for our ability to be better
prepared for any emergency, whether it's deadly virus or another public
health emergency," Secretary Leavitt said.
The plan can be found online at
www.pandemicflu.gov.
Click to More Senior News on the
Front Page
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
