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Avian Flu: National Political Issues

by Krissi Polentz, Solange Bohling, and Courtney Montgomery

General Overview for all Political (national and international):

            Overall, the political group divided into two segments; national and international. The group felt that they would be able to get a better understanding of how the avian flu is being approached by other countries and nationally. When the political group divided, national and international groups looked at their subjects individually and compared. Then the international and national groups wrote separate solutions, for what the groups believed needed to be accomplished either nationally or internationally for the best of the people. One common theme found in both the international and the national page is the that both international countries and the United States are following the plan suggested by the World Health Organization.

Our Process:

• We found the official plan of the United States on how to deal with the impending pandemic.
• We researched how much money was being spent on preparation for a pandemic.
• We looked at the ideas that the government had and modified them to what we would want if a pandemic should happen.

Preparedness and Communication

• Consider all possible consequences
• Human/animal heath, security, transportation, trade and infrastructure
• Utilize health organizations
• World Health Organization: WHO
• Food and Agriculture Organization: FAO
• World Organization for Animal Health: OIE

Preparation:

• Employ enough people to deal with outbreak
• Prepare citizens on:
• What to do before pandemic
• What to do during pandemic (isolation etc)

- Antiviral and Vaccine Stock

• Make sure have enough in the nation and in individual states and that everything is organized
• Enough to vaccinate “front-line personnel”, military, and those at highest risk
• Enough to vaccinate all of US within 6 months of an outbreak
• Effective distribution during and before an outbreak

Development:

• Effective communication between scientists and government
• Collaborate with international partners to make sure using the best strategy

• Be working on creating new and better antiviral and vaccines for protection from different types of flu

Surveillance and Detection

Reporting:

• International communication- rapidly report outbreaks
• Be able to detect mutations in the disease
• Be able to recognize the influenza efficiently
• be able to predict early outbreak
• Observe livestock and wildlife to make sure there is no infection

Surveillance:

• Develop mechanisms for surveillance during an outbreak

• Develop mechanism for observing animals that could be infected

• Be able to control what products come into the country- to be able to ensure they are not infected

Response and Containment

Containment:

• Limit the spread of the flu from where it where it began
• “Encourage all levels of government…to take appropriate and lawful action to contain an outbreak within the borders of their community, province, state or nation.”- everyone look out for self
• Prevent people and goods from making unnecessary moves into or out of outbreak areas
• Leveraging National Medical and Public Health
• All medical places equipped with necessary items to counter infection
• Distribute medical and non medical supplies everywhere
• Eradicate any barriers that would hinder medical services
• Ensuring Effective Risk Communication
• Make sure the public is informed of what is happening
• Write guidelines to ensure that the food people consume is safe and that they aren’t in contact with infected wildlife

Roles and Responsibilities

Federal Government:

In charge of:

• International preparedness
• Surveillance and containment
• Stockpiling

State Government:

In charge of:

• Limiting spread of outbreaks in state
• State-based stockpiles
• Make sure their people are educated and that communication is effective

Individuals and Families:

In charge of:

• If family member infected- know how to contain their disease
• Follow public health rules
• Isolation and limit travel
• Have supplies at home

Money: $7.1 billion total

• 2.8 billion to developing vaccines
• 1.2 billion to buy vaccines (20 million people)
• 1 billion to stockpile antiviral drugs
• 538 million- goes to states and local governments for prep. emergency plans
• 251 million- goes abroad to other countries to train people

National Solution:

The Public can gain knowledge through sources distributed by the government.  The pamphlet clearly describes the procedure to prevent getting avian flu, and once someone you know has it, how to prevent flu from spreading.  The official website lists and responds to the “most asked questions” and is considered the official FAQ site.  There are major newspapers, radios, and a channel on TV solely focused on the influenza to report recent events and answer questions.  A national number has also been provided to report disease and to direct that person to a place to become treated.

            Regarding treatment and distribution, all major hospitals around the country have a section devoted to the influenza.  Each state has a specific hospital purely devoted to the influenza, which people can fly to reach.  However, a medical form signed by doctor is needed to receive medical supplies at hospitals.  Sick, elderly, and young should have required routine checkups quarterly.  Incase of emergency, frontline personnel and infrastructure workers get supplies first.  Big medical organizations were asked to focus primarily on pandemic dilemma if a larger outbreak occurs.

            To prevent the outbreak of avian flu, any foreign goods or travelers should be checked thoroughly wherever they enter the country.  Before entering US, specific shots are needed, and a brief checkup is demanded at the airports.  Government veterinarians of on routine government checkups on all farms to prevent spread.  Mechanisms to detect disease in animals and humans are being developed.

Specific amounts of money have been designated towards certain areas. 1.5 billion dollars was assigned to help develop vaccines, while 2 billion dollars are projected to buy vaccines.  Another 1.5 billion dollars to stockpile antiviral drugs.  500 million dollars to buy vaccines for foreign countries and to train people on how to deal with the outbreak where there are a lot of outbreaks was set aside.  700 million dollars went to state governments to help prepare that state for an outbreak, in the form of brochures, antiviral drugs, medical training, etc.  The plan is to join with other wealthy countries and devise a plan on how to feed those whose birds have died and donate 200 million dollars to that cause.

National Bibliography

“Bush Unveils Bird Flu Action Plan.” BBC News. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4396898.stm> (accessed on 8 November 2005).