Ministry of Health Chief Nursing Advisor Dr Francis Hughes has recently been attending both the Asian/Pacific forum on SARS in Sydney and the
Emerging Infectious Disease forum in Wellington.
The efforts of public health agencies and health care organizations to increase their preparedness for major public health threats such as bioterrorism and the worldwide influenza outbreaks known as pandemics have improved the nation's capacity to respond to SARS and other
emerging infectious disease outbreaks, but gaps in preparedness remain.
The report had a profound impact on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Department of Defense, and other federal agency programs involved in addressing
emerging infectious disease threats.
One of HRI's program areas centers on building awareness of
emerging infectious diseases. To do this, the institute has established the
Emerging Infectious Disease Network, a collaboration of international medical, veterinary, and scientific experts who share information and engage in academic discussion.
Focusing on advances in infectious disease diagnostics with an emphasis on efficiency, the conference is targeted at public health and clinical laboratorians, as well as lab directors, molecular microbiologists, epidemiologists, infectious disease physicians, and
emerging infectious disease laboratory fellows, among others.
Building on past research on avian influenza and ongoing knowledge-translation activities in the health field, this new phase of work will help APEIR build and support regional capacity to communicate and share knowledge to promptly address
emerging infectious disease threats.
As strategies to deal with
emerging infectious disease threats are developed, a key component is consideration of special populations, including pregnant women (1).
However, a WSIB spokesperson believes the increase in the number of claims has more to do with increased awareness about new and
emerging infectious disease than an actual spike in the number of incidents.
Indeed, the most important lesson we have learned is that working together in research, applied public health, and preventive action is paramount because the
emerging infectious disease and microbiologic challenges of the next 60 years may be even tougher than those we have already faced.
The fifth African Conference on
Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity organised by Global Emerging Pathogens Treatment Consortium tagged 'Climate Change and Conflict: Implications for
Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity in Africa' brought together world experts to identify regional and international opportunities for collaboration in responding to
Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID).
The UK government will give 10 million of funding to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to help develop vaccines against
emerging infectious diseases.
As part of this contract, ICF will strengthen its partnership with USAID in helping it meet its vision of providing high-quality, specific technical assistance and support to countries to enable them to rapidly detect new and
emerging infectious diseases and pathogens.
