Abstract
BackgroundRe-emergence in 2003 of human cases of avian H5N1 and the resultant spread of the disease highlighted the need to improve the capacity of countries to detect and contain novel viruses. To assess development in this capacity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) produced a tool for assessing a country's capability in 12 critical areas related to pandemic preparedness, including monitoring and identifying novel influenza viruses.ObjectivesCapabilities the CDC tool assesses range from how well a country has planned and is prepared for an outbreak to how prepared a country is to respond when a pandemic occurs. Included in this assessment tool are questions to determine whether a country has a detailed preparedness plan and the laboratory capacity to identify various strains of influenza quickly and accurately.MethodsThe tool was used first in 2008 when 40 countries in collaboration with CDC calculated baseline scores and used a second time in 2010 by 36 of the original 40 countries to determine whether they had improved their preparedness. Using basic mathematical comparison and statistical analyses, we compared data at the aggregate capability level as well as at the indicator and country levels. Additionally, we examined the comments of respondents to the assessment questionnaire for reasons (positive and negative) that would explain changes in scores from 2008 to 2010.ResultsAnalysis of results of two assessments in 36 countries shows statistically significant improvement in all 12 capabilities on an aggregate level and 47 of 50 indicators.
Highlights
Re-emergence of human cases of avian H5N1 in 2003 spurred global efforts to assist countries to develop or increase their capacity to detect and contain novel influenza viruses
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) entered into bilateral cooperative agreements with nine countries that identified cases of H5N1 or were close to such a country, adding an additional three countries in 2005
Countries were eligible to enter into this CDC bilateral agreement only if they had an established national influenza center (NIC) with terms of reference agreeing to share relevant data and samples with the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS)
Summary
Re-emergence of human cases of avian H5N1 in 2003 spurred global efforts to assist countries to develop or increase their capacity to detect and contain novel influenza viruses. In September 2004, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a program that would assist countries to develop their surveillance capacity. Re-emergence in 2003 of human cases of avian H5N1 and the resultant spread of the disease highlighted the need to improve the capacity of countries to detect and contain novel viruses. To assess development in this capacity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) produced a tool for assessing a country’s capability in 12 critical areas related to pandemic preparedness, including monitoring and identifying novel influenza viruses
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