Press Release
Department of Health and the World Health Organization

Manila, Philippines, 5 March—Does the Philippines have the ability to contain a potential human influenza pandemic?

This Wednesday and Thursday (5 and 6 March), the Philippine Department of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization Representative's Office in the Philippines, will assess its rapid response and containment strategies to stop, or at least slow, a potential influenza pandemic at its source. The simulation exercise on Wednesday and table top exercise on Thursday, known as Panstop II, will evaluate the strategy and help fill gaps in the country's response plan.

"We are glad that the country’s vigilance against any flu pandemic will be put to the test. The Panstop II exercise will enable key government players to test preparedness and coordination among all parties involved, especially with regard to the ability to mobilize country resources and stockpiles in times of an actual pandemic,” said Philippine Health Secretary Dr Francisco Duque III.

"WHO's role in the exercise, meanwhile, is to provide technical support and to help assess the effectiveness and feasibility of a rapid containment strategy," added Dr Soe Nyunt-U, WHO Representative in the Philippines.

The exercise revolves on a mock scenario based on a report that several people in Pampanga Province have fallen ill with H5N1 influenza, similar to a virus found in domestic fowl. Health officials involved in the exercise will go through the process they would take to rapidly contain the spread of the virus.

Panstop II involves in-country coordination, including the ability to move resources and personnel to contain the spread of the disease. The exercise aims to assess rapid containment capabilities, involving risk assessment, communications, decision-making within offices of the Department of Health and between agencies and departments of the Philippine government. No antiviral drugs or protective personal equipment will actually be moved in the exercise.

Panstop II is part of a series of exercises WHO is undertaking with various national governments and partner agencies to ensure the ability to implement rapid response and containment. Panstop I, in April 2007, involved Cambodia.

Panstop II is expected to yield practical information about the efficiency of procedures, discover gaps in planning and coordination, build on strengths, and identify opportunities for improvement of rapid containment planning.

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For more information, please contact: Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, Program Coordinator, National Center for Disease Prevention & Control, DOH at 711-6808 or mobile 0917 8527880