A Glimpse into the World Health Organization Plan for a Bird Flu Pandemic

The World Health Organization is the United Nations specialized agency for health. It was established on April 7, 1948. The WHO's objective is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Health is defined in the WHO's Constitution as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The WHO is governed by 193 Member States through the World Health Assembly.

The WHO is coordinating the global response to human cases of H5N1 avian influenza and monitoring the corresponding threat of influenza pandemic.

The WHO has organized steps to try to stop the disease from spreading among birds. Millions of farmyard birds have been culled, while millions more have been vaccinated and confined indoors.

Furthermore, areas where the disease has been found have been isolated and some countries have banned imports of live birds and poultry products. In January 2006 international donors pledged $1.9 billion in the fight against bird flu, while the World Health Organization has devised a rapid-response plan to detect and contain a global flu pandemic.

There are also measures recommended when a wild infected bird is found, including protection and surveillance zones. The WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network was established in 1952. The network comprises 4 WHO Collaborating Centers (WHO CCs) and 116 institutions in 87 countries, which are recognized by WHO as WHO National Influenza Centres (NICs). These NICs collect specimens in their country. The NIC then perform primary virus isolation and preliminary antigenic characterization. They ship newly isolated strains to WHO CCs for high-level antigenic and genetic analysis, the result of which forms the basis for WHO recommendations on the composition of influenza vaccine for the Northern and Southern Hemisphere each year.

The WHO Influenza Surveillance Network serves also as a global alert mechanism for the emergence of influenza viruses with pandemic potential.

Influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus appears against which the human population has no immunity, resulting in simultaneous epidemics worldwide with huge deaths and illness reported. With the increase in international travel and taking into account the overcrowded conditions world wide, epidemics due the new influenza virus are likely to rapidly spread globally.

WHO has developed a global influenza preparedness plan, which defines the responsibilities of the WHO and national authorities in case of an influenza pandemic. This plan includes innovative scientific information and experience acquired during the latest outbreaks that had pandemic potential. The WHO also offers guidance tools and training to assist in the development of national pandemic preparedness plans.

The WHO also prepared a checklist for influenza preparedness planning. The checklist covers seven elements. First, it covers preparing for an emergency and surveillance. It then discusses case investigation and treatments, as well as preventing the spread of the disease into the community. Then it mentions maintaining essential services, followed by research and evaluation techniques. The checklist concludes with implementation, testing and revision of the national plan.

Influenza experts agree that another pandemic is likely to happen but are not sure when. The precise characteristics of a future pandemic virus cannot be calculated. However, the WHO agrees that the level of preparedness is likely to influence the economic and medical impact of the potential outbreak of the bird flu, and the final death toll.

In addition to the influenza preparedness checklist, the WHO sent all countries a document outlining recommended strategic actions for responding to the avian influenza pandemic threat. Suggested actions intend to reinforce national preparedness, lessen prospects for a pandemic virus to emerge, further develop the early warning system, setback preliminary global spread, and hasten vaccine development.