Pandemic influenza preparedness in Africa is a profound challenge for an already distressed region: analysis of national preparedness plans

Abstract

A new highly pathogenic strain of influenza virus, H5N1, has emerged causing severe outbreaks in poultry and high mortality rates when humans are infected. The threat of a new influenza pandemic has prompted countries to draft national strategic preparedness plans to prevent, contain and mitigate the next human influenza pandemic. To evaluate preparedness for an influenza pandemic in the African region we analysed African national preparedness plans available in the public domain. A data extraction tool, based on a World Health Organization checklist for influenza epidemic preparedness, was designed in consultation with pandemic influenza planning experts and experts on the region's public health challenges. Thirty-five plans were identified and available from 53 African countries. Most plans are relatively robust in addressing detection and containment of influenza in animals but strategic preparedness to respond to pandemic human influenza is weak. In most plans communication strategies have been developed with the aim to raise awareness of transmission factors and promote hygiene measures. By contrast, the human health care sector is ill-prepared. Case management, triage procedures, identification of health care facilities for patient treatment (including home care and provisions for the distribution and administration of pharmaceuticals) are poorly addressed by most plans. The maintenance of essential services in the event of a pandemic is absent from most plans. Whilst many African countries have strategic pandemic influenza preparedness plans, most are developmental in nature and lack operational clarity, or focus principally on the containment of avian influenza rather than pandemic human influenza. Clear strategies, that are operational, need to be developed that reflect the realities of national context and resource constraints and that meet national objectives. These objectives need also to be coherent with international imperatives such that the global threat of pandemic influenza can be met effectively and efficiently.

Reshaping US Navy Pacific Response in Mitigating Disaster Risk in South Pacific Island Nations: Adopting Community-Based Disaster Cycle Management

“…In studies from five continents, both strategic-and tactical-level plans functioned well, but major flaws occurred in local community-level operational capacity. These ranged from lax case management triage procedures and operational capacity within strategic national preparedness plans in 53 developing and highly health-challenged African countries, 45 and lack of ''operational capacity'' in Australia, such as resource supply 46,47 This has sparked researchers to look at improving emergency management planning by focusing on strengthening local capacity. Considerable growth and interest has occurred in the meaning and use of the term ''community'' and the cultural nuances such terms bring.…”

Troop education and avian influenza surveillance in military barracks in Ghana, 2011

“…The establishment of H5N1 in domestic poultry, unregulated trade of potentially infected poultry, and high-risk farming practices continue to put some African countries at high risk [8]. This increasing risk to the African region has highlighted the importance of African pandemic preparedness plans and their potential shortcomings [9]. …”

Pandemieplanung

“…So verfügen alle nordamerikanischen Staaten, mindestens 15 der 17 lateinamerikanischen Staaten [4], 35 von 53 afrikanischen Staaten [5], 46 der 53 Staaten der WHO-EURO-Region (darunter alle Staaten der Europäischen Union und des Europäischen Wirtschaftsraumes) [6] und einige Staaten des asiatisch-pazifischen Raums [7] über einen Pandemieplan. Die publizierten Pandemiepläne sind über die Internetseite der WHO zugänglich [8].…”