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Public Health Preparedness
By Yusrin Junaidi

Bandar Seri Begawan - The First Sub-Regional (BIMP) Exercise Management Training Workshop was officially launched yesterday by Dr Hjh Kaisom binte Hj Abdul Latif,-Acting Director General, Ministry of Health, Brunei Darussalam.

Co-hosted by Brunei's Ministry of Health, the training programme is organised by the Ministry of Public Health Thailand. The Australian Agency of International Development (AusAid) helped fund the project. Also participating are Malaysia, Philippine and Indonesia.

Attending the event were Mr Phitak Thrombutha, Ambassador, Royal Thai Embassy and a representative from the Australian High Commission, Mr Damien Donovan.

"This workshop addresses key areas in public health preparedness in responding to events of public health concerns. The threat of avian influenza and pandemic influenza which continue to loom upon us command each country to have action plans in place to ensure that appropriate and timely interventions can be executed effectively.

"Having action plans alone is not adequate. It needs to be tested and assessed to identify gaps, key areas for improvement, as well as part of capacity and skill building. In conducting any exercises and dry runs, it needs to be well planned and done in a structured way for maximum benefit.

"The skills that will be acquired would further improve and strengthen our overall capacity and capability in dealing with public health emergencies," said the Acting Director General.

Dr Ma Luningning Elio Villa, programme facilitator, Asean Plus Three Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme, said the "project workshop has successfully raised the profile of some more neglected emerging infectious diseases like rabies. To date, a call for Action towards Elimination of Rabies by year 2020 has been passed, and the programme is working for endorsement by the highest level of animal and human health government bodies.

"The programme is strengthening cross-sectoral linkages in the projects implemented by the Asean members states. The project on Exercise Management Training Package,, aims to build the capacity of Asean in the conduct of exercise, and help the members states to be better prepared.

"It emphasised for stronger multi-sectoral involvement as it is recognixed that in an actual situation, the extent of the effects of a severe outbreak of EID, as well as response to such a situation extends beyond the health sector," Dr Luningning Elio Villa said.

Frederick John Abo, Technical Manager of Public Health in Emergencies Public, Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, said, "Exercises have taken place in Asean Plus Three countries at national, sub-national, community, cross border and regional level to develop and test plans in response to communicable disease emergency including avian influenza in poultry and humans, and the threat of pandemic influenza.

"In Asean+3 countries, there is limited experience in developing, conducting and evaluating effective exercises among human and animal health sectors, and limited guidance or training available to those responsible in exercise management thus the need to develop such capacity to contribute to the preparedness of Asean+3 countries to face such risks," he said.

The Exercise Management Training programme aims to build the capacity of the people responsible for exercise management for preparedness, prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore.

The Sub-Regional BIMP workshop is designed to train national personnel who have responsibility for the development and conduct of the BIMP exercise. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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