Pandemic Flu Preparedness

In its Strategic Plan for Pandemic Influenza,the World Health Organization notes that, "Neither the timing nor the severity of the next pandemic can be predicted with any certainty...however, the present threat to international public health is sufficiently serious to call for emergency actions calculated to provide the greatest level of protection and preparedness as quickly as possible." An effective humanitarian response in countries most vulnerable to high mortality during an influenza pandemic will require collaborative efforts among first-responders. Humanitarian Pandemic Preparedness (H2P) Initiative and CORE Group In October 2007, USAID funded the Humanitarian Pandemic Preparedness (H2P) Initiative with the overall goal of building humanitarian response networks within the framework of national pandemic preparedness plans that are able to support community-level response, in order to minimize excess morbidity and mortality, and potential massive social disruption. Partners include the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), CORE Group, Academy for Educational Development (AED), InterAction, and the United Nations. As a key partner in this initiative, CORE Group will focus on 1) strengthening the capability of CORE member organizations to minimize human morbidity and mortality due to an influenza pandemic in high-risk, vulnerable areas in which NGOs operate, 2) developing the necessary local partnerships for effective action, and 3) sharing lessons learned with global partners to develop and inform overall pandemic preparedness guidelines. H2P (Humanitarian Pandemic Preparedness) Initiative CORE Group Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Planning Scope of Work Health Interventions, Tools & Modules Declaration on Humanitarian Cooperation in Pandemic Preparedness and Response Below please find resources that may be helpful to you in avian and pandemic flu preparedness. If you have related materials to share with the NGO community, please send them to contact@coregroup.org. NGO Resources CARE Avian Influenza Website: Information on preparedness planning, experiences from CARE. Save the Children Pandemic Flu Resources World Vision: Avian Flu Planning Guidelines and Toolkit Presentations from CORE Group Meetings Demonstration of New Community Tools in Emergency and Pandemic Preparedness - Fall 2008 Interactive Simulation: Community Preparedness: Responding to a Pandemic in a UN-led Simulation - Spring 2008 Pandemic Flu: Epidemiology, Prevention, Treatment, History, & Current Threat - Spring 2007, presentation updated October 2008 Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Planning - Fall 2007 NGO Preparedness for Avian/Human Influenza - Fall 2006 Avian and Pandemic Influenza: NGOs' Role and Response - Spring 2006 Recordings from CORE Group On-Line Sessions (Note: Users will need to have their computers Elluminate Ready in order to play recordings.) Pandemic Influenza Series - February 2008 Preparing Communities for Avian and Pandemic Flu - August 2007 Pandemic Influenza: Epidemiology, Prevention, Treatment, History, & Current Threat - June 2007 Program Responses to Avian Influenza - November 2006 Articles of Interest Preparing for the Next Pandemic, Michael Osterholm, Foreign Affairs The Next Pandemic?, Laurie Garrett, Foreign Affairs Useful Links Links to News, Plans, Guidelines, and Background Information   H5N1 Virus